It can be said that at night, the entire city of Nice becomes one big clubbing scene, though the essence of the action is concentrated along the quays and streets radiating off Avenue Jean Medécin. Locals and visitors usually begin the night at a café or a bar. While you’re sipping a drink, look through your copy of 'La Semaine des Spectacles', a weekly cultural programme for the city, widely available at newsstands.

Popular cafés and bars include Le Before (rue des Congrès 18), whose brick-walled interior plays host to stylish crowds on their way to embark upon a club crawl. Then there's Le Relais (Promenade des Anglais 37), once a favourite of actress Lillie Landtry, and still a stunningly decorated bar with ornate furniture, oriental carpets and tapestries. Customers can enjoy live piano music and service from white-jacketed waiters.

For a more relaxed atmosphere, hit one of the many bars in the area of the Old Town. Popular haunts include the Scarlett O'Hara Irish Pub (corner of rue Droite and rue Rosetti), William's Pub (rue Centrale 4), Chez Wayne (rue de la Préfecture 15) and Le Master Home Bar (place Rossetti), all of them featuring regular concerts of live music and showing major sports events on a big screen. Check event listings for karaoke nights. French-speaking visitors might want to head for the locals' favourite spot, La Civette (rue de la Préfecture 29).

Those in search of an extra dose of excitement should visit Casino Ruh (Promenade des Anglais 1). While the slot machine room is free, the elegant gaming room featuring baccarat, chemin de fer and blackjack charges a 10 to 13 euro admission, varying depending on the day of the week. The casino also houses an exclusive cabaret in the style of Monte Carlo and Las Vegas establishments. Shows take place on weekend nights, and admission ranges from 16 to 65 euro.