Perhaps the most famous thoroughfare in France after the Champs Elysées, the Promenade des Anglais is one of the jewels of Nice.

Why ‘des Anglais’ in this quintessentially French resort? The Côte d’Azur or French Riviera as the English called it, was really discovered by the English back in the late 18th century. Wealthy families started to come to the shores of the Bay of Angels for the winter.

Up till 1820 access to the beach was very difficult. However, a very bad winter in the north brought many desperate and hungry people to the south coast. The local English community put them to work constructing a footpath along the fore shore.

Way of the English

One of these residents, the Reverend Lewis Way, financed the project. At first they called this path the English Way or ‘Camin deis Anglés‘ in the local Nissart language after the sponsors of the project and, in particular, the eponymous Reverend.