Nice - Guide for Gays, Lesbians and Queers

Nice's queer venues sit close together. The densest cluster is around Rue Bonaparte and Rue Gubernatis, an area often called the Petit Marais. A few bars are in the old town and one is near the Promenade des Anglais. There is no single gay street like the Marais in Paris, but most places are only a few minutes' walk apart.

Les Bains Douches on Rue Gubernatis is the city's only gay sauna. It spreads over three floors with a jacuzzi, hammam, sauna, darkroom, private cabins and a lounge.

Just nearby, also on Rue Gubernatis, is La Cave Wilson. The sauna's owners turned this former wine cellar into a cabaret bar with drag and stage shows. In the old town, Le Six on Rue Raoul Bosio opens Tuesday to Saturday from late evening until the early morning, with DJs, live music and shows. Le Glam on Rue Eugène Emanuel is the club for drag and pop nights from Friday to Sunday. Le Swing on Rue Defly combines bar, pub and dance floor and hosts karaoke and theme nights. Red Kafé on Rue Halévy, close to the Promenade des Anglais, works as both café and bar and opens daily from the afternoon.

Beyond the bars and the sauna there is the Centre LGBT Côte d'Azur on Rue de Roquebillière. It offers counselling, meetups and cultural evenings and holds its own party around Pride, which marches through the city every summer. For a first night in Nice, start with an aperitif at Red Kafé, catch a show at La Cave Wilson, and head to Le Six or Le Glam after midnight.