TL;DR — RACE WEEKEND GAME PLAN
- 1.Stay on the Parvis de l'Europe if the price works. A 60-second walk to check-in is worth more than a sea view on race morning.
- 2.Buy tram tickets in the Lignes d'Azur app before you land, or you will pay €10 at the airport machine instead of €1.70.
- 3.From NCE: tram L2 to Garibaldi-Château, change to L1, off at Palais des Expositions. About 40 minutes.
- 4.Buy race-morning breakfast the night before, every night. Nothing near the venue opens before 06:30, and nothing before 07:00 on Sunday.
- 5.Sunday racers: treat Saturday as your shopping day. 1 November is a public holiday on a Sunday and the shops will be shut.
- 6.Shakeout on the Promenade des Anglais — tram down, run flat, tram back. Do not run the Château stairs.
- 7.Race morning: leave 105 minutes before your wave from the forecourt, 125 from the Old Town, 145 from the Promenade.
- 8.Book your massage before you travel. Massage Sportif Nice and POPA Andreea are the two that open Sunday.
- 9.The run loop was three laps in February 2026 but the lap count for this edition is unpublished. Count it yourself on the day.
- 10.The field here is huge — 14,269 athletes in February 2026. Expect traffic on runs 5 to 8 and patience at the stations.
- 11.Bring a physical ID card. You cannot check in for someone else, and only on the day you race.
QUICK TAKE — IS THIS A GOOD DESTINATION?
VERDICT: YES
HYROX Nice runs Thursday 29 October to Sunday 1 November 2026 at the Palais des Expositions on the Parvis de l'Europe, four race days in a single hall. It suits everyone, but especially anyone who hates race-morning logistics: the tram stop is 170 m from the door, two hotels sit on the forecourt itself, and you can sleep 60 m from check-in. It also works for athletes bringing family, because Nice functions as a normal holiday city around the race. Travel friction is low — one airport, one tram change, a compact centre. Stress Factor 3/10, PB Likelihood 7/10.
⚠️ Caveat: Two things. The race lands inside the French Toussaint school holidays, when the whole country breaks at once, so flights and hotels are firmer than a normal late-October weekend. And Sunday 1 November is All Saints' Day, a public holiday falling on a Sunday — Sunday hours and holiday closures stack, nothing opens before 07:00 near the venue, and the first wave is 08:00. If you race Sunday, your breakfast is bought on Saturday.
A tram stop at the door, hotels on the forecourt and a single-hall venue remove almost every normal failure point. The points it does score are for holiday closures on Sunday 1 November and the sheer size of the field.
Indoor, sea level, mild outside, negligible travel stress. It loses marks because the field here is very large and the run loop at this venue has historically been three laps, which means more corners and more traffic.
FAST COURSE?
Depends. Fast conditions, congested field. An early wave is a genuine PB day; a mid-afternoon wave on the busiest day is a different race.
CITY VIBE — WHAT ATHLETES NEED TO KNOW
The Palais des Expositions sits on the Parvis de l'Europe, just north of Place Garibaldi and inland from the port. Around it: the forecourt with two hotels, a multi-storey car park, and the TNL shopping centre about 6 minutes north-east with a Carrefour hypermarket and a Decathlon inside. To the south, the Promenade du Paillon corridor runs down towards Place Masséna and the sea. Expect construction: the neighbouring Acropolis congress building was demolished to extend the green corridor, so the area immediately south and west of the venue has been an active works site and walking routes shift. Follow the tram line rather than a map shortcut the first time.
TYPICAL WEEKEND COSTS
Language: French, with widely spoken English in hotels and on the seafront. Currency: the euro. Card and contactless work almost everywhere, and ticket machines take bank cards, contactless phone payment and coins but not notes. The single most useful piece of local knowledge: Nice no longer sells single-use paper tram tickets. You need a rechargeable contactless card or the Lignes d'Azur app, and the airport machines do not sell the standard €1.70 fare — they sell a €10 'L'Aéro' return. Buy through the app before you land. Validate every time you board, including on transfers and with a pass.
BEST BASE NEIGHBOURHOODS
Parvis de l'Europe / Acropolis
Best for: Pure race logistics. Quiet at night, limited character, everything you need within 10 minutes.
Riquier
Best for: Value and supplies. Supermarkets, bakeries, gyms, its own rail station, 8 to 13 minutes from the hall.
Vieux Nice / Old Town
Best for: Eating and spectators. 15 to 25 minutes from the venue, and where you will want to be after you finish.
Promenade des Anglais / Jean Médecin
Best for: Seafront shakeouts and the top-end hotels. Roughly 30 to 40 minutes' walk, so plan on the tram every day.
VENUE & LOCATION ANALYSIS
Palais des Expositions de Nice
Parvis de l'Europe, 06000 Nice
A large concrete-vaulted exhibition building with around 17,000 m² of modular space and a main hall of roughly 11,000 m². HYROX runs in a single hall, so the whole course, the Thunderdome viewing area and the entertainment zone sit under one roof — you are not moving between buildings. Divisions check in on site 90 minutes before the first wave of that division, so 06:30 for an 08:00 start. HYROX has not published the check-in location or opening times for this edition. Bring a physical ID card: checking in for someone else is not allowed, and during race weekend you can only check in on the day you compete. If you want to enter the hall outside your check-in window, the official instruction is to go via the Spectators Desk with your ticket and ID.
NEAREST STATIONS
- Palais des Expositions (tram L1) — About 170 m from the hall, roughly 2 minutes on foot. Direct from Gare de Nice-Ville towards Hôpital Pasteur, no change
- Garibaldi / Le Château (L1 and L2) — Underground interchange from the airport line L2 onto L1. Lift access to street level
- Gare de Nice-Riquier — Nearest rail station, about 860 m, roughly 11 minutes on foot. Regional coastal services
- Nice Côte d'Azur airport (NCE) — About 7.7 km west. Tram L2 then L1, roughly 40 minutes door to door for €1.70
WALKABILITY
One of the least complicated venues on the HYROX calendar to reach. Tram at the door, two hotels on the forecourt, flat throughout. The only friction is the green-corridor construction site immediately south and west, which shifts pedestrian routes.
Two hotels on the forecourt itself, a multi-storey car park, and the TNL shopping centre about 6 minutes north-east with a Carrefour hypermarket and Decathlon. Carrefour City Beaumont, 7 minutes away, opens 07:00 every day and is your best race-week resupply. Nothing food-related is open at 05:30 in this part of Nice on any day of the week.
🏃 RACE MORNING PLAN
Check-in opens 90 minutes before the first wave of your division — 06:30 for an 08:00 start. Staying on the Parvis de l'Europe: leave your room 06:15, that is genuinely all you need. Riquier or Vieux Nice: leave 05:55 and walk 10 to 15 minutes. Promenade des Anglais: leave 05:35 and allow for reduced early tram frequency. Buy breakfast the night before — nothing is open at 05:30. Queues form at the check-in desks during the 90-minute window and again at bag drop 30 to 40 minutes before a wave.
TRANSPORT LINKS
BEST AIRPORT: NICE CÔTE D'AZUR (NCE)
There is no realistic alternative and none is needed. The second-busiest airport in France, 7.7 km from the venue, with a direct tram chain to the door.
Nice Côte d'Azur (NCE)
Tram L2 towards Port Lympia to Garibaldi-Château, change to L1 towards Hôpital Pasteur, off at Palais des Expositions. Airport to centre is 25 to 30 minutes plus an underground-to-street interchange and two more stops — budget 40 minutes for €1.70. Taxi or rideshare is 20 to 30 minutes for €20 to €35. Travel between Terminal 2, Terminal 1 and Grand Arénas is free with no ticket.
Time to venue: 20-40 min
Gare de Nice-Ville (arriving by train) (RAIL)
Tram L1 runs direct from the main station towards Hôpital Pasteur with no change, dropping you 170 m from the hall. Nice-Riquier is closer on foot at about 860 m if your regional service stops there.
Time to venue: 10-15 min
Getting to the Palais des Expositions
PUBLIC TRANSPORT TIPS
- Trams run every 3 to 8 minutes in the day and every 12 to 20 minutes at night until around 01:00
- L1 links Gare de Nice-Ville, the centre, Garibaldi, the venue and Hôpital Pasteur on a single line
- Single €1.70 valid 74 minutes with unlimited transfers; 24-hour pass €7; 7-day pass €20
- No single-use paper tickets: use the Lignes d'Azur app or a rechargeable contactless card
- Airport machines sell the €10 'L'Aéro' return, not the €1.70 single — buy in the app before you land
- Validate on every boarding including transfers and with a pass. Spot fines are €60 paid immediately
- Machines take bank cards, contactless phone payment and coins, but not notes
🚕 Taxi & rideshare
Both operate and both are reliable. Expect surge pricing at the end of the evening race blocks, particularly Friday and Saturday when the last waves finish after 20:00 and several thousand people leave the hall at once.
🚗 Driving
The venue lists Parking Palais des Expos (Jean Bouin) and Parking Promenade des Arts, both public multi-storeys rather than race parking. There is no on-site hotel parking on the forecourt, though a large attended garage sits about 100 m away. From the A8 La Provençale take Sortie 50 then Nice Centre. Honestly: do not drive. The tram goes to the door.
WHERE TO STAY
Hotel NH Nice
Near venue€€ to €€€
Best for: Walking out of the lift and into check-in, and for anyone racing an 08:00 wave
2-4 Parvis de l'Europe. Rooftop pool and bar, air conditioning, 24-hour reception. Honest tradeoff: guest reports call the breakfast basic for the price, there is no on-site parking, and the location is not central for sightseeing — you are trading tourist convenience for race convenience. Zero race-morning travel is worth a lot on a four-day event.
easyHotel Nice Old Town
Budget€
Best for: Keeping spend down without adding travel time, and for light sleepers
38 Rue Barberis. Repeated guest reports single out unusually strong air conditioning, quiet rooms and staff who accommodate quiet-room requests. Honest tradeoff: deliberately no-frills — no minibar or fridge in reports, corridors described as musty, and early check-in is charged rather than offered. Ask about early check-in at booking if you land on a race morning.
Novotel Nice Centre Vieux Nice
Mid-range€€
Best for: Doubles teams and anyone bringing family — the pool doubles as post-race flushing
Parvis de l'Europe 8-10. Pool, air conditioning, luggage storage, paid early check-in. Honest tradeoff: guest reports describe rooms as dated, lifts as small and slow for the hotel's size, and air conditioning struggling in warm spells — late October should make that last point moot. Reports also mention no facilities to freshen up after checkout, which matters if you race Sunday and fly Sunday night.
Hôtel du Couvent, a Luxury Collection Hotel
Luxury€€€€
Best for: Genuine recovery facilities on site and silence the night before
1 Rue Honoré Ugo, Vieux Nice. A converted former convent with pool, spa and enclosed grounds next to a park, repeatedly described by guests as exceptionally quiet. Honest tradeoff: cars cannot access the hotel directly so luggage moves via staff, with one report of a long wait at checkout, and some guests found sound carried between rooms and questioned value at the price.
🏨 Looking to book? Compare prices on your preferred booking platform.
WHERE TO EAT
💡 Smart move: Very little opens early near the venue. Spar Ballsbridge on Merrion Road is 24 hours and about 13 minutes on foot — that is your 06:00 breakfast. Mister Magpie at 06:30 on weekdays is the earliest real coffee. If you finish a 20:30 wave, every local kitchen is shut, so sort a supermarket backup before you race.
Sentimi, Place Garibaldi
Athlete PickOpen every day, dinner 19:00 to 22:30, within 13 minutes of the hall. The reliable choice because it opens Sunday, and it fills fast at peak so book. Pappagallo on Rue Boyer has better food by review consensus, dinner 19:00 to 23:30, but it is closed Sunday — no use the night before a Sunday race. PURO ITALIANO VERO on Rue Gioffredo is open daily, about 13 minutes.
Tina Trattoria and La Voglia, Vieux Nice
Athlete PickVieux Nice, 15 to 25 minutes from the hall, is where the volume of options is. Tina Trattoria on Rue Lascaris is about 15 minutes and open Wednesday to Sunday. La Voglia near the Old Town is open daily including Sunday evening.
Saveurs et Traditions, Bd de Riquier
Athlete PickAbout 12 minutes, open 07:00 to 19:30 and Sunday 07:30 to 13:30 — the only nearby option open all four race days. Les Délices de la République, 6 minutes away, opens 06:30 Monday to Friday and 07:00 Saturday but closes Sunday. Boulangerie Patisserie Vialle on Rue Arson opens 05:30, the best pre-08:00 option, but is closed Saturday and Sunday.
Carrefour City Beaumont
Athlete Pick14 Rue Beaumont, about 7 minutes, opens 07:00 every day and Sunday 08:30 to 20:00 — your best race-week resupply. Carrefour Nice TNL is a large hypermarket 6 minutes away, 08:30 to 22:00, but Sunday only 08:30 to 12:30. Super U Nice Riquier is 12 minutes, 08:30 to 21:00, Sunday to 13:00.
THINGS TO DO
Promenade des Anglais
Pre-RaceAbout 24 minutes' walk or two tram stops away, seven flat kilometres of paved seafront with separate pedestrian and cycle paths. The obvious shakeout and an easy, flat walk with family on any other day.
Vieux Nice and Cours Saleya
Post-RaceFifteen to 25 minutes from the hall and the natural post-race base — socca, pissaladière, and the density of restaurants the venue area lacks.
Colline du Château
Post-RaceThe best view in the city, about 22 minutes away and open 08:30 to 20:00. It is a hill reached by stairs and the lift has been reported out of service, so save it for after you race — not for a shakeout.
TNL centre for spectators
Any TimeAbout 6 minutes north-east with a Carrefour hypermarket and a Decathlon inside. Useful for supplies, food and a warm sit-down between waves on a four-day event.
RACE STRATEGY
VENUE
A single 11,000 m² hall holding the whole course, the Thunderdome and the entertainment zone. HYROX has not published the lap count for this edition — the official race information page lists 'Laps to run' as blank. Do not plan around a number until it appears.
COURSE FLOW
What is on record: at the February 2026 edition in this same hall, the instruction for runs 1 to 8 was to enter the third time you passed the IN arch, which means a three-lap run loop. October may differ, so treat it as the likely shape rather than a fact. If it is three laps: more corners per kilometre and more repeated acceleration out of turns, so your flat-road 1 km pace is not your lap pace; more chance of catching slower traffic on runs 5 to 8; but easier pacing feedback with three checkpoints per run.
RUN SURFACE
An exhibition hall floor, typically hard under whatever temporary covering is laid. HYROX has not published surface details for this edition. Assume unforgiving underfoot and pick shoes accordingly.
HEAT
Outside will be mild, around 17 to 19°C in the day, so the hall is not fighting external heat the way the June 2024 World Championships here did. But a full hall of athletes and spectators over a long day builds warmth and humidity regardless. Warm up in less than you think you need.
ELEVATION
Sea level, single level, flat hall. No published information on ramps or level changes within the layout for this edition.
⚠️ WHERE PEOPLE BLOW UP
With a multi-lap loop and a large field, the classic error is running laps 1 and 2 of each run at the pace you would hold on a single 1 km straight, then paying for it from station 5 onwards. Set your lap split before you start and hold it even when someone passes you on lap 1. The densest block on the published schedule is Saturday 31 October, HYROX MEN, 08:00 to 12:40 — a four-hour-forty rolling start where everything from bag drop to the sled has more people around it.
COURSE HISTORY
14,269
Athletes at the February 2026 edition in this hall
TBC
Laps to run — three in Feb 2026, unpublished for October
4 days
Thu 29 October to Sun 1 November 2026
Depends. Fast conditions — indoor, sea level, mild outside — but a very large field and a historically three-lap run loop mean corners and traffic.
Four race days, Thursday 29 October to Sunday 1 November 2026. Check-in opens 90 minutes before the first wave of your division and only on the day you compete, with a physical ID card. Evening blocks finish after 20:00 on the busy days, so check your wave before booking a flight home.
Source: HYROX Nice event page, HYRESULT Nice February 2026 and TrainRox course notes, verified 26 August 2026. Laps to run listed as blank for this edition.
RECOVERY SPOTS
ICE BATHS / COLD PLUNGE
THERE IS A GAP HERE
The main dedicated cryotherapy centre in the area, Cryotera in Saint-Laurent-du-Var, is closed Friday, Saturday and Sunday and sits roughly 8 km west of the venue. It is not a race-weekend option. No dedicated ice bath facility near the venue could be verified.
📍 ~8 km west, and shut at weekends
Best use: Set expectations before you travel rather than hunting for one on the day.
THE MEDITERRANEAN
Averages around 19°C in October and falls towards 17°C late in the month. That is cool, not cold, and it is a 25-minute walk to the seafront — but it is free, flat and pleasant on tired legs.
📍 ~25 minutes on foot
Best use: A gentle post-race flush rather than a genuine cold plunge.
A COLD HOTEL SHOWER
The realistic fallback. All four hotel picks have air conditioning or pools; none has an ice bath. Plan cold exposure around a shower or a sauna cold shower instead.
📍 —
Best use: Immediately after you get back to the room, before you sit down.
SAUNAS & SPAS
NICE & SPA, 1 RUE VOLTAIRE
Sauna and steam room about 22 minutes away. Sunday 14:00 to 19:00.
Best use: The best fit for a Sunday morning race — book the afternoon slot before you travel.
HAMMAM AL ANDALOUS, RUE VALPERGA
About 17 minutes on foot. Closed Sunday and Monday.
Best use: Thursday, Friday or Saturday finishers only.
AU SPA DU MONDE, BD STALINGRAD
About 20 minutes on foot. Closed Sunday.
Best use: A Saturday-evening option if the others are full.
PHYSIOS NEAR VENUE
Massage Sportif Nice, Bd Franck Pilatte
Daily 11:00 to 20:00, about 25 minutes. The only high-volume option open every race day.
MyoNissa, Rue Smolett
About 11 minutes, Wednesday to Saturday, Saturday until 20:00. Closest to the venue.
POPA Andreea, Rue François Guisol
About 15 minutes, daily including Sunday 09:00 to 20:00.
WEATHER STRATEGY
LATE-OCTOBER CONDITIONS
Late October and early November in Nice means daytime highs around 17 to 19°C, mild evenings and a sea sitting around 17 to 19°C. It is the pleasant end of the European autumn calendar — the weather is not the problem here, the hall and the holiday closures are.
- Standard indoor race kit — the hall builds warmth and humidity over a long day, so warm up in less than you think you need
- A light layer for the walk in and the walk back; nothing heavy is needed at 17 to 19°C
- A full change of dry clothes in your bag, especially if you race an evening wave
- Shoes that tolerate a hard exhibition-hall floor over a three-lap run loop
- Something you are happy to walk the seafront in afterwards
💧 Hydration
Mild outside does not mean easy inside. A packed hall over a four-hour rolling start builds humidity, and late waves mean a whole day of eating and drinking before you race. Drink to a plan, not to thirst.
🏟️ Indoor vs Outdoor
Outdoors: 17 to 19°C, mild and often bright. Indoors: a large single hall filled with several thousand athletes and spectators, warmer and more humid than the street.
SHAKEOUT RUN ROUTES
PROMENADE DES ANGLAIS, 5 KM FLAT
From the Palais des Expositions head south through the Promenade du Paillon corridor towards Place Masséna, then join the Promenade des Anglais and run west. The Promenade runs about 7 km along the Mediterranean with separate pedestrian and cycle paths for most of its length. It is about 24 minutes' walk from the venue to the Paillon gardens, or two tram stops plus a short walk — the easiest version is to tram to the seafront, run 2.5 km out and 2.5 km back, and tram home. Flat paved promenade at sea level throughout, well used and well lit. Public toilets and drinking fountains on the route could not be verified, so carry a bottle and use your hotel before you leave. Note the Paillon section nearest the venue is affected by the green-corridor works, so the northern end may be diverted.
🏃 Parkrun
There is none. parkrun events across France are currently suspended, so do not plan a Saturday parkrun into your trip.
🏟️ Track Access
No publicly bookable athletics track near the venue could be verified. Use one of the gyms below if you want a structured session.
Avoid the Colline du Château for a shakeout. It is a genuinely good walk with the best view in the city, about 22 minutes away and open 08:30 to 20:00, but it is a hill reached by stairs and one report notes the lift was out of service. Save it for after you race.
GYMS NEAR VENUE
FUNCTIONAL / STRENGTH
CROSSFIT NICE, THE WOLF PACK
Rue de Sospel, about 12 minutes. Listed as a HYROX Training Club. Caveat: multiple guest reports describe turning up to unannounced closures — message them directly before you travel across town.
ATHLÈTES FABRIK NICE
Bd de Riquier, about 12 minutes. Functional fitness box open Saturday and Sunday mornings 09:00 to 12:00, which is unusual and useful on a race weekend.
HUB SPORT XII
Rue Cais de Pierlas, about 10 minutes. CrossFit affiliate, Monday to Friday 07:00 to 21:00, Saturday morning, closed Sunday.
COMMERCIAL GYMS
Fitness Park Nice Vérany
Bd Jean-Baptiste Vérany, about 7 minutes. Open 06:00 to 23:00 every day — the most useful for a pre-race loosen at an awkward hour. A day pass around €20 is reported.
Anytime Fitness Nice
Rue Beaumont, about 10 minutes. Open 24 hours. Bring your own padlock, per guest reports.
HOTEL GYMS WORTH USING
Hotel NH Nice
Rooftop pool and bar on the forecourt, 60 m from the hall.
Novotel Nice Centre Vieux Nice
Pool and luggage storage, 75 m from the hall — the easiest post-race flush available.
Hôtel du Couvent
Pool and full spa on site in Vieux Nice, about 20 minutes away.
Confirm drop-in policy and pricing directly. The ~€20 Fitness Park day pass comes from reviewers rather than a published rate card, and box hours over a Toussaint holiday weekend may differ from the posted timetable.
ESSENTIALS — RACE WEEKEND OPS
SUPERMARKETS
Carrefour City Beaumont
14 Rue Beaumont
About 7 minutes. Opens 07:00 every day, Sunday 08:30 to 20:00. Your best race-week resupply.
Carrefour Nice TNL
TNL centre
About 6 minutes. Hypermarket, 08:30 to 22:00, but Sunday only 08:30 to 12:30.
Super U Nice Riquier
Riquier
About 12 minutes. 08:30 to 21:00, Sunday 08:30 to 13:00.
PHARMACIES
Pharmacie République
5 Av. de la République
About 3 minutes, Monday to Saturday, closed Sunday.
Pharmacie Sézionale
Near the Parvis
Closer at about 2 minutes but reviews are poor, and also closed Sunday.
Pharmacie de garde
Call 3237
For Sunday 1 November, the 3237 line locates the pharmacy on rota. Charged per minute.
SPORTS SHOPS
Decathlon Nice TNL
In the TNL centre, about 6 minutes, 09:00 to 20:00, closed Sunday.
Decathlon City, Avenue Jean Médecin
About 23 minutes away and open Sunday 11:00 to 19:00 — the Sunday fallback.
Supplements
No dedicated sports supplement retailer near the venue could be verified. French pharmacies and Decathlon both stock electrolytes, gels and basic sports nutrition.
🆘 "OH NO" KIT CHECKLIST
VENUE DAY TIMELINE
SPECTATOR GUIDE
BEST VIEWING ZONES
- Everything is under one roof: course, Thunderdome viewing area and entertainment zone sit in a single hall
- Spectator tickets are sold separately through the official event page
- To enter outside an athlete check-in window, go via the Spectators Desk with your ticket and ID
- Seating is limited at most HYROX events, so plan to stand
- The busiest block is Saturday 31 October, HYROX MEN, 08:00 to 12:40 — arrive early for a decent spot
FAMILY LOGISTICS
- Nice works as a normal holiday city around the race, which makes it one of the better events to bring family to
- The TNL centre is about 6 minutes away with a hypermarket, food and toilets — the natural bail-out between waves
- Indoor HYROX events are loud with sustained music and commentary; bring ear defenders for young children
- The Promenade des Anglais and Place Masséna are a flat, easy tram ride away for anyone not watching all day
- Sunday 1 November is a public holiday, so plan family meals around restaurants rather than shops
📍 MEET-UP PLAN
Set your meeting point outside the hall on the Parvis de l'Europe rather than inside. Mobile signal in a packed exhibition hall is unreliable and the finish area will be crowded. The tram stop, 170 m away, is the clearest fixed landmark. Agree a time as well as a place.
BUDGET CALCULATOR
| Line item | Budget | Mid | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flights (return) | €60 | €180 | €400 |
| Accommodation per night | €80 | €180 | €400 |
| Local transport per day | €0, walk everything from the Parvis | €7, 24-hour pass | €60 with taxis |
| Food per day | €25 | €60 | €120 |
| Race extras | €0 | €40 | €150 |
| Recovery | €0 | €70 | €200 |
ESTIMATED TOTALS (excl. flights)
PACKING CHECKLIST
RACE KIT
- Race shoes, already broken in
- Socks, plus a spare pair
- Shorts or tights and a race top
- Grip socks or lifters if you use them
- Physical ID card, mandatory for check-in
- Race ticket saved offline on your phone
WARM UP
- Long-sleeve warm-up layer
- Resistance band
- Skipping rope
- Foam roller or massage ball
- Warm-up trainers you can leave at bag drop
RECOVERY
- Full dry change of clothes including underwear
- Warm layer and waterproof jacket
- Flip flops or slides
- Compression garments if you use them
- Small towel and swimwear for the hotel pool
NUTRITION
- Pre-race breakfast bought the night before
- Gels or chews you already train on
- Electrolyte tablets
- Recovery protein
- Refillable water bottle
TRAVEL ESSENTIALS
- Passport or ID
- Travel insurance details
- Lignes d'Azur app installed with tickets loaded
- Bank card with contactless enabled
- Small amount of euro cash
- European Type E plug adapter and a power bank
- Blister plasters, tape, anti-chafe, spare laces, basic pain relief
SAMPLE RACE WEEKEND ITINERARY
DAY 1: ARRIVAL & RECON
- Land at NCE, tram L2 to Garibaldi-Château then L1 to Palais des Expositions, €1.70 bought in the app before you flew
- Check in and walk the 60 to 75 m from the forecourt hotels to the hall so you know the entrance
- Stock race-morning food at Carrefour City Beaumont, 7 minutes away and open from 07:00 daily
- Twenty-minute leg loosener on the Promenade du Paillon corridor, noting the works diversions
- Carb dinner at Sentimi on Place Garibaldi, open every day, booked in advance
DAY 2: RACE DAY
- Wake 05:15 for an 08:00 wave, breakfast bought last night eaten in the room by 05:20
- Leave the room 06:15 with a physical ID card, check in from 06:30, bag drop by 06:50
- Walk the run loop entry and exit at 07:05 and count the laps yourself
- Light warm-up from 07:20 — the hall is warmer and more humid than the street
- Finish, keep walking 10 minutes, dry change, then real food around 11:30
DAY 3: RECOVERY & EXPLORE
- Flat walk or easy jog on the Promenade des Anglais, 2.5 km out and back
- Booked massage at Massage Sportif Nice, open every day 11:00 to 20:00
- Sauna and steam at Nice & Spa, Sunday 14:00 to 19:00
- Colline du Château for the view now that your legs no longer matter
- Dinner in Vieux Nice — socca, pissaladière and whatever you have been thinking about since station 8
LOCAL RULES & EMERGENCY INFO
Tram ticketing
No single-use paper tickets. Use the Lignes d'Azur app or a rechargeable contactless card. Airport machines do not sell the €1.70 single — they sell a €10 'L'Aéro' return and regional passes.
Validate every time
Validate on every boarding, including transfers and with a pass. Spot fines are €60 paid immediately.
Machines take cards, not notes
Bank cards, contactless phone payment and coins only.
All Saints' Day
Sunday 1 November 2026 is a French public holiday falling on a Sunday. Sunday hours and holiday closures stack — nothing opens before 07:00 near the venue and the first wave is 08:00. Buy Sunday's breakfast on Saturday.
Toussaint holidays
The race sits inside the French school holidays, when the whole country breaks at once. Flights and hotels are firmer than a normal late-October weekend.
Check-in rules
Check-in opens 90 minutes before the first wave of your division. Bring a physical ID card, you cannot check in for anyone else, and only on the day you compete.
Construction around the venue
The Acropolis congress building was demolished to extend the Promenade du Paillon green corridor, so the area south and west of the venue is an active works site. Walking routes shift — follow the tram line.
Plug type
France uses Type E plugs at 230 V. Bring a European adapter.
EMERGENCY INFO
112
Emergency (EU)
15
SAMU, medical
17
Police
18
Fire and rescue
114
SMS relay, deaf and hard of hearing
3237
Pharmacie de garde
3624
SOS Médecins, out-of-hours doctor
Hospital: Hôpital Pasteur Urgences, 30 Voie Romaine, is open 24 hours, about 2.2 km from the venue and conveniently the terminus of the same tram line 1 that serves the hall. There is also a private 24-hour emergency room at Imperial Park Clinic, Bd du Tzarewitch. EU and UK visitors should carry an EHIC or GHIC card — it does not replace travel insurance, particularly for competitive sport.
Pharmacy: Pharmacie République at 5 Av. de la République is about 3 minutes but closed Sunday, as is the closer Pharmacie Sézionale. For Sunday 1 November, call 3237 to find the pharmacie de garde on rota — and pack the 'oh no' kit so you do not have to.