Low-emission zone of Nice
Following other French cities, Nice on the famed Côte d’Azur has also established a low-emission zone on 1 January 2022. Within this low-emission zone, an emissions sticker is mandatory. On this page you can read everything you need to know. Will also you visit other French cities during your trip to France? Then check out our overview of all French low-emission zones. You can read more about the sticker itself on the main page of this website.
Allow VignetDirect to apply on your behalf and receive a digital sticker within 48 hours.
Map of the low-emission zone in Nice
The low-emission zone of Nice, shown in orange on the map above, covers not only the city center but also the promenade des Anglais up to the airport. This is the busy six-lane road between palm trees, right along the beach. It is good to know that the parallel avenue de la Californie and the voie Pierre Mathis in this part of Nice are outside the low-emission zone.
Around downtown, the zone is bounded by the voie Pierre Mathis to the north, avenue Désambrois and boulevard Carabacel to the northeast, quai Amiral Infernet near the port to the east, the coast to the south and finally boulevard Grosso to the west. All these mentioned roads are just outside the low-emission zone. So you can still drive here without an emissions sticker.
The low-emission zone of Nice
Officially, the low-emission zone is referred to as the ZFE (zone à faibles émissions) of the Métropole Nice Côte d’Azur. This is the larger urban area around Nice. For now, the zone is limited to Nice itself, but depending on how air quality develops it may be expanded in the future.
Unlike in some other French cities, for example in Grenoble, Nice’s low-emission zone operates day and night. However, as in for example Lyon, there are different rules for freight traffic and buses. You can read more about this under the heading Which emissions sticker in Nice? at the bottom of this page.
Parking outside the low-emission zone
Do you not have an emissions sticker or does your car not qualify? Then it is possible to park outside the low-emission zone. The best way to do this is to choose a park-and-ride site (parking relais in French) located near a Nice tramway stop. This way you can still get to the city center quickly. Here are some recommendations:
- P+R Carras – Les Bosquets: 8 avenue de Carras, 241 spaces, Carras on line 2
- P+R Port Lympia: Quai Amiral Infernet , 96 spaces, Port Lympia on line 2
- P+R Vauban: 66 rue de Roquebillière, 361 spaces, Vauban on line 1
The park-and-ride sites are also indicated on the map at the top of this page.
Which emissions sticker in Nice?
Since 11 April 2025, an emissions sticker in Nice is mandatory only for trucks and buses (categories M2, M3, N2, and N3). These vehicles must have a green, purple (1), yellow (2), or orange (3) sticker. In practice, this applies to trucks and buses manufactured after 1 October 2001 if they have a gasoline engine, and after 1 October 2009 if they have a diesel engine.
For passenger cars, commercial vans, motorcycles, and scooters, an emissions sticker is no longer required.
Other low-emission zones nearby
In the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, an emissions sticker is also required in Marseille. This major port city lies 200 kilometers west of Nice along the Mediterranean coast.
Allow VignetDirect to apply on your behalf and receive a digital sticker within 48 hours.
What to see and do in Nice?
Nice is located on the famous Côte d’Azur in southern France. It is the country’s fifth largest city and has a lot to offer to tourists. Very famous is the Promenade des Anglais with palm trees, a beautiful beach and plenty of expensive cars. Next to the oldest part of the city you will find a hill where once stood a large fortress. Today it is a park with a graceful cemetery. On the other side you will find Port Lympia, Nice’s beautiful marina.