Contactless mobile services supplier Connecthings has added more than 200 NFC tags to Velo Bleu bike rental stations across the French city of Nice.

Using the new Nice Essentiel mobile service, cyclists can tap their NFC phones on the tags to see suggested routes to follow by bicycle, along with interactive mapping services and descriptions of points of interests to be found along their planned route.

BIKE RENTAL: See real-time availability of cycles for hire nearby by scanning NFC tags

They can also access information about bike repair stores, water supply points and leisure destinations. The information is available in four different languages.

Laetitia Gazel Anthoine, CEO and founder of Connecthings, said at the launch of the service: "The bike mobile service in Nice is a good illustration of what our platform brings to our clients.

"We easily and quickly deploy brand new NFC mobile services on their territory and link them to the existing context-based and cross-cutting information, so with one click users carry on accessing high value added information with the best possible user experience".

The new service has also been integrated with an existing network of 2,000 tags located at bus and tram stops, as well as tags at tourist attractions in the historic Vieux Nice old town.

Cyclists can tap any of these 2,000 tags to get the location of their nearest Velo Bleu bike station, check bike availability in real time and access real time information about bus and tram services.