New Year’s News from Nice

This is the last French Property Insider for the year. We’re about to say “so long” to 2022 and ring in the new year of 2023. The year always flies by so fast—even faster every year, because life is relative…meaning that one year out of 10 is a whopping 10 percent, while one year out of 20 is only 5 percent…so as they each pass, they seem to go faster and faster…in relative terms.

Since I returned to Nice at the beginning of the week, I have been immersed in the “rays” of “Le Palais du Soleil“—our Fractional Ownership property in Nice that is under active renovation with the finish line in sight for the end of this week. It’s down to the wire, but that’s okay because the first owners don’t arrive till mid-January and that gives us a bit of time to get the kinks worked out.

There is one share available for purchase. It happens to be Share A, the first usage date starting January 5th. We weren’t unhappy to have this share unsold at this time and I’m hoping to be the first guest myself in order to test it all out and make the first “punch list.”

Martine di Mattéo and her crew are here working like busy bees to get it all done. We’ve already made a few changes, some of which aren’t so simple. As we walked around the space with her carpenter and contractor, we made decisions that would affect the functionality of the space. This is where I am most proficient, as we might have ideas about the way things should or could work, but don’t always function as well as you might have thought until faced with the reality of the decision. Martine usually agrees with me, and while her focus is more for aesthetics while mine is more about convenience and ease of use, together we make for a perfect recipe.

While you’re reading this, Martine and I are busy going up and down the aisles at the new Ikea in Nice, buying up many of the simple accessories we’ll need for the apartment. We are certain to come back with a truckload of stuff ready to put away in the apartment once it’s ready! I’m planning on spending next week doing that with the help of Roni Sexton, our Niçoise concierge.

If you’re interested in Share A, now’s the time to act! Your usage will start in early July—a perfect time of year to be in Nice! To learn more about it, visit our website or email us.

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News from Nice: The Lignes d’Azur transportation company is unveiling a price increase and network reorganization.

Here’s what you need to know:

From July 1, 2023, each ticket will be 1.70€. Fares had remained unchanged since 2013, despite the construction of two new lines. But faced with inflation, reaching up to 10% in October, the transport network of the Nice Metropolis (Alpes-Maritimes), says it must adapt. As a result, on Monday, December 5, 2022, the Régie Lignes d’Azur (RLA) presented to the press a global savings plan that should enable it to reduce its expenses by 25 million euros.

This “realistic and structured” plan will be spread over three periods. The first period will begin immediately: it will involve internal savings on fuel, the search for new advertising revenue, and the strengthening of transport controls in order to fight fraud more effectively. A collective “awareness” has already led to savings of 9 million euros, said Gaël Nofri, President of the RLA.

Nice’s tram line 2

As of January 1, 2023, Lignes d’Azur will continue with its second phase. On weekdays only, there will be no more trains on tram lines 1 and 2 from 12:30 a.m., compared to 1:30 a.m. currently. During weekends and school vacations, however, the timetable will remain unchanged.

Line 3 will begin service at 5:30 a.m. and end at 11:30 p.m. on weekdays, “but in accordance with the requests of the western neighborhood committees, the last five departures will be at the port and no longer at the Nice Airport.”

The bus lines 5,6,7,8,9,12,17 will operate from 5:30 a.m. to midnight. “We transport more empty seats between 5 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. than people,” said Gaël Nofri.

The buses of line 14 (Vauban/Les Chênes Verts) will run until 9:30 p.m., instead of 8:45 pm. The C11 line will also be extended by one hour.

Line 32 (Caucade/Place Saint-Marguerite) will be cut off at Ferber with “a platform stop” that will allow users to “take the tram directly from the bus.” It will nevertheless run until 10 p.m., “in accordance with the requests of the West End neighborhood committees.”

The L and S school buses will be cancelled. Users will have to switch to the “non-saturated” regular routes. The C9 bus route (Villefranche-sur-Mer, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Beaulieu-sur-Mer) will also be discontinued. “It is a matter of good management of public data, we are not here to make empty trips or to make individualized cabs,” said Gaël Nofri.

On July 1, 2023, the RLA will begin the final phase of its overall plan with a fare increase. The price of a ticket will rise from 1.50€ to 1.70€. The 10-trip card will be abolished and replaced by a sliding scale of fares: up to 50 trips for 1 euro per trip taken. Passes will also be increased by about 10%: for a standard annual pass, a user will have to pay 360€, 34€ more. The half-price pass will be increased to 180€.

The mobility offer will be expanded with the inclusion of trips on the Chemins de fer de Provence in the fare grid. As for the 100% Neige buses, which go to the Côte d’Azur ski resorts, they will be maintained, but the price will increase by 2€ per person for a round trip and will reach 14€. Rest assured, this increase will only come into effect next season.

“We remain the cheapest fare in France,” insists Gaël Nofri. The departments will soon communicate more details on the modification of the routes and the reorganization of the network which will take place in just one month. Stay tuned for more information!

Happy New Year to one and all! See you in 2023!

A bientôt,