Christmas on the Côte d’Azur is full of fun, often full of good weather and probably a great deal more festive than you might think.
I’ve put together a round-up of christmassy things to do and places to go on the French Riviera and nearby based purely on my family’s experience and interests. It’s far from exhaustive, just my ideas, so please feel free to add any events I’ve missed in the comments below.
Christmas Markets on the Côte d’Azur
Most towns in the area will have some form of Christmas market, perhaps with a theme, usually only for a day or two and nearly always in the month of December, not before (though there are some exceptions). Here are some of my favourites
Le Rouret: This lovely market lasts just for one day in late November or early December. Le Rouret Christmas market is billed as “pure tradition” in the sense of past times/olden days and differs from many others in that it focuses on traditional artisanal crafts with displays of past trades and people dressed up in period costumes.
You won’t see any plastic tat here but you will find lots of fabulous homemade gifts, local foodstuffs and live farm animals for children to pet. I’ve written about it in detail here. My advice is to go early, it gets very crowded and parking can be a problem. To find the exact date check Le Rouret website.
Aix-en-Provence: the earliest market in the area. It usually runs from mid November to late December in the Cours Mirabeau consisting of regular chalet-style stalls selling everything and anything (gift-based). There is also a separate market for the traditional 13 desserts of Provence in the week before Christmas in Place François Villon – Les Allées Provençales. Click here to find out more about the 13 desserts and here for exact dates.
Valbonne Village: Another one of my favourites, Valbonne Christmas market isn’t a “chalet” market, rather the streets of the old village are filled with market stalls just like every Friday morning but more of them, more christmassy and longer lasting.
To get into the Christmas spirit there’s nothing like a wander around this market followed by a drink in the square and a mosey around the seasonal show by the church, town hall and river. Over the years there have been incredible displays of fire and lights. The market takes place in the 3-4 days up to and including 24 December. Full details of the programme (carols and other concerts, activities for children) can be found here.
Nice: The Christmas market is a classic affair of wooden chalets selling Christmas trinkets, jewellery, food, crafts, clothing and other gifts. It is normally held in Jardin Albert 1er where you’ll also find the Big Wheel, a children’s area of trampolines and bouncy castles, a merry-go-round shaped like a Christmas tree, oyster and champagne bars and of course vin chaud.
The views from the giant ferris wheel are lovely and the atmosphere is always very festive here. Each year has a different theme and it usually runs from the first weekend in December to early January. Click here for dates and details.
Monaco: The Christmas market, called le Village de Noël, located on the port usually has a food theme with plenty of chalets serving delicious seasonal and festive food from around the world. There’s also a big wheel together with a small fair for children. The market is open from early December to early January. Check here for dates and times.
Antibes: Antibes has a chalet-style marché de Noël on the port with a big wheel and a Christmas-themed mini fun fair for children with a merry-go-round and bouncy castles in Place Nationale.
Various vineyards: For something rather different, several local vineyards hold Christmas markets. Check the website of the vineyard you like to find out if it has any festivities. The photo below is from Château de Berne.
Other locations: There are always plenty more small Christmas markets selling unique handmade or exclusively imported gifts in private houses, hotels, schools, churches etc across the region throughout the festive period from late November onwards. A good place to find them advertised is through this useful Facebook group Côte d’Azur Living, South of France (this is also a good place to find out about carol concerts).
Christmas Decorations & Illuminations on the Côte d’Azur
Lucéram: one of the highlights of Christmas on the Riviera has got to be visiting the lovely perched village of Lucéram to see the display of hundreds of Nativity scenes (creches/cribs). It’s so very different from regular town Christmas decorations, unique and wonderfully festive. Read all about it here. The village is decorated from early December to 6 January.
Saint Raphaël: The port of St Raphaël is the location of an original and sublimely pretty Christmas tradition where the old wooden boats, “pointus”, are lit up with fairy lights, sparkling on the water. If you find yourself further west in the var, this also takes place in Sanary sur Mer.
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Nice: Nice’s Christmas illuminations are always rather lovely centering on Place Massena and the water mirror/fountains in the Promenade du Paillon, the streets around Massena, Ave Jean Medecin, Place Garibaldi, the Promenade des Anglais and around Cours Saleya.
There’s always a giant Santa opposite Lenval (the children’s hospital) on the Prom to cheer up the unlucky kids in hospital over the festive season and several large postboxes dotted around town to send Christmas wish lists to Father Christmas. See plenty of photos here.
Cagnes sur Mer: Municipal Christmas decorations in France are nearly always elegant, simple and often plain white but if you like a bit of bling, OTT, colourful deco then a visit to the Hameaux du Val Fleuri in Cagnes sur Mer will put a smile on your face. These five blocks of flats go overboard with twinkling and flashing lights, even recreating the famous local church and a traditional pointu (wooden boat) on the “sea”.
Christmas shows and carols on the Côte d’Azur
There are nearly always performances of the Christmas classic The Nutcracker (Casse Noisette) or Cinderella, at l’Opéra de Nice or the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco. Check their websites for details.
Another option for a festive ballet is to watch a live cinema screening from The Royal Ballet at CIV cinema or any of the other venues that offer live cinema screenings on the Côte d’Azur (to find out more about live CINEMA screening click here).
Valbonne Christmas Spectacle, as part of the Christmas market in Valbonne village there is always a magnificent show of some sort usually involving fire and or lights. Check the website for details (information often not available till December). This event is FREE.
In early to mid December there are usually carol concerts in English by local choirs Riviera International Singers and Big Blaze Chorus. Don’t be put off by out of date websites, if you want to have a listen to carols and festive music then get in touch with the choirs through the links I have provided! There are other Christmas and Advent carol services at Anglican churches throughout the region.
Skating on the Côte d’Azur
Skating at outdoor pop-up rinks has become an integral part of Christmas fun in many places around the world and the Côte d’Azur is no exception.
The rink at Place du XVe Corps in St Tropez is magical and ecological! Real ice has been replaced with an artificial surface using less energy so you can skate knowing you are not adding to the climate crisis! It is open every day during the school holidays from 2 pm – 8 pm, but may have different hours around Christmas. Check for exact times on the St Tropez website.
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If you want to have a mountain experience, hopefully surrounded by some snow, the pop-up rink in Auron is rather lovely. Open every day from December to the end of March (weather permitting).
There is a rink at the Christmas market in Cannes, at les Allées de la Liberté, open from late November to early January every day from 10 am – 9 pm. Mornings from 10 am – 1 pm are reserved for children from 4 – 10 years old.
Christmas Santons on the Côte Azur
If you’re after something typically local to Provence and traditional at Christmas then do take a look at Santons. These are clay figurines that come in many different shapes and sizes from standard Nativity scenes to more original characters from village life.
They are used to decorate houses at Christmas time and are available at most Christmas markets and at special fairs “Foire aux Santons” in a number of places. They are highly collectable and make great gifts too. To find out more about Santons click here.
Here are the locations of some Foires aux Santons on the Côte d’Azur and nearby. The biggest and best is further afield in Marseille. Click on the links for dates and further details. Mouans-Sartoux, Aix-en-Provence and Valbonne.
If you’re interested in finding out more about Christmas in France in general then you might like to take a look at the following posts from the archives:
The Build up to Christmas in France
French School Christmas dinner
The start of Christmas in Provence
13 Desserts: Christmas in Provence
24 Reasons to Love Christmas in France
Santa race and Christmas swims
Santa race: The annual Cours des Pères-Noël (Santa races) is a fun family event in Valbonne in the run up to Christmas (see what I did there?!) There is a children’s race and an adults’ race, both of which take place around the scenic village of Valbonne followed by hot chocolate in the main square. Info on the Valbonne website in December.
Christmas swim: The traditional bain de noël or Christmas swim. How can you not love a part of the world that regularly has this kind of weather during December? There are Christmas dips in Cagnes sur Mer, Villeneuve-Loubet (plage de la Fighière) and Nice from the first week of December onwards.
What do you like to do to get into the Christmas spirit? Please add any suggestions in the comments below.
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This post was originally published in 2015 but has been fully revised and updated for 2024.
Great post! I’ve been to Nice several times around New Years’s so I enjoyed the decorations and the Christmas markets:)
That’s great to hear Tanja! Merry Christmas to you.
It’s my third day in Nice since moving from England and i’m going to ‘take the plunge’ again (bad joke) on Sunday and do the bain de Noel!! Is anyone else going?
Hi Laura, welcome to the Côte d’Azur, you’re very brave doing the bain de noël, I might go and watch somewhere but especially as the weather forecast isn’t great, I won’t be getting wet! Can you confirm that the one in Nice is tomorrow? I couldn’t find the date online.
I am totally addicted to anything Christmassy and tend to go to as many christmas things as possible so these sound super … although the Christmas Swim is not on my radar … ever! lol
Ha ha Jaime, I’ve never done the swim either…though I never say never!
You live in such am amazing part of Europe, Phoebe, and there is so much to do around Christmas! I would love to see the traditional market and watch people dip in sea in December!
I know I do Oana, I still count my blessings.
I’d love to celebrate Christmas there – the skies look so blue and it all looks so festive!
Thanks for sharing x
The blue skies are so uplifting, it’s rarely grey and dull here.
Looks like there is plenty to enjoy over the festive season, tho I have to say it is one time of the year I really like to be at home!
I like travelling and being at home, actually we are rarely at home for the big day itself, but I’m lucky that this area is my home so I’ll be going to most of these this year.
I can only imagine how beautiful and festive the atmosphere is there now. 🙁 I wish I live there.
It’s a lovely time to be on the Riviera, that’s for sure.
Hi, we’re having s Christmas market on sat 5th December or if raining on sat then Sunday 6th , 271 Traverse des Nielles, Cap d’Antibes, from 11am to 6pm , mulled wine, food and stalls selling lots of Christmassy things.
Thanks for adding this Heather, good luck with your market, I’ll try and get to it.
Ahh too many wonderful suggestions there Phoebe, thanks for this list! Must say I love Lucéram at Christmas, you’ve reminded me that we must take the babe up there this year!
It’s time we went again, haven’t been for a couple of years. Maybe see you there!!
Oh wow, there really is so much to do and I love the idea of all the markets. I love learning how other cultures celebrate
Yes, there’s tons to do around here…I only just scratched the surface.