Alpes Maritime

Living in Alpes Maritime

Living in Alpes Maritime means having a wide variety of landscapes in which to base yourself, from small mountain villages to glitzy coastal resorts. The capital of the region is the sun-drenched city of Nice, situated within the stunning Cote D’Azur. The second-largest city in France, Nice has plenty of innovation and culture, but people are mainly attracted to it because of its spectacular Mediterranean location, its colourful buildings and the architecture of its old town. Nice is so attractive in fact that it inspired both the famed French artists Marc Chagall and Henri Matisse, both of whom have museums there.

What cities are in Alpes Maritime? Away from the bright lights of the city, the department has many other smaller towns in which to base yourself. Along the coast, the rich and famous prefer the glamorous streets of Cannes, which plays host to the annual famous film festival, as well as Antibes with its yacht-filled marinas and 16th-century ramparts. There’s also the striking old town of Valbonne, located just north of Cannes, which is often named as one of the best places to live in Alpes Maritime. However, there are plenty of other more affordable towns to choose from located inland too. North of Valbonne, you’ll find Grasse surrounded by rolling hills and fields of roses and lavender, known for being the capital of France’s perfume industry, home to the International Perfume Museum. There’s also a medieval Vence set in the hills above Nice and popular with artists with lots of galleries. However, there are a total of 163 towns and villages to choose from.

Cost of living in Alpes Maritime

Because of its popularity, both with expats and holidaymakers, living in Maritime Alpes can be expensive, particularly if you’re looking to live on the coast. Look further inland though and you’ll find that the cost of living in Alpes Maritime can be surprisingly affordable. Being the second-largest city in France, Nice is also one of the most expensive to live in. According to cost of living website Numbeo, family of four would need a total of €3,358.89 per month excluding rent and a single person would need an average of €939.20. Rent and eating out make up a lot of the budget. Surprisingly, the general cost of living is even more expensive in Nice than in Cannes, although property prices in the celebrity resort are higher. Look at any of the smaller towns, including ones like Antibes on the coast and you’ll generally find that consumer, restaurant and grocery prices are all cheaper away from the main city.

Summary of weather/air quality

The department of Maritime Alpes generally experiences a Mediterranean climate with warm springs, hot summers and mild and autumns and winters, particularly along the coastal areas. July and August are the hottest months with average temperatures of 24.2C and 24.5C respectively. On the other end of the scale, January is the coldest month with an average temperature of 9.6C. October and November are the wettest months with 135mm and 105mm respectively, while July and August are the driest with just 10mm and 20mm of rain per month. On average, there are 2,720 hours of sunshine per year making it an attractive option for those from northern Europe who are looking to move for better weather.

Nice may be known for its stunning beaches and popular coastal towns, unfortunately it also has the worst air-quality in France. According to a ranking of 100 French cities by L’Express, Nice had a total of mediocre or bad air quality for a total of 67 days or around two months of the year, but keep in mind that for the rest of the year, this means that it’s very good. This is mainly due to its high summer temperatures, industrial activity and traffic. For better air quality, head inland from the coast towards the southern Alpes, where you’ll find the air to be a lot cleaner. 

History/culture of Alpes Maritime

The Alpes Maritime area was founded by the Roman Empire, after 14BC, by Emperor Augustus to control the coastal road between Italy and southern France. Its capital was Cemenelum, present-day Cimiez, located near Nice. Living in Alpes Maritime today, you’ll find the region is known for its rich culture and prominent museums. There’s the grand Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild and its garden in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, as well as historical monuments such as the Saint-Michel-Archange Basilica in Menton and the walled Lérins Abbey on  Île Saint-Honorat.

Art is another important part of the culture in this department and as mentioned both Marc Chagall and Henri Matisse have museums dedicated to their work in Nice. Chagall lived in St Paul de Vence near Nice for a large part of his later life from 1948 until his death in 1985. Matisse on the other hand moved to Nice in 1917 attracted by its charm and Mediterranean scenes.

Food of course is a big part of the culture here too like in many regions of France. One of the most famous dishes from here is the Niçoise Salad, consisting of typical salad ingredients mixed with tuna, hard boiled eggs, beans and olives. Another is courgette flower fritters, which also takes its inspiration from nearby northern Italy. Or give the Tourte à La Blette a try, a pastry pie filled with chard.