Observatoire de Nice

Set your sights on this world-renowned observatory
Word to the wise: The observatory only opens to the public three times a week and visitors must register in advance via the webpage for a guided tour.

High on the hill of Mont Gros and with exceptional views of the city let alone the stars, the Observatoire de Nice offers a refreshing alternative to the art and history-based attractions the city has to offer. Constructed by Charles Garnier (famous for building the Paris Opéra) and with a main dome designed by none other than Gustave Eiffel, the building itself is an architectural gem and the lush grounds surrounding it rival any other of the city's parks.
For budding astronomers, the two hour tour leaves no stone unturned and allows you to get up close and personal with the impressive refractor telescope, which was the highest, longest and largest of its kind in the 1880s. Although no longer a scientific institute in its own right, academic research is still regularly carried out here under the all encompassing moniker of Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, formed after the merging of this observatory and the scientific organisation CERGA.