Place Masséna is a square in the city center of Nice, named in honor of the Marshal of the Empire André Masséna, Nice by birth.
Recognizable by its red facades, its fountain of the sun and its black and white paving, Place Masséna is the meeting point of the Côte d'Azur in the heart of Nice.
Its location marks the meeting point between Old Nice, the access to the Promenade des Anglais, the beginning of rue Masséna which is more commonly called "the pedestrian zone" as well as the beginning of the very commercial avenue Jean Médecin.
Place Masséna was built in 1832, at the end of a cholera epidemic, the town decided to build a church and a new square in the city center. The design of the plans is the responsibility of the Franco-Italian architect Joseph Vernier, who draws his inspiration from the rue de Rivoli, in Paris, with the arcaded buildings that line it. Its construction was not completed until 1850.
The inhabitants first nicknamed it "place du Faubourg", then "square square" and finally in 1852, the town decided to name it in tribute to André Masséna, general then marshal of the Empire under Napoleon, born in Nice in 1758.
Every year, the people of Nice have the opportunity to attend many events:
In July, it's Nice Music Live, a jazz and contemporary music festival.
In February, the carnival of Nice, the largest carnival in France, renowned throughout the world.
In August, the Crossover festival gives pride of place to electronic music, from techno to house, including more experimental sounds.
In summer, it is often the place of passage of the Tour de France.
