Promenade du Paillon Season 2: Nice's Green Metamorphosis

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On 18 October 2025, the city of Nice unveiled the long-awaited extension of the Promenade du Paillon, the second phase of this major project, called "Season 2". A genuine urban forest now takes its place at the heart of the city, a generosity of nature, pathways and conviviality offered to Niçois and visitors alike. Here is the story of this transformation, a blend of landscape architecture, ecological transition and urban promenade.

An opening full of atmosphere

At 10 a.m., on the Bourgada esplanade, a festive atmosphere set the tone for the inauguration. Welcome music from the municipal guard, a Niçois buffet and activities for young and old marked the event. For the occasion, nature workshops, performances and a young-public ball welcomed everyone to discover the new space.

The event launched not only the public opening but also the celebration of a new place to live, a little greener and a little more peaceful, in the heart of the city.

A rethought setting, 8 hectares and counting

Season 2 extends the green thread of the promenade, from the traverse de la Bourgada to the traverse Monnet, beneath the parvis de l'Europe. In figures, this means around 8 additional hectares of green and permeable spaces. In the end, the overall surface will reach close to 20 hectares for this phase.

Concretely, the project includes:

• An urban wooded fabric with trees adapted to the Mediterranean climate, with a strong shading capacity.
• A two-way cycle path, widened pavements and reorganised streets around the park.
• A vast landscape and urban movement, including the reorganisation of buildings such as the MAMAC and the highlighting of the Louis Nucéra library, all set in a more natural environment.

An ecological and societal ambition

The project goes well beyond decorative landscaping. It is part of a global framework, fostering biodiversity, improving air quality, mitigating urban heat islands and recovering rainwater.

A few figures to keep in mind:

• 8 ha of new permeable surfaces.
• Estimated reduction of around 1,740 tonnes of CO₂ per year.
• Estimated noise mitigation between 6 and 8 dB depending on the zone.
• An annual emission of around 1 tonne of pollutants (NOx, SOx) is filtered thanks to the vegetation.

Why this extension is a not-to-miss landmark

Several elements explain why Season 2 was awaited and why it will appeal:

• Quality of life and rest in the city, with more shade, more vegetation, and soothing walks in a seaside city that is often very busy.
• Soft mobility, since pedestrians and cyclists now have clearer continuities.
• A place to live and to enjoy culture, as the promenade is not only a landscape feature but also integrates facilities, pathways and activities.
• Tourist visibility, with a strong landmark for visitors and a notable addition to the Niçois experience.

A fresh breath for the heart of Nice

With Season 2 of the Promenade du Paillon, Nice takes a new step, moving from urban green corridor to true urban forest, from decorative promenade to a structuring space of urban life. This extension, with its 8 hectares, its new developments and its added nature, repositions the city centre as a more breathable, more pedestrian and more open place.