Ruhl Plage

Ruhl Plage has occupied the same spot at 1 Promenade des Anglais since 1920, which makes it the reference point for private beaches in Nice. It sits at the western end of the Quai des Etats-Unis where the Promenade proper begins, facing straight out into the Baie des Anges over the city's characteristic grey pebbles. The operation is split between a restaurant that cooks Nicois food rather than generic Riviera fare, a lounge area looking at the water, and rows of mattresses on the shingle. Pricing is per mattress with the parasol included, with a much steeper rate for a double bed, and towels charged separately. Reservations work in an unusual way: the club does not take sunbed bookings by phone or through its own website, releasing only a small allocation each day through a third-party platform, with everything else handed out first come first served from opening. Hours change sharply with the season. Outside the summer months it closes at seven in the evening, but from mid-May to mid-September it stays open to midnight from Tuesday to Saturday, when the beach becomes a bar. There is a small boutique, water sports, and two car parks within a short walk.