Traveling with children can be stress-free with planning (and a bit of good luck that they won’t have a meltdown in a queue!). Often, after a long journey it can be tiring to find toilet facilities that have baby changing tables, restaurants that offer child-friendly meals or a play area. Add to that language barriers and you can feel lost and overwhelmed.
Family-friendly facilities at Nice Airport
Nice Airport is the first airport in France to hold the ‘Famille Plus’ label, guaranteeing their commitment to providing a family-friendly welcome. In addition, assistance with passengers with disabilities or reduced mobility is provided in line with European regulations. Please read on below….
Security control points
There are now special family-friendly security control points during the French school holidays where ‘ALFA’ the blue mascot guides families through the compulsory security checks with an element of fun to entertain the kids. Hostesses hand out colouring pencils and paper to alleviate boredom until boarding time.
Play areas
Nice Airport has 2 Terminals and both have play areas specifically for young children to play safely. In the boarding lounges, the play areas have cartoons, early-learning games, rockers and wall games. At Terminal 2, there is also an open-air play area outside the terminal with ride-on rockers. ‘Quick’ burger restaurant has a small play area with ball pit.
(image: niceairport.fr)
Baby-changing facilities
Most toilet facilities have unisex baby-changing rooms with a changing table (all others have baby-changing facilities in the women’s toilets). Toilets and washbasins for young children have also been installed. The baby-change room locations are:
Terminal 1 – Public area
- Toilets beyond security at P2 / T1
- Toilets at public arrival exit Gate O / GR
Terminal 1 – Restricted area
- Toilets in Lounges A and B
- Toilets in baggage claim area (as at today 26 June 2012 these are under refurbishment)
Terminal 2 – Public area (in the women’s toilets)
- Toilets located near to the Welcome Area (ground floor)
- Opposite the information desk near the car hire companies
- Opposite the bookshop
- By Gate D4 (near to the regional produce shop)
Terminal 2 – Restricted area (in the women’s toilets)
- Halls A and B
- Opposite boarding gates A11 and A12
- Baggage claim areas – both Schengen and International sides
Club Lounges
- All club lounges have baby-changing facilities.
There is also a baby-changing room at Terminal 1, in the Cap Ferrat Lounge.
Restaurants
The airport’s restaurants are family-friendly and offer children’s menus, colouring sets and high chairs.
Try La Niçarda (Terminal 1) or Le Badiane (Terminal 2).
La Niçarda, Terminal 1, Nice Airport (image: niceairport.fr)
There is also Quick onsite, a burger chain who offer play areas, but no special children’s menus.
Nice Airport is undergoing major renovations so I will update this post as I trial the restaurants.
Baggage
Baggage trolleys at Nice Airport are coin-accessible – you will need a 1€ coin to unlock them (refundable when you return them).
Please note: There are change machines at the baggage claim area of Terminal 1, and at the arrivals and departures level at Terminal 2 HOWEVER there is no money change machine for notes in the baggage claim area of Terminal 2 so you will need a 1€ coin!
A porter service with Azur Porters is available (you can request a luggage porter at the Information desk, or find one in the check-in or baggage claim zones). They charge 3€ per piece of luggage.
Information for passengers with reduced mobility
To ensure you receive the assistance you need, inform your travel agent or airline your requirements at least 48 hours before departure. When you are at Nice Airport, go to an Information desk at the terminal, or call for assistance from the blue kiosks outside. Note: You must arrive at least 2 hours early if you require assistance from the kiosks outside to inside the terminal.
- Reserved carparking spaces are in the carpark areas, with elevator access to the terminals.
- The free shuttles operating between terminals have automated ramps to allow wheelchair access.
- Almost all of the toilet facilities at Nice Airport are wheelchair accessible.
- In Terminal 1, low-level telephones are located in the arrivals and departures areas, and international boarding lounge. In Terminal 2, these phone booths are at the arrival hall, departure hall, international boarding lounge and check-in area.
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