Nice · Monaco · Monte Carlo · Cannes · Saint-Tropez
The French Riviera, beautifully planned
Independent guides to Nice, Monaco, Cannes and the hilltop villages in between. Written by a local who has lived in Nice since 2014: Tomasz Bobrowski.
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French Riviera holidaysHow a pocket AI recorder helps me with French phone calls and research
I live in Nice and still miss things in fast French on the phone. How I use the Pocket AI recorder for calls and reading notes, what it does well and what to…
ProvenceProvence or the French Riviera?
Provence or the French Riviera? Answer 7 questions to see which region suits your trip and when to go. The differences, month by month, with or without a car.
French Riviera holidaysHow much will a week in Nice really cost? A free trip cost calculator for the French Riviera and beyond
A free calculator that estimates what you'll spend on the spot in Nice, Cannes, Saint-Tropez and beyond: rooms, food, transport and sights at three budgets.
I have lived in Nice since 2014 and work as a guide. Everything on this site I have seen with my own eyes, and I keep it up to date so you can plan your trip with confidence.
Plan your trip
Where to stay, how to get around without a car, and the tours that are worth it.
The Riviera year
Carnival and lemons in February, the film festival in Cannes in May, the Grand Prix in June, the Yacht Show in September. Coming up next:
November 14, 2026 – January 3, 2027
Christmas markets and the santon fair
Nice, Monaco, Marseille, Aix-en-Provence
Christmas villages with a big wheel in Nice and on the port of Monaco, and in Marseille the santon fair, with the clay figures of the Provençal nativity scene, held since 1803.
November 19, 2026
Monaco National Day
Monaco
The principality is dressed in red and white. On the eve of the holiday there are fireworks over the port.
December 31, 2026
New Year’s Eve
Monaco, Cannes and other towns
Not every town has a party, but Monaco usually has a concert and fireworks over Port Hercule at midnight, and Cannes has fireworks over the bay.
January 10, 2027
Prom’Classic
Nice, Promenade des Anglais
A 10 km road race along the Promenade des Anglais that opens the running season. It is one of the busiest 10 km races in France, and the bibs sell out weeks in advance.
January 21–24, 2027
Rallye Monte-Carlo
Monaco and the mountain roads behind the coast
The opening round of the World Rally Championship. The cars start and finish in Monaco, and the stages run over the passes above the Riviera, often on snow and ice.
January 22–31, 2027
International Circus Festival of Monte-Carlo
Monaco, the big top in Fontvieille
One of the most important circus festivals in the world, founded by Prince Rainier III. The best acts of the year compete for the Golden Clown in front of the princely family.
February 9–28, 2027
Nice Carnival
Nice
One of the biggest carnivals in the world: parades of giant floats on Place Masséna, in the daytime and after dark, and the Battle of Flowers on the Promenade des Anglais.
February 10–14, 2027
Mimosa in bloom
Tanneron hills, Mandelieu-la-Napoule, Bormes-les-Mimosas
In the middle of winter the hills west of Cannes turn yellow. The Route du Mimosa runs from Bormes-les-Mimosas to Grasse, and Mandelieu holds its mimosa festival in February.