Live Nice Carnival as if you were there!

By The editor , Published: 10 February 2020, 15:48, Updated: 24 January 2023, 12:57

©Nice Town – George Chéran. — The opening of the Carnival of Nice 2019 celebrated King Cinema!

Like every year, the Nice Carnival offers a fabulous opportunity to party on the French Riviera in winter. The 2024 edition will pay tribute to the king of pop culture from 17 February to 3 March. Imagination and magic take over for the most beautiful of live shows! We take you to the heart of the parade...

King of the World's Treasures

During the opening parade, the Nice Carnival will begin its 150th anniversary celebrations in the presence of the King and the Queen of the World's Treasures, both surrounded by decorated floats, dancers, musicians and a very special guest... the Rio Carnival. The celebration last until 26 February 2023.

©Town of Nice – George Chéran — Carnival of Nice 2019: the King of Cinema at the opening of the carnival on Massena Square.

King of the World's Treasures

©Town of Nice – George Chéran — The mimosa, a winter-time oasis blossom of the Côte d'Azur, in all its glory

Procession of floral floats and mimosa blossoms

For two weeks and three weekends, every year, the Nice carnival unfolds its multicoloured floats and its traditional flower battles. The mimosa, the flower of the season par excellence on the Côte d'Azur, illuminates the parades with its bright yellow flashes and its characteristic fragrance. A pleasure for the senses...

Flower battles

What would the Nice Carnival be without its traditional flower battles? On floats decorated with the most beautiful floral arrangements, you can admire the mannequins dressed in the theme of the year and prepare to receive a constellation of various flowers...

©Nice Town – George Chéran — Procession of flower floats in Carnival of Nice 2019

Flower battles

©City of Nice – George Chéran. — Charlie Chaplin is featured as one of the floats of the Carnival of Nice 2019, dedicated to cinema.

Truffaut, Cocteau, Demy, Hitchcok, Woody Allen...

The Carnival of Nice celebrates the 100-year anniversary of the Studios de la Victorine, the center of the cinema industry on the Côte d'Azur. Since 1919, the region has welcomed and been filmed by Marcel Carné, Roger Vadim, François Truffaut, Jean Cocteau, Jacques Demy, Alfred Hitchcock, Woody Allen and many other talented directors.

One of the most famous carnivals in the world

The Carnival of Nice is the first carnival in France and one of the most famous in the world. It takes place every winter, in February, and is one of the most popular festivals on the Côte d'Azur, attracting several hundred thousand spectators each year.

©City of Nice – George Chéran — The Carnival of Nice is one of the most famous carnival celebrations in the world.

One of the most famous carnivals in the world

Discover the Côte d'Azur during winter

Parallel to the festivities, the carnival period offers a wonderful opportunity to discover the city of Nice on the Côte d'Azur in winter: the mild climate, the peacock-blue sky and the typically French art de vivre. Natural sites, cultural and artistic life and a high standard of gastronomy reveal a rich palette of emotions.

Recommendations and advice
Would you like to be part of the joyful madness that takes over Nice during Carnival? This magnificent festival deserves to be experienced both by day and by night, to enjoy its two contrasting atmospheres. To make the most of the carnival, book your travel and accommodation well in advance. Carnival attracts visitors from all over the world. And to make the festival as environmentally friendly as possible, do as the organisers do and take the train to the city and use soft mobility solutions to get around once you've arrived. Finally, when it comes to eating out, think local and seasonal. It's a great way to enjoy tasty food at more affordable prices, while reducing your environmental impact. Have a great carnival!

Find out more:

The Carnival of Nice: 6 corsi, day and night, with 17 floats and more than 1,000 dancers and musicians from all over the world to bring you this authentic and magical event! Information and booking (External link)

Find out more:

The Carnival of Nice (External link)
Prepare your stay Nice Côte d’Azur and its surroundings (External link)

By The editor

The editorial staff of France.fr follows the trends and news of destinations to bring you stories from France that reveal its innovations and traditions that make you long to (re) discover its territories.

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