The unmissable Cours Saleya in Nice

The name Saleya is thought to derive from the fact that in this area there were storage facilities belonging to the Abbey of Saint-Pons , including cellars, and the monk in charge of these cellars was the " cellerié, " hence his residence " cellaria" or "cellaya, " which is believed to have evolved into " saleya ." It was the first true public promenade before the famous Promenade des Anglais.

This is the oldest market in the city. Fruit and vegetable vendors have been setting up shop on the Cours Saleya since 1861 and were soon joined by florists. This promenade became the commercial heart of the city; people came to stroll, chat, and show off. Horticulturists came down from the hills of Saint-Pancrace, Nice-Ouest, and the Paillon Valley… with their flowers.

Lou Cours, as the people of Nice call it, starts from the gardens of the former Ducal Palace to the two Terraces of Ponchettes, a Promenade des Anglais before its time to observe the landscape .

It was also on the Cours Saleya that the modern Carnival was created in 1873, which migrated to Avenue Jean-Médecin in the 1880s.

Now it's a meeting place for locals and tourists alike, a lively and friendly spot to enjoy local specialties.