By Gate 1 in Terminal 1, Aelia Duty Free is your main tax-free stop
Aelia Duty Free in Terminal 1 sits in the main airside shopping zone, so you hit it shortly after security before most gates. It’s the standard French duty-free setup: perfumes, cosmetics, wine, spirits, plus the usual confectionery walls. Prices track typical EU duty-free levels, so spirits and high-end fragrance can be meaningfully cheaper than in central Nice, especially on international tickets.
Opening hours usually mirror Terminal 1 departures, with early doors around the first flights and closing after the last evening waves. If you’re on a 06:00–07:00 departure, it’s already trading by the time you clear security. Late-night departures around 22:00 still see the store open, although some sections start to wind down and tills consolidate to the main front counter.
French wine and Champagne take up a big chunk of floor space, with well-known labels often running 2-for deals that beat city supermarket prices by several euros per bottle. The cosmetics area skews toward big brands you’ll recognise from duty-free elsewhere, with regular gift-set promotions that help if you’re stocking up before a long-haul connection out of Europe.
Food gifts lean heavily on regional items: think Côte d’Azur-style sweets, boxed biscuits, and olive-oil products stacked near the central aisles. Expect airport pricing, but you can still find smaller snack packs under €10, handy if you want something more interesting than a standard chocolate bar for the flight or as a last-minute present.
One practical tip: do a slow lap first, then buy in one go at the front registers, since some back counters in Terminal 1 close 15–20 minutes before final calls for late flights.