The Basilique Notre-Dame stands on Avenue Jean Médecin, the main commercial artery running from Place Masséna to the train station. Its neo-Gothic facade, modelled loosely on Notre-Dame in Paris but in white stone, is imposing rather than beautiful, and the church is rarely top of the tourist list. Inside, however, the scale is impressive — it is the largest church in Nice, built in 1864 when the growing city needed a major parish church north of the old town.
The stained glass is vivid, and the side chapels contain several good 19th-century paintings. The church is in constant use as a working parish and makes a reasonable refuge from the busy shopping street outside, particularly in the midday heat.