Visiting Nice in winter: our tips (+ things to do)

Thinking of visiting Nice in winter? Good idea: the atmosphere of the Promenade des Anglais and the old town is very different in summer. Enjoy an enchanting and elegant seaside getaway outside the high season. Escape the hordes of tourists and enjoy the splendid Mediterranean scenery of this emblematic Côte d’Azur town.
Here are our tips for discovering the city in winter: activities, weather, temperatures…
Plus information on how to spend Christmas and New Year’s Eve on site.

Discover our tips for visiting Nice in winter!

This guide is completely independent, based on our experiences. We visited the region anonymously, making our own choices and paying our bills in full.

Content masquer

Visiting Nice in winter: is it worth it? Our review

Weather, temperatures and conditions

What to do in Nice in winter

How do I get to Nice?

Christmas in Nice

New Year’s Eve in Nice

Visiting Nice in winter: is it worth it? Our review

Our review

In our opinion, visiting Nice in winter is well worth it, especially if you don’t like crowds! You’ll even be able to enjoy more of the monuments and museums, which remain open during the winter period. Although the colors of the landscape are less vibrant than in summer sunshine, the hues are still vivid. Provençal facades bring cheerfulness even in the depths of winter.

What’s more, you’ll be able to take advantage of the city’s must-do activities despite the colder weather: a stroll along the Promenade des Anglais, a visit to the MAMAC or the Palais Lascaris, a stroll through the colorful Cour Saleya market!

If you like luxurious experiences, we strongly recommend staying in one of the city’s prestigious establishments. During the winter season, rates are lower. You’ll benefit from lower prices. We were lucky enough to stay at the Hotel Anantara Plaza Nice, in a magnificent Belle Époque building facing the Promenade du Paillon. We won’t soon forget this enchanted interlude!

View Anantara Plaza Nice Hotel availability.

Benefits

the sun shines and the sky is blue, even in winter,
walks are more pleasant,
it’s easier to park and get around the city,
the crowds are smaller,
temperatures are more bearable than in summer,
most tourist attractions remain open,
hotels are less expensive.

Disadvantages

it’s colder,
there’s less greenery and plants,
the risk of rain is low, but still higher than in summer,
some activities are unavailable or not recommended,
sea water is colder,
swimming is reserved for the more adventurous.

WHERE TO STAY IN Nice

Our favorites: neighborhoods and hotels

On the waterfront, with sea view:
Anantara Hotel – See prices, photos and availability

In the new town, close to the sea:
Hotel Apollinaire, elegant and bright – See prices, photos and availability

In the old town, with all the charm:
AparthotelAMMI Vieux Nice very practical and pleasant – see prices, photos and availability

See our complete selection of the best hotels in Nice

See available accommodation for your dates >>.

Weather, temperatures and conditions

Nice enjoys a mild Mediterranean climate. Winters are pleasant, with minimum temperatures of 5°, but averaging 14°.

The water temperature never falls below 13°. Even if sunbathing is no longer in season, it’s still possible to swim in a wetsuit (the bravest just put on a swimsuit).

As the days are shorter in winter, you’ll be able to admire superb sunsets even before dinner.

It can snow (very rarely), but Nice is by the sea, so the snow never lasts long.

A LITTLE MORE patience

All the photos, maps, information, good addresses to make your stay in Provence a success, will soon be gathered in a single ebook!

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What to do in Nice in winter

The activities available in Nice in winter are pretty much the same as in summer, apart from swimming, sunbathing and water sports.

In particular, you can:

along the Promenade des Anglais,
visit Nice’s museums (notably the MAMAC and Palais Lascaris),
discover the city’s heritage (Belle Époque architecture and Italian influence),
stroll through the old town and discover its craftsmen and shopkeepers,
shop for fresh seasonal produce at the Provencal market,
stroll along deserted beaches,
go up to the Colline du Château.

To complete your stay, we also recommend you try a Michelin-starred restaurant if you have the opportunity. We’ve put together a full article on the best restaurants in Nice. Each one is more refined than the next. Provencal products and local know-how were a real treat. We have fond memories of our meal at Restaurant Jan, which was as beautiful as it was good! Each dish was a new journey, a new culinary discovery.

Near Nice, you can:

visit Cannes and walk along the famous Promenade de la Croisette,
explore Antibes and its seaside resort of Juan-les-Pins,
let Monaco surprise you,
the charms of the Provencal hinterland,
visit the French Riviera on an excursion.

What you can’t do in Nice in winter:

sunbathe for several hours on the beach,
some water sports activities,
night markets (only in high season),
swim in the sea if you’re sensitive to the cold.

How do I get to Nice?

To get to Nice, you can choose to travel by train or by plane from Paris, Lyon, Cannes, Marseille, Toulon, and many other European cities.

See the available schedules and book your train tickets now.

If you’re traveling from elsewhere in France, you can reach Nice by car via the A8 autoroute du Soleil or “La Provençale”, or via the national and departmental roads.

If you’re coming to Nice from Italy, you can take the A10 freeway or the A8 from Ventimiglia.

Finally, if you’re traveling by car from other European countries, you’ll need to plan your itinerary around your point of departure, using European freeways like the A8 or the Italian A10 (or Autoroute des Fleurs).

You can also choose to fly. Nice airport serves French and European cities such as Lisbon, Brussels and Dublin. Once you’ve arrived, the easiest option is to rent a car and drive 20 minutes to the city center.

Check out our flight offers.

Be aware that traffic can be heavy, especially during peak and vacation periods. We recommend that you check traffic conditions and plan your route in advance. In addition, make sure you have a motorway sticker in the countries concerned, if necessary, and that you respect the Highway Code of the countries you will be crossing.

OUR TPS FOR RENTING YOUR CAR IN Provence

Compare prices on our preferred platform: DiscoverCars – one of the best rated sites.
Choose a car that is powerful enough (the roads are steep) but compact (some passages are narrow).
Think of thecomplete insurance (some roads are tortuous and narrow).
There is a lot of demand, book it early.

See the cars

See our tips

Christmas in Nice

In the south of France, festivities are the order of the day, and the festive season is no exception! Are you planning to spend Christmas in Nice? What a great idea! Every year, the town offers a wide range of events: parades, shows for young audiences, concerts and, of course, the unmissable Christmas market!

Towards the end of November, the city is decked out in luminous decorations and takes on a festive air. We suggest you discover them during your evening strolls! A Christmas village with numerous chalets is set up in the Jardin Albert 1er. Your kids can even meet Santa Claus! As the holidays approach, check out the city’s official website here for more information.

The bravest among you can try the” Christmasbath “. It’s a tradition in Nice!

New Year’s Eve in Nice

To celebrate New Year’s Eve in Nice, there are several options to choose from.

If you want to make like the locals, try the New Year’s bath! This free swim usually takes place on December 31st or January 1st. There are many throughout Provence!

Alternatively, you can take part in events organized by the city’s luxury establishments or restaurateurs. Hôtel Le Negresco organizes magnificent evenings for this occasion.