I'm driving to a show at Palais Nikaia and I've never been before. I've heard stories about how difficult it is to park anywhere, that it takes ages, difficult to find, etc. Any tips?

Hi there,

You should have tried the traffic jams after 55,000 people piled put of the Coldplay concert last night. Nightmare!!!!
We usually park at the airport (terminal 1), so if you don't mind walking about a km and paying the airport parking fees
thats an option. It also means by parking there you can get straight on to the motorway.

Depending on the size of the show I think their own carpark holds roughly 1500 cars.

Regards,

Trace

Any tips?Here's a tip that my wife suggested and we actually tried last night for the Coldplay concert.
You can ;
either (a) Get to Nice much earlier before A8 becomes problematic, parking anywhere central and amuse yourselves in Nice. Head off to the concert early if that is your wish
or (b) head to Nice much later, parking in Cagnes sur Mer or St Laurent du Var avoiding A8 entirely or or coming off A8 at Villeneuve
THEN the brilliant bit;
- take a Velo Bleu right to the Nikaia gate
We did it last night from Cagnes sur Mer seafront (8.7km to Nikaia). Stopped with the VBs for dinner at a portside restaurant with sun still up. Nikaia spectacle was advertised for 20:00 but we didn't leave the restaurant till 20:15, still sunny with nice clearly marked cycle-path all the way to the airport, then along the 202 to Nikaia, just flying past the buses and the pedestrians who were trudging the 2k or so to the stadium. Locked the VBs to the railings and leisurely joined the last entrants to the stadium - in place on the pelouse at 20:45 in time to see 2nd intro act. The return was even more exhilarating - OK you have to queue to get out of the stadium on foot like everyone else - but then "cling cling" VB sailing through the stationary traffic all the way past CAP 3000 - and pick up car back in Cagnes - 25 minutes later. What a great way to enjoy a concert in Nice. (oh and WHAT a concert that was last night wasn't it?)

I didn't go to the Coldplay show last night but I was leaving Nice at 7 pm and I saw the traffic entering Nice... horrendous! The parking at Nice airport idea sounds quite interesting. Velo Bleu won't work because we'll have too many kids with us as well and it just wouldn't be practical... Thanks for the suggestions so far!

I'm now thinking of going really early and parking in the Nikaia car park before everyone else gets there. There must be a café there and I can just sit and read a book. Does anyone know what time it opens (how long before the shows start)? Thanks!

I m not sure your last posting is a good plan Sue, have you driven past there & scoped it out?
I wouldnt bet on there being a cafe or anywhere other than your car where you can sit & read & it's not the most attractive area to sit around in for hours.
In the past there were free buses from Nice centre when there were things on in Nikaia & it was reckoned to be more practical to drive into noce , park & then get the free bus (which started around 18,30/19hr) I dont know if this still exists but someone surely does.
The velo bleu idea sounds really practical (if a little energetic ;-))

Definitely echo what Eurokiné says. For the big concerts, the Nikaia parking is reserved for VIPs and handicapped guests anyway. So you are looking at one of the others further out which may or may not have shuttle buses (some of which like the MIN don't operate till later anyway).
As for cafés in the PN - actually I don't think so. There are lots of buvettes all around on concert day and there is a sort of workerman restaurant across the road but have you ever been there before? This is an UGLY area. I wouldn't want to sit around there for hours (by the way, did you say you had many kids with you?). I'd prefer to take the kids to the pool or the ice skating or the chateau or the beach in Nice, have a good time together and then get the free bus shuttle from the station to Nikaia (you can check times and pickup points for any given concert with the Office de Tourisme)