La Cave Wilson

About

A cabaret bar in the middle of Nice that has been trading on this spot since 1904, which makes it the oldest address on the city's gay scene by a wide margin. Locals call it la Cave aux Folles and the bar has adopted the nickname itself.

The room is done as a 1930s cabaret: chandeliers, deep red walls, framed pictures covering the ceiling, and a small stage at one end. Cabaret shows with guest performers are the reason most people come, and the bar claims to be the only place on the French Riviera putting them on. It is air-conditioned, which matters here in summer.

The crowd is gay and gay-friendly and skews a little older than the clubs down by the port. Two other venues in the city share the same owners, a sauna a few doors along the same street and a cruising club nearby.