Winter in Nice: Christmas on the French Riviera

Winter in Nice: Christmas on the French Riviera

[Music] The French Riviera will still be mild and pretty sunny in the winter months, so with much smaller crowds and Christmas displays to check out, it is a great time to visit. It’s easy to fly right into Nice and make that your hub. The city’s daily market isn’t quite as bustling as it is in the spring and summer, but you’ll still have fresh produce, teas, lavender art, and many souvenirs to take home. The tower on the south end of the city is always nice to climb for a bird’seye view of the coastline and of the yachts that are parked in the adjacent marina. The weather will be perfect for walks through Nice and for exploring other cities along the coastline as well. From Nice, the trains run up and down the coast to other cities like Can where you’ll find the streets decorated and people skating in the city’s Christmas market. Monton is another great stop. It has its own Christmas market, plus a famously colorful beachfront skyline. The winding streets are fun to walk around to check out the local shops, cafes, and decorations. And you won’t want to miss the gorgeous view from above of the bright blue Mediterranean Sea. Monaco is its own principality, and it’s another quick and easy train ride from Nice, which gives you kind of a glimpse into the lives of luxury people live here. The palace is perched above the city and also a pretty spot to check out. The streets you’ll walk through on the way are really like something out of a fairy tale. The cathedral, where royalties been married and buried for centuries, is also pretty and open to the public. A short drive away from Nice, you’ll find medieval hilltops like Ez and St. Paul Deancece. During the summer, the streets here are almost too crowded. In the winter, they’re almost too empty. Not all the shops will be open, but the town itself is charming to walk around, and the views from the restaurant patios are worth the trip alone. You can even easily take the trip into Italy, Bentiglia, about 45 minutes east of Nice. It’s a small town with a couple of markets and some pretty delicious Italian food. At night, Nice lights up with its own Christmas market or Mar Noel. The main square is decorated with massive displays and M is also home to its own Notraam. Some years it hosts a spectacular light show on the interior walls and ceilings which is definitely worth checking out. And that’s just a sampling of why I think southern France is a great winter destination.

The French Riviera will still be mild and sunny in the winter months, so with much smaller crowds and Christmas displays to check out up and down the coast, it’s a great time to visit.

It’s easy to fly right into Nice, and make that your hub.
The city’s daily market (Marche aux Fleurs) isn’t quite as bustling as it is in the spring and summer, but you’ll still find fresh produce, teas, lavender, art, and souvenirs to take home.

The tower on the east end of the city is always nice to climb, for a birds-eye view of the coastline.

From Nice, the trains run up and down the coast to other cities, like Cannes, Antibes, and Menton.

Monaco is its own principality, and another quick and easy train ride from Nice. The streets you’ll walk through on the way to the palace are like something out of a fairytale.

Medieval hilltop towns, like Eze and Saint Paul de Vence, are almost too crowded in the summer months. In the winter, not all of the shops will be open, but the streets will be decorated and the views from the patio cafes are beautiful.

You can even take the train into Italy. Ventimiglia is about 45 minutes east of Nice.

At night, Nice lights up, with its own Christmas Market, or “Marche de Noël.”
Nice is also home to its own Notre Dame. Some years it hosts a spectacular light show on the interior walls and ceilings, which his definitely worth checking out.

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