Fenocchio

Fenocchio is the ice-cream parlour that almost every visitor to Nice ends up queuing at, and with good reason. Founded in 1966, it is now run by Frédéric, the grandson of the founders and the third generation of the family, and its counter on Place Rossetti, opposite Cathédrale Sainte-Réparate, is one of the landmarks of the old town.

The range is huge. The house makes more than 96 original flavours, with around fifty ice creams and thirty fruit sorbets available at any one time, and the ice creams and sorbets are produced in La Gaude, in the hills behind Nice. Alongside the classics you will find flavours that reflect the region: violet, tomato and basil, and even tourte de blettes, the sweet Swiss chard tart of Nice. Trying one of these is part of the fun, so it is worth pairing an unusual flavour with a safer choice in the same cone or cup. Fenocchio has won first prize in the Bol d'Or, a French competition for ice-cream makers, and it is listed in the Gault&Millau directory of artisans.

A cone or a small cup of two scoops costs a few euros, according to Gault&Millau, and the parlour also sells half-litre tubs to take away and ice-cream cakes for celebrations. There is a large terrace on the square, but many people simply take their cone and wander through the lanes.

Expect a queue in summer and on weekend afternoons, when the square fills with visitors. It moves quickly, and the display is so long that the wait gives you time to choose. Opening hours are not published on the pages we checked, so confirm before making a special trip out of season. The shop is a good stop for families, with flavours to please children as well as adventurous adults.

Choose your flavours before you reach the front of the line, and ask for a taste if you are unsure about one of the savoury-sounding options.

Place Rossetti is in the heart of Vieux Nice, a few minutes' walk from the Cours Saleya and Place Masséna. An ice cream here fits naturally into a walk around the old town or a climb up Castle Hill. If the square is too crowded, the company's website lists its other shops in Nice.