Nice Carnival 2026: “Vive la Reine”

 

From February 11 to March 1, 2026, Nice will once again transform itself into a city of colour, satire, music, and imagination as it hosts the Nice Carnival, France’s first carnival with a truly international reputation and the most important winter event on the French Riviera.

This year’s theme, “Vive la Reine” (Long Live the Queen), marks a bold and symbolic shift. After decades of kings, patriarchs, and male allegories ruling the carnival narrative, 2026 places femininity at its centre. The streets of Nice will pulse with tributes to powerful women—real and fictional—who have shaped history, culture, resistance, creativity, and social change. From mythic heroines to modern icons, the carnival becomes a celebratory stage for female strength, wit, and influence.

The heart of the festivities unfolds across Place Masséna, Jardin Albert 1er, and the surrounding central boulevards—an event footprint spanning tens of thousands of square metres in the very core of the city. These spaces host the iconic Carnival Parades, the dazzling Corso Illuminé night processions, live performances, installations, and the legendary Flower Battles along the Promenade du Paillon.

With grandstands, parade routes, and open public areas woven directly into the urban fabric, the Nice Carnival is not a closed-off spectacle—it is a city-wide experience. Each year, the event draws hundreds of thousands of spectators, including international visitors, artists, performers, and media, reinforcing Nice’s role as a global cultural destination even in winter.

“Vive la Reine” is more than a theme—it’s a statement. The 2026 edition uses the carnival’s traditional tools—giant satirical floats, caricature, costume, music, and humour—to celebrate women who challenged norms, led movements, and reshaped societies. Expect towering effigies, allegorical queens, and sharp social commentary that blends spectacle with substance, staying true to carnival’s long tradition of playful rebellion.

As always, satire remains central. The Nice Carnival has never been shy about reflecting the world back to itself, and this year’s focus on femininity promises both celebration and critique, joy and provocation.

The Nice Carnival is one of the oldest carnivals in the world, with roots dating back to 1873. By the late 19th century, it had evolved into an organized, internationally recognized event, famous for its monumental floats and sharp political satire. 

What sets Nice apart is its ability to reinvent itself while preserving tradition. From papier-mâché artistry to contemporary themes that mirror global conversations, the carnival remains both historic and modern—deeply local yet unmistakably international.

At a time when many destinations slow down, the Nice Carnival does the opposite. It anchors the Riviera’s winter season, filling hotels, restaurants, and public spaces with energy and creativity. Mild Mediterranean weather, easy international access via Nice Côte d’Azur Airport, and a packed cultural calendar make it an ideal draw for visitors seeking more than a summer beach holiday.

From February 11 to March 1, 2026, Nice won’t just host a carnival—it will become one. With “Vive la Reine,” the city offers a spectacle that is festive, thoughtful, historic, and unmistakably alive.

For full programming and updates, visit nicecarnaval.com.

Nice: France’s Year-Round Star Shines Brighter Than Ever

 

Nice continues to prove that it is not just a seasonal getaway, but one of the world’s most desirable destinations—twelve months a year.

Recent destination popularity surveys show Nice ranking ahead of both Paris and Marseille in global travel searches, a striking indicator of the city’s sustained international appeal. In an era where travelers have endless choices, this consistent interest speaks volumes. Nice is no longer simply competing with other French cities; it is standing shoulder to shoulder with the world’s most coveted urban destinations.

What makes this rise particularly notable is that it comes alongside overwhelmingly positive sentiment about the city’s growth and livability. Despite ranking among France’s most desirable—and therefore most sought-after—cities, Nice continues to be associated with vibrancy rather than saturation. Travelers and residents alike describe a city that feels dynamic, welcoming, and alive, rather than overrun or exhausted by its own popularity.

The reason is simple: Nice works in every season.

In summer, it delivers the postcard Côte d’Azur experience—Mediterranean beaches, turquoise water, festivals, and long evenings along the Promenade des Anglais. In autumn, the city slows just enough to reveal its cultural depth: museums, food markets, vineyards in the surrounding hills, and a calendar full of exhibitions and performances.

Winter brings mild temperatures that attract visitors escaping harsher climates, alongside events, heritage walks, and a distinctly local rhythm of life. And in spring, Nice blooms—literally and figuratively—offering ideal weather, outdoor dining, and easy access to nearby Monaco, Cannes, and Eze and Villefranche-sur-Mer.

Unlike destinations that rely on a single peak season, Nice has mastered balance. Its international airport, walkable city center, strong public transport, and blend of urban energy with natural beauty make it as appealing for short city breaks as for extended stays. This versatility is increasingly important to modern travelers who are looking for more than just a holiday—they want experiences, authenticity, and places that feel good to be in.

The city’s growing appeal is also tied to its evolution. Investments in public spaces, sustainability initiatives, cultural programming, and quality of life have reinforced Nice’s image as a forward-looking city without sacrificing its historic charm. It’s a place that feels lived in, not staged.

All of this explains why Nice continues to climb in global rankings and online searches. The message from travelers is clear: Nice isn’t just a beautiful destination—it’s a complete one.

As the Côte d’Azur continues to attract international attention, Nice stands out as its beating heart: vibrant, resilient, and unmistakably year-round.

Villefranche-sur-Mer, Built by the Sea

 

Long before Villefranche-sur-Mer appeared on glossy Riviera itineraries, it was already something rare: a place where geography, history, and everyday life aligned perfectly. The old photographs tell the story best. They are not nostalgia pieces—they are evidence. Evidence of a working port, a strategic prize, and a community shaped as much by salt and stone as by kings and empires.

Life once began—and ended—at Place de l’Octroi. This was not a picturesque square but a checkpoint, the town’s threshold. Nothing passed without scrutiny: wine, vegetables, goods of any kind. The Pharmacie Internationale already stood there, unchanged in spirit if not in age, its colorful jars catching the Mediterranean sun. Horse-drawn carriages gathered at the square, their animals pausing to recover after the steep descent from the corniche before continuing into the dense heart of town.

From the Octroi, the streets narrowed and life thickened. Rue de l’Église and Rue du Poilu carried the rhythm of daily existence. Bells from Saint-Michel rang out for baptisms and funerals alike. Laundry stretched overhead like improvised bunting. Voices echoed in Nissart, fish fried in open kitchens, and nets hung casually from doorways. Rue du Poilu—renamed after the First World War to honor fallen soldiers—was never just a memorial street. It was where people lived loudly, closely, and together.

At the quay, Villefranche revealed its dual identity. Elegant and practical. Local and international. The Hôtel Belle Vue dominated the scene, hosting Russian and English winter visitors drawn by the mild climate and unmatched harbor views. Below it, the Restaurant de la Régence served bouillabaisse thick with saffron and rockfish, its aroma drifting across the waterfront. On Sundays, locals dressed carefully and strolled past, while gentlemen in straw boater hats lingered at the Grand Café Mauduit over cold beer and conversation.

Just steps away stood the Pavillon Syndical, the nerve center of the maritime community. This was not Riviera fantasy—it was port reality. Fishermen, dockworkers, and sailors debated harbor business while wooden boats rocked gently in the water. Villefranche was never merely decorative. It worked.

The harbor itself explains everything. With depths approaching 95 meters, it is the deepest natural harbor on the Mediterranean coast. That single fact shaped centuries of history. Massive warships anchored here with ease, appearing like steel islands against the blue. Above it all, Fort du Mont Alban stood watch—built around 1557 by the Duke of Savoy as part of a defensive system that included the Citadel below. For children it was a fairytale castle; for Europe’s rulers, it was a strategic necessity.

Villefranche’s importance long predates tourism. In 1295, when piracy made coastal life dangerous, Charles II of Anjou declared the town “Villefranche”—a free town—granting tax exemptions to encourage settlement by the sea. People descended from the hills and built the tall, tightly packed houses that still line Rue Droite today. For centuries, the town remained Savoyard, not French, guarding a borderland between powers.

The Citadel, still standing at the edge of the old town, is a masterpiece of 16th-century military architecture. Later, in the 18th century, the nearby Port de la Darse was constructed as a major naval shipyard for the House of Savoy—further proof that Villefranche was as strategic as it was beautiful. Only in 1860 did the town officially become French, alongside Nice, marking a turning point.

Modern Villefranche was born with the railway in 1862. The train delivered aristocrats, artists, and seasonal visitors from across Europe. Russian nobility arrived first, followed by British elites escaping harsh winters. The Imperial Russian Navy established a supply base here, along with an oceanographic laboratory that still exists today—one of the oldest of its kind. After World War II, the U.S. Sixth Fleet took up residence until 1967, ushering in an era locals still recall as lively, lucrative, and loud with jazz, dollars, and sailors from every corner of the world.

Yet for all its geopolitical weight, Villefranche never lost its soul. The Combat Naval Fleuri remains one of the most vivid examples. During this extraordinary festival, fishermen transformed their boats into floating gardens, covering them in mimosas, carnations, and roses. Flower battles erupted across the harbor, petals flying toward balconies and boats alike, turning the water into a drifting mosaic of color and scent. For one afternoon, social divisions dissolved—locals and elite visitors laughing together under the same sun.

When night fell, simplicity returned. Gas lamps flickered on. Heavy wooden shutters closed to trap the day’s warmth. The town settled into quiet, lulled by the sound of water against stone. Life was hard, yes—but unhurried. There was time. Time to greet neighbors. Time to watch clouds gather above Mont Alban. Time to live. 

Artists understood this instinctively. Jean Cocteau fell in love with Villefranche and left a lasting imprint on the Chapelle Saint-Pierre des Pêcheurs, decorating it with works inspired by the town’s fishermen and myths. Painters, writers, and thinkers followed, drawn not by glamour but by light—the particular, unmistakable light that still defines the bay.

Today, walking through Place de l’Octroi or along the quay means walking through seven centuries of layered history. Villefranche-sur-Mer is not just a Riviera backdrop. It is a crossroads of empires, a harbor that shaped naval history, and a town that balanced global importance with local life. The photographs capture it perfectly: salt on skin, sun on stone, and a way of living that—remarkably—has never entirely disappeared.

Photos: Comte de Nice et son histoire

Riviera on the Rise: 2025 Confirms a New Tourism Era

 

The French Riviera closed 2025 with another strong performance, confirming that its tourism rebound is no longer a post-crisis correction but a durable structural trend. According to figures published on January 12 by the French Riviera Tourism Observatory, the Alpes-Maritimes and Monaco welcomed more than 12 million visitors in 2025, up from around 11.5 million in 2024.

Growth was driven primarily by international demand, which now represents over 55% of total visitors, surpassing pre-crisis levels, while domestic tourism eased slightly. For Côte d’Azur France Tourisme, this shift underlines the destination’s ability to attract and retain a high-spending, globally mobile clientele, positioning the Riviera firmly in the premium segment of the Mediterranean market.

Air traffic remains the backbone of this expansion. Nice Côte d’Azur Airport handled 15.23 million commercial passengers in 2025, a 3.2% year-on-year increase, powered almost entirely by international routes (+4.7%). Domestic traffic edged down marginally, while aircraft movements rose by just 1.9%, highlighting improved load factors and larger aircraft. Long-haul markets strengthened markedly: the United States became the leading foreign market, accounting for more than 15% of international overnight stays, alongside continued strength from the UK, Italy, and Germany. Particularly striking growth came from Turkey (+50%), Japan (+35%), China (+30%) and the Middle East (+21%), reinforcing the Riviera’s global reach.

Visitors arriving by air spent on average more than €110 per day, amplifying tourism’s economic impact across hospitality, retail, gastronomy, and luxury services.

The accommodation sector translated this demand into higher revenues. Hotels and serviced residences recorded nearly 13 million overnight stays, maintaining historically high volumes while significantly improving profitability. Annual hotel occupancy hovered around 66%, but key indicators moved decisively upmarket: the average stay reached 2.5 nights, stays rose by 1%, overnight stays by 3%, and RevPAR climbed 7% after an already strong 2024. Furnished tourist rentals followed the same trajectory, with supply up 6%, occupancy at 62%, and RevPAR reaching €111, also a 7% increase.

These figures reflect both pricing power and a more even distribution of demand throughout the year.

Seasonality, long a structural challenge for the Riviera, continued to soften. Summer 2025 set new records, with hotel occupancy averaging 85% from June to September and RevPAR up 9%. June now performs at levels once reserved for peak summer months, confirming the extension of the high season.

At the same time, the mountains benefited from the region’s four-season strategy: the start of the 2025–2026 winter season showed strong momentum, with 66% occupancy at Christmas and nearly 90% over New Year, supported by resort investments and diversified offerings beyond traditional skiing.

Beyond the numbers, 2025 also reinforced several underlying trends: a growing share of long-haul and repeat visitors, strong performance in business tourism and international events, and an increased focus on sustainability, mobility management, and quality over volume.

Looking ahead to 2026, Côte d’Azur France Tourisme aims to consolidate growth while avoiding saturation. As its president Alexandra Borchio Fontimp summed up, the priority is clear: continue expanding tourism’s economic benefits while spreading visitor flows, protecting quality of life, and positioning the French Riviera as a sustainable, year-round destination.