Nice - Event

The Nice Carnival is the most popular winter event on the French Riviera. The city comes alive during a fortnight of festivities, with carnival processions, flower parades, prestige soirées, concerts and fireworks, attracting over a million spectators.

Music flows from every street corner and huge papier mâché characters with giant heads parade through the city - some on floats, some dancing with the crowds on the streets. The theme of the 2009 Nice Carnival is "King of Masquerades" (Roi des Mascarades).

Spectacular processions take place along the seafront Promenade des Anglais and include the Bataille des Fleurs, a huge parade of flowers accompanied by marching bands and twirling majorettes. The culmination of the Nice Carnival sees the papier mâché giants dance their last dance as their carnival king is taken down to the beach on his throne and ceremonially set alight, bringing the event to a close among a flurry of fireworks.

Please visit the Nice Carnival website for parade maps, videos and a full programme (in English).