A cellar 400 years older than the bar
Medieval walls, 17th-century vaults and a single exposed-stone room, in the former Giudaria of Old Nice. The setting is not a theme: it was here long before us.
Experience
Les Folies d'Edmonde: cocktail bar and small stage in a 17th-century cellar, in the heart of Old Nice
A cocktail bar with a small stage, Les Folies d'Edmonde occupies a 17th-century vaulted cellar at 16 rue Benoît Bunico, in Old Nice. We serve our house creations, and almost every night the stage changes its lineup: karaoke, jam session, blind test, drag show or live band. Locals, travelers passing through and groups with something to celebrate drop in after dinner, with no entry fee.
Edmonde is the first name of the grandmother of Caroline and Aurélie, the two sisters who opened the bar in May 2022. It is not their surname.
What Les Folies d'Edmonde offers
A lineup that changes almost every night
The program changes every two weeks, with no fixed schedule, moving through an open jam session for musicians, hosted karaoke, blind tests, quizzes, drag shows, live bands and DJ sets. Entry is free; you only pay for what you order. People come for the evening, not just for a drink.
House creations, and mocktails built like cocktails
A short menu, by choice: around twenty house creations, a few classics, five mocktails built like real cocktails and nine recipes that come in an alcohol-free version. No beer. If you don't drink alcohol, you get a real menu, not an orange juice.
Mixology workshop
One hour, at 3:45pm or 5pm, every day, booked at least 24 hours in advance. You make two cocktails, in an alcohol-free version on request, with a shaker and a mixing glass; ingredients and glassware are provided, and a house creation is served to finish. €50 per person, 3 to 10 participants, in French or English.
Groups and private hire
Two formats, nothing in between: a reserved table in the bar while it stays open, up to 20 people through the online form, at no charge; or private hire of the whole cellar, or the entire venue, with a minimum spend and no hire fee. Birthdays, hen and stag parties, afterwork drinks, company events: we tailor the evening to your group.
What sets Les Folies d'Edmonde apart
No two nights alike
More than 800 nights hosted since opening, 25 to 30 dates a month in season, and a programme refreshed every two weeks. Two visits a month apart will never feel the same.
A menu that doubles as a family album
Most cocktails are named after a family member or friend: Edmonde, Henriette, Marie-Madeleine, André. Every recipe has a story, and the team is happy to tell it at the bar.
Two sisters, one bar
Caroline and Aurélie opened the bar together in May 2022 and created every recipe. Caroline welcomes guests behind the bar every night; you meet the founders, not a franchise.
No kitchen, and alcohol-free taken seriously
No kitchen, by choice: come after dinner or have food delivered from the neighboring restaurants. Our mocktails, for their part, are made with the same care as our cocktails, and every workshop can also be done alcohol-free, on request.
Who comes to Les Folies d'Edmonde
Most tables are small: couples, groups of three, bands of friends. Every night the cellar brings together Nice regulars and visitors passing through, and that mix is what makes the evening.
Couples and friends staying in Nice, looking for a bar where something is happening after dinner, four minutes from the cours Saleya.
Locals who follow the programme and come back for karaoke, the jam session or the blind test.
Birthdays and hen and stag parties, from 6 people to the whole cellar.
Teams for afterwork drinks or company events, from a simple reserved table to private hire with entertainment.
Solo travellers, who easily find someone to talk to around the games table or at karaoke.
The sisters behind the bar
Caroline and Aurélie are sisters, granddaughters of a certain Edmonde, whose first name the bar now bears. They opened it together in May 2022.
Caroline creates the cocktail menu. She had already opened a restaurant at a young age, but her taste for bartending came to her in Dijon, as a student, behind the counter of an Irish pub where she worked her first shifts. At Les Folies, she runs the cocktail classes and writes every new recipe.
Les Folies d'Edmonde is a place where everyone should feel at home.
Aurélie's path is less expected. A veterinarian, with a particular affinity for farm animals, she returned to her childhood passion after training at the European Bartender School. She refines her sister's ideas, fine-tunes the balance of each cocktail and spends a few nights a month behind the bar.
I developed every recipe at Les Folies d'Edmonde from Caroline's ideas. Drawing on my mixology expertise, I focused mainly on balancing the flavours and on the presentation.
Together, they create the cocktails and run the mixology classes. Caroline welcomes you behind the bar every evening; Aurélie joins her there a few nights a month.
Our story
Les Folies d'Edmonde opened in May 2022 at 16 rue Benoît Bunico, a small alley in Nice Old Town that corresponds to the former Giudaria, Nice's historic Jewish quarter. The cellar is a single room: medieval stone walls left exposed, vaults added in the 17th century, a low ceiling. Since opening, the team has served more than 88,000 cocktails and hosted over 800 evenings.
The layout of rue Benoît Bunico and its tall houses date from the time when the Giudaria was Nice's Jewish quarter, until the 18th century; the stone walls of the cellars, for their part, are medieval. Gates once closed off the street at nightfall: they are gone, but the arcades remain.
The story of a name
The name "Les Folies d'Edmonde" pays tribute to Edmonde, Caroline and Aurélie's maternal grandmother. It all begins one evening, in a bar: Edmonde orders an apricot juice. Her husband, Pierre-Yves, suggests she add a little alcohol; true to her tastes, she asks the waiter to pour in some cognac. Pierre-Yves tastes the mix and takes to it at once. From then on, apricot juice with cognac is Edmonde's cocktail, the only one she will ever agree to drink.
Most cocktails on the menu carry the first name of a family member or a friend: Henriette, the maternal great-grandmother; Edmonde, the maternal grandmother; Marie-Madeleine, the paternal grandmother; André, her husband. The menu also reads as a family tree.
The spirit of the place
At Les Folies, no two evenings are alike. The program, refreshed every two weeks, alternates between an open jam session for musicians, hosted karaoke, drag shows, flamenco and live bands; behind the bar, the same team every night. Most cocktails carry the first name of a family member or friend, such as Edmonde, Henriette, Marie-Madeleine or André, and the menu is kept deliberately short, to give the bar time to do things well.
L'abus d'alcool est dangereux pour la santé. À consommer avec modération. — Please drink responsibly.
How it works
Booking
Booking is recommended, especially on weekends and program nights. Book online for 1 to 20 people until 9pm; after 9pm, just come by. Entry is free; we ask for one drink per person. For more than 20 people, use the group form.
Response time
We reply by email within 24 hours. No phone: everything goes through the website and bonjour@lesfoliesdedmonde.com, which keeps the bar free for the guests in front of us.
Access
The cellar is below ground and reached only by a staircase; the venue is not wheelchair accessible. Write to us before your visit if you have any doubts.
Minors and dogs
Minors accompanied by an adult are welcome; they have a menu of mocktails and soft drinks. Dogs are welcome at any time.
Hours
Open every day from 6pm to 12:30am. On private-hire nights, the evening can run until 1am, and until 3am with the late-closing option. The mixology workshop runs daily at 3:45pm and 5pm (1 hour), by reservation. Karaoke, drag shows and concerts usually start around 8:30pm.
How to find us
We're a 4-minute walk from Cours Saleya market, 8 minutes from Place Masséna, and 12 minutes from both the Promenade des Anglais and the Castle Hill (Colline du Château). The Cathédrale – Vieille Ville tram stop (line 1) is 2 minutes away. For cruise passengers landing at Villefranche-sur-Mer, take the train to Nice-Ville, then tram line 1 to Cathédrale – Vieille Ville; on foot from the station, count 25 minutes.
Languages spoken
The team speaks fluent French and English, and the menu is available in both. Italian, Spanish and German guests are regulars too, and we always find a way to understand one another.
Paying
We take all major cards — Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Maestro — plus Apple Pay, Google Pay, contactless, and cash. Service is included in our prices, French-style: tipping is never expected, though always appreciated.
Dress code
There's no dress code at Les Folies d'Edmonde: come as you are. One practical tip: the underground vaulted cellar stays cool even in summer, so bring a light layer if you feel the cold.
Les Folies d'Edmonde: facts and figures
Type of venue
Cocktail bar with a small stage, no kitchen
Address
16 rue Benoît Bunico, 06300 Nice (Old Nice, former Giudaria)
Setting
17th-century vaulted cellar on medieval walls, a single room, below ground
Opened
May 2022
Founders
Caroline and Aurélie, two sisters; Edmonde is their grandmother's first name
Opening hours
Every day, 6pm to 12:30am (1am on private-hire nights, 3am with the late-closing option)
Capacity
35 seats in the cellar, 50 people for private hire, a terrace of around twenty seats
Booking
Online for 1 to 20 people, until 9pm; recommended at weekends; no entry fee
Menu
Around twenty house creations (€13 to €15), classics (€13 to €14), mocktails (€10), alcohol-free versions (€11), wines, champagne, soft drinks; no beer; service included
Mixology workshop
Every day at 3:45pm or 5pm (1 hour), €50 per person, 3 to 10 participants, booked at least 24 hours in advance
Private hire
Whole cellar or entire venue, with a minimum spend, no hire fee
Programme
Refreshed every two weeks; 25 to 30 nights a month in season; more than 800 nights since opening
Cocktails served
More than 88,000 since opening
Languages
French and English; bilingual menu
Reviews
Google: 4.9/5 from 652 reviews; Tripadvisor: 5/5 from 50 reviews (September 2026)
Press
Le Monde, Le Figaro, 20 Minutes, Cote Magazine, Nice-Presse, among others
Accessibility
Stairs only; no wheelchair access
Payment
Cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Maestro), contactless, Apple Pay, Google Pay, cash
Minors and dogs
Accompanied minors welcome; dogs welcome
Contact
bonjour@lesfoliesdedmonde.com; no public phone number
Company
SIRET 910 148 030 00026, VAT FR26910148030
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to book to visit Les Folies d'Edmonde?
It isn't required, but it is recommended, especially on weekends and program nights. Online booking is open for 1 to 20 people until 9pm; after that, just come by. Entry is free; we ask for one drink per person.
Can we eat there?
Yes. We have no kitchen, but the nearby restaurants deliver to the cellar every day; you pay the restaurant for the meal. If you book a private hire, you can also bring your own food at no charge.
Do you serve beer?
No. The menu brings together house creations, classics, mocktails, wines, champagne and soft drinks.
How much does an evening cost?
Entry is free. A house creation costs €13 to €15 and a mocktail €10, service included; tips are never expected.
Can I come on my own?
Yes. Early in the evening, the games table (chess, cards, board games) is a good place to start, and karaoke or blind test nights readily bring tables together. Regulars and travelers mix there every night.
Is the bar wheelchair accessible?
No. The cellar is below ground and reached only by a staircase. Write to us before your visit so we can talk it through.
Is there karaoke every night?
No. The program changes every two weeks and rotates between karaoke, jam sessions, blind tests, drag shows and live bands. Check the Events page before you come.
Contact
Cocktails
The principle is simple: creations with their own character, classics you recognize at once, and alcohol-free cocktails treated as a family in their own right. Rather than piling up recipes, the menu helps everyone find their drink quickly.
Events
The program is refreshed every two weeks. Karaoke, live music, jam sessions, drag and other themed nights return regularly to the cellar, with a DJ set about once a month. Each event lists its exact date and time.
Book
For 1–20 guests, book a table for drinks, a birthday, or a night out in Nice Old Town.
In the press
Les Folies d'Edmonde rendent hommage par ce prénom à la grand-mère de Caroline et d'Aurélie […], sœurs à l'origine de cette adresse récente, chérie des jeunes artistes niçois.
Presque secret et discret sans pour autant être speakeasy, c'est dans une ruelle du Vieux-Nice que se situe ce charmant bar à cocktails tenu par deux sœurs passionnées et expertes en l'art de la mixologie.
Les Folies d'Edmonde offers refined yet unpretentious cocktails in the heart of the old town. […] The vaulted stone ceiling downstairs creates an intimate and cosy atmosphere.
Very nice staff here. They actually said that if we didn't like our choice of cocktail we didn't need to drink it and they would make another one for us.
Installée aux Folies d'Edmonde, la première édition de « Nissart'isans » a réuni adhérents de la JCE, artisans, partenaires et curieux […]. Les participants ont pris part à des ateliers d'initiation organisés par les équipes des Folies d'Edmonde.
Les Folies d'Edmonde et L'Omega Club à Nice accueillent chaque soir une clientèle avide de danse, de musique et de rencontres.
Also cited by 20 Minutes (2022, feature on Nice's drag scene — “one of the best scenes in France”), Nice-Presse (2023, top-10 Nice bars per customer reviews), PocketTravelDeals (2025, one-day Nice itinerary) and Nice Premium (2026, the live-music night in its weekend agenda for Nice).
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Practical info
Address
16 rue Benoît Bunico, 06300 Nice, France
Hours
Every day: 6:00 pm – 12:30 am
Payment methods
Cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Maestro), contactless, Apple Pay, Google Pay, cash