Pebbles nice

	1 star	Frommer's Recommended
	2 stars	Frommer's Very Highly Recommended
	3 stars	Frommer's Exceptional

About Our System

Frommer's only recommends things we think you will enjoy and that will make your trip both authentic and unforgettable. Our experts personally appraise each choice in terms of their overall enthusiasm for it.

Our star system does not denote hotel amenities but it does denote the level of our approval. A place with one star is worth a look—after all, it made the list. A rating of two stars means it's excellent, and three stars is the highest praise we give.

Tourists in Nice have faced a pressing problem this summer. It's not rude waiters, whether to go topless or even beach towel stereotypes, but how to get out of the sea.

The pebble beaches of the Côte d'Azur resort have been eroded so steeply by the waves of the Mediterranean that swimmers are complaining that they have to crawl out of the sea on their hands and knees.

The Nice-Matin newspaper has received complaints from readers, one of whom wrote that she worried about "sprains, fractures and even drowning" as a result of the beach slippage. Another commented on Sunday: "Start training, people, next year the beach will be vertical."

Some swimmers have accused the local authorities of failing to take action to restore the pebbles to their former glory.

But the city has hit back by saying that the beach level is regularly controlled in the summer months, although it recognised that waves may be impacting the shoreline. As a result, bulldozers have been ordered on to the beach each day.

But between the moment that the bulldozers flatten the beach at 5am and the arrival of the swimmers, "there can be enough water under the pebbles to form a new wall", the paper said.

According to researchers, the erosion of the 2.8-mile (4.5km) long beach is not new in a bay whose shoreline is naturally steep. The pebbles have been repeatedly replaced over the past 30 years as part of one of the biggest such coastal "nourishment" projects in France.

A study in 2007 said human interference along the coastline, such as using bulldozers to flatten the beach, may have exacerbated the problem as the pebbles have become more liable to be swept away by autumn and winter storms and by tidal surges.

Nice-Matin readers have come up with their own solutions. One said ropes could be installed to haul swimmers from the water in a return to a tradition of the early 20th century. Another suggested the introduction of escalators.

Updated cookies policy - you'll see this message only once. Nice Pebbles uses cookies on this website. They help us to know a little bit about you and how you use our website, which improves the browsing experience and marketing - both for you and for others. They are stored locally on your computer or mobile device. To accept cookies continue browsing as normal. Or go to the cookie policy for more information and preferences.

So much more than a booking agency. So much more than a room.^TM

Bespoke Holiday Properties Exclusive to Pebbles
Properties Designed with Guest Comfort in mind

• Personal Pebbles meet and greet
• Slip between crisp white sheets
• Luxuriate in Côté Sud Parfum products
• Sip and savour your Pebbles welcome basket

Central guest reception for Assistance
Free luggage store & beach towel hire

• Within 5 minute walk of most apartments
• Friendly staff ready to assist
• Reception concierge services

Welcomed over 60,000 guests since 2006
Award winning service
Wi-fi in all properties

• Over 98% guest satisfaction
• Recommended by leading travel guides
• Award winning service
• 1000s of positive reviews