NICE

seaport city, Mediterranean tourist centre, and capital of Alpes-Maritimes dpartement, Provence-Alpes-Cte-d'Azur region, southeastern France. The city is located on the Baie (bay) des Anges, 20 mi (32 km) from the Italian border. Sheltered by beautiful hills, Nice has a pleasant climate and is the leading resort city of the Cte d'Azur, or French Riviera. Founded by the Phocaeans of Marseille (a colony of Greek mariners) around 350 BC, the city was probably named in honour of a victory (nike in Greek) over a neighbouring colony. Conquered by the Romans during the 1st century AD, it became a busy trading station. The town was held by the counts of Provence during the 10th century, and in 1388 passed under the protection of the counts of Savoy, who held it until 1860, although it was captured and occupied several times by the French during the 17th and 18th centuries. Nice was ceded to France by the Treaty of Turin (1860), after which a referendum ratified the decision. The Paillon River, now partly built over, separates the new town to the west from the old town, the harbour, and the commercial district to the east. The old town, with narrow winding streets, stands at the western base of a granite hill known as Le Chteau, although the castle that used to crown it was destroyed in 1706. The harbour, begun in 1750 and extended after 1870, is used by commercial vessels (imports include cereals and vegetable oils), fishing craft, and pleasure boats. There is also a regular passenger service to Corsica. The most striking part of the new town is the famous Promenade des Anglais, which originated in 1822 as a path along the shore built by the English colony. It stretches 2.5 mi (4 km) along the waterfront, and consists of two wide carriageways separated by flower beds and palm trees. The Muse Jules Chret des Beaux-Arts and the Muse Massna have collections of early Italian paintings and works by 19th-century and contemporary artists. A memorial to the painter Marc Chagall has been built to house a collection of biblical paintings donated by the artist in 1966. A mile northeast of the city centre is the ancient episcopal town of Cimiez, which contains the majestic ruins of a Roman amphitheatre. Nearby stands a 17th-century villa housing an archaeological museum and a collection of more than 40 paintings and drawings by the French artist Henri Matisse. Tourism is the leading commercial activity of the town, both in summer and winter. Numerous festivities are organized every year, the most important being the Carnival of Nice, which was first held in 1873. Nice has excellent road, rail, and sea communications; the airport is one of the most important in France. Industries include food processing, olive oil works, distilleries, and manufacture of perfumes. Newer technologies recently established include electronics and precision machinery. A flower and fresh-fruit market was established in 1963. Nice is also a growing cultural centre. A university with faculties of law, science, and letters was established in 1965; the Centre Universitaire Mditerranen (founded 1933; first director, the French poet Paul Valry) holds conferences on contemporary problems and language studies; and an international art school was established in 1970. Pop. (1982) 331,165.