Carras

Carras is the long pebble beach toward the western end of the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, out past the centre in the direction of the airport. It is the everyday, local face of the Nice seafront rather than the postcard one. There are no famous clubs lining it and no special drama in the setting, just a broad open stretch of the same smooth pebbles and the same clear water of the Baie des Anges, with the promenade and its busy cycle path running along the back. For a lot of residents, this is simply where you go for a swim.

That ordinariness is the appeal. Because Carras sits away from the central crush around the old town and the grand hotels, it tends to feel calmer and more relaxed, drawing local swimmers and families more than tour groups. You can ride the tram or cycle along the seafront, drop your towel, swim in open clear water and not feel hemmed in. On a hot summer day it still fills, but it rarely has the packed, jostling feel of the central beaches at peak time.

Be clear about what it is not. The western end is open and exposed, so there is little natural shelter or shade, and on a breezy day the water here is livelier than in the sheltered corner under the Castle Hill. The pebbles are the usual Nice stones, so water shoes and a thick mat are worth bringing. This is a practical, honest city beach for a good swim and a seafront stroll, not a glamorous scene.

Who should skip it: anyone after soft sand, deep shelter or a club scene, as this is open local pebbles. Who should go: swimmers and anyone who wants a free, calmer corner of the Nice front. Pair Carras with the sheltered eastern corner at Castel Plage, the rare sand of Marinieres in nearby Villefranche, or the clear cove at Paloma on the cape.

Carras runs along the western Promenade des Anglais toward the airport, and the easiest way to reach it is the seafront tram and bus lines, which stop close to the beach. You can also cycle along the promenade path or drive, with some parking nearby, though seafront traffic in central Nice is slow in summer. The open layout means access is simple, with steps down to the pebbles at several points.

Bring water shoes for the stones, a thick mat for comfort and proper shade, since this exposed western end has little natural cover. June and September give warm settled water with the beach quieter than at the August peak, and mornings are the calmest time to swim. On a breezy day the water here is livelier than in the sheltered eastern corner, so judge conditions before you go in.