The Opéra de Nice has burnt down twice, which perhaps explains why the current building carries such quiet confidence.

The first theatre on this site opened in 1826 when the neighbourhood was at its most fashionable. An 1820 Italian-style opera house modelled on La Scala preceded it, but a gas leak during an 1881 performance killed more than 200 people and reduced everything to ash.

François Aune, a pupil of Gustave Eiffel, designed the replacement. Look closely at the brackets beneath the balconies: they echo the floral ironwork of the Eiffel Tower, while the lanterns feature tiny heads modelled on the Statue of Liberty. Four Muses guard the upper terrace, representing music, tragedy, comedy and dance.

VoiceMap's self-guided audio tours trace the building's connections to Eiffel's engineering legacy and reveal how Queen Victoria would cross from the sweet shop opposite for tea before taking her seat.