Calendar of Events

January Monaco: Monte Carlo Car Rally cars hurtle from the Alps to the principality; Monaco Circus Festival; Fête de Sainte-Dévote.

February Nice: Carnaval de Nice (for more information, click here).

March Nice: Paris–Nice cycle race; Festin des Cougourdins in Cimiez, a religious procession accompanied by engraved and painted gourds.

April Monaco: Printemps des Arts classical music and theatre festival; Monte Carlo Tennis Masters men’s singles championship.

May Cannes: International Film Festival. Monaco: Monaco Grand Prix.

June France-wide (21st): Fête de la Musique free concerts, mostly outdoors. Nice: Festival du Livre literary festival; Festival de la Musique Sacrée. Monaco: international showjumping.

July France-wide (14th): Bastille Day, with dancing and fireworks. Nice: Nice Jazz Festival – first-rate performers in the Roman amphitheatre at Cimiez; festival lasts a week, usually in the second half of the month.

July–August Nice: La Castellada promenade spectacle on the castle hill. Cannes: Pantiero electronic music festival; Les Nuits Musicales du Suquet chamber music in front of the church; Festival d’art pyrotechnique spectacular fireworks. Monaco: Monte Carlo Sporting Summer Festival – big-name pop, rock and soul stars perform at the Sporting d’Été; Cinéma d’Été outdoor cinema on a giant screen.

August Monaco: fireworks festival.

September France-wide (3rd weekend): Journées du Patrimoine heritage days. Cannes: International Yachting Festival luxury yacht salon, followed by Les Régates Royales classic yacht racing.

October Monaco: Prix International d’Art Contemporain winner’s exhibition.

November Nice and Monaco: MANCA contemporary music festival. Monaco (18th, 19th): Fête Nationale. Nice and Cannes: Marathon des Alpes-Maritimes, a scenic run between the promenade des Anglais in Nice and the Palais des Festivals in Cannes. Cannes: dance festival (odd years).

December Nice: Lou Presèpi-Calena is a live Christmas nativity play on place Rossetti.