Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from London to Nice. While the right side offers decent views on departure over the Surrey Hills, the left side delivers the dramatic payoff: the full Alpine backdrop of the Alpes-Maritimes on descent into Nice is one of the most visually striking approaches in Europe. Over the Channel and northern France the left side also tracks the French coastline more closely. Left wins overall.

During takeoff from Gatwick (LGW), sit on the Right side for the best views. Gatwick's primary departure runway 26L sends the aircraft westward initially before turning south. On a right-side seat you get a clear view back over the Surrey Hills and the North Downs as the aircraft banks southeast toward the Channel. The left side faces mostly toward Crawley and unremarkable suburban sprawl. Notable sights include: Surrey Hills AONB, the North Downs ridge, Crawley town grid, the M23/M25 interchange.

When landing at Cote D Azur (NCE), sit on the Left side for the best views. Nice Côte d'Azur's primary runway 04R/22L means most arrivals from the northwest approach over the sea from the southwest, landing toward the northeast. On a left-side seat you get the full panorama of the Alpes-Maritimes rising steeply behind Nice, the Cap d'Antibes peninsula, and the Baie des Anges coastline. The right side faces mostly open Mediterranean water. Notable sights include: Alpes-Maritimes peaks behind Nice, Baie des Anges, Cap d'Antibes peninsula, the Monaco coastline visible to the northeast.

The flight from Gatwick (LGW) to Cote D Azur (NCE) takes Approximately 2 hours.

The route crosses the English Channel near Dieppe, then tracks southeast over the Paris Basin, crossing the Loire Valley and Burgundy wine regions. The Alps begin to appear on the horizon as the aircraft passes over the Rhône Valley corridor near Lyon, with the Massif Central visible to the right. The final descent brings the Alpes-Maritimes and the Mediterranean coast into full view.