Cours Saleya is Nice's main outdoor market, a long esplanade running parallel to the seafront at the heart of Vieux Nice. From Tuesday to Sunday mornings the stalls are loaded with cut flowers, produce, olives, spices, and Niçois specialities. Mondays bring an antique market in its place. The whole square smells of lavender and mimosa.
The best strategy is to arrive between 8am and 10am before the crowds thicken. Pick up socca from one of the vendors at the east end, grab a coffee at one of the terraces, and wander. The restaurants surrounding the market are convenient but tourist-priced; for a proper Niçois meal you are better served by ducking into the streets one block back. The market closes by noon.