Nice Carnival

17 February – 3 March 2024

BOOK HOTEL FOR THIS EVENT THINGS TO DO IN NICE

Basic Information

When: 17 February – 3 March 2024

Where: Nice, France

Map: Nice on Google Maps

Official website: nicecarnaval.com

Hotels: Hotels in Nice

The Carnival in Nice

February is Carnival time and an excellent opportunity to discover Nice’s mild climate, luminous skies and the art of luxury living on the French Riviera.

Floats of flowers

Stunning floats adorned with flowers offer family-friendly fun. There are heaps of free activities for little ones.

Nice’s Carnaval welcomes any romantic couple or group of singles seeking exuberant entertainment after winter gloom.

Although each year has its unique elements, some traditional aspects have grown over a century: Carnaval Parades by day and night, Flower Battles, fireworks and the burning of an enormous King.

Nice Carnival Events

Parades occur three or four afternoons or evenings a week during the Carnival period.

Most are free, but there’s always an admission charge for the Bataille des Fleurs, but it’s well worth the money.

Final weekend

The last weekend of the Carnival in Nice includes a popular Bartenders Race, and the Carnival King is burned in the sea on the last night.

A fantastic firework display follows all.

The parade route changes each year slightly but usually follows part of the Promenade des Anglais.

Tickets

Tickets for the stands are more expensive, but the cheapest allows you to watch along the roadside.

Buy from the Nice Tourist Office if you like to plan or purchase from the stalls set up on the Promenade.

Destination

Check-in date

Mon 16 Sep 2024

Check-out date

Tue 17 Sep 2024

I don't have specific dates yet

Accommodation during the festival

View from the luxury Hotel Negresco

As mentioned on the Main page of Nice, there are many hotels to choose from.

Even though hotels still get booked up in advance, especially during the busier summer season.

The luxury Hotel Negresco (picture above) is an alternative to staying in style.

There are several hundred other great hotels and Bed & Breakfast to choose from if you prefer to stay in more intimate surroundings.

Overview of Hotels in Nice here

Catch 3 festivals at same time

Make your stay at the french riviera more exciting and visit Menton’s Lemon Festival and the Mimosa celebrations at Mandelieu.

King and Queen of the Carnival in Nice

The Carnival King leads his Carnival Procession through the streets, with around twenty floats taking the year’s theme.

The King is accompanied by more than fifty giant-headed puppets, the Grosses Tetes.

Making the papier-mache figures uses centuries-old techniques, and specialist craftspeople do the painting.

Costumes are created to dress each character. The more vivid, the better.

One puppet can weigh over two tons and tower over the watching crowds at twelve meters high.

A king must have a queen selected from a bevvy of local beauties for the honour.

Her duties range from posing for Carnival photos to throwing flowers from a float for the Flower Parade.

So she must keep that lovely smile all day and into the night’s festivities.

History of the event

Masks and Mardi Gras-style carnivals have a long association, stemming from the Middle Ages when the celebrations allowed oppressed peasants to mock the aristocracy.

Masks and disguises protected them from what might be a beheading offence.

The modern Carnival in Nice dates from 1873 and continued with only brief interruptions for the more brutal wars.

Unlike the Carnaval of Venice, there’s no real expectation that visitors should wear costumes or masks.

Far from grey skies and full of excitement, Nice at Carnaval time is a riot of colour and commotion.