London to Nice flight path: LHR to NCE

Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from London to Nice. While the right side offers a nice glimpse of Windsor Castle at departure, the left side wins overall because it captures both the Massif Central's edge during cruise and, more importantly, the dramatic Maritime Alps backdrop during the descent into Nice — a rarer and more visually striking feature than the takeoff-side scenery.

During takeoff from Heathrow (LHR), sit on the Right side for the best views. Heathrow's westerly departure toward the south of France turns the aircraft south shortly after takeoff, putting Windsor Castle and the loop of the River Thames directly under the right side of the aircraft. The left side mostly shows the flat, featureless suburbs of Slough and the M25 corridor. Notable sights include: Windsor Castle, River Thames, Heathrow's runway complex, Surrey countryside.

When landing at Cote D Azur (NCE), sit on the Left side for the best views. On the northeast-bound final approach into Nice, the aircraft tracks in from over the Mediterranean and the Maritime Alps rise sharply just inland to the left, forming a dramatic backdrop to the city. The right side faces mostly open sea with less variation until the very last moments. Notable sights include: Maritime Alps foothills, Nice's Baie des Anges, Var river valley, Cap Ferrat peninsula.

The flight from Heathrow (LHR) to Cote D Azur (NCE) takes 1h 55m.

The route crosses the Cotentin/Normandy coast, then passes over the Loire valley and the eastern edge of the Massif Central before angling toward the Rhône corridor and the Provençal hills leading into the Alpes-Maritimes near Nice.