Nice Carnival 2027: dates, parades, tickets

The Nice Carnival (Carnaval de Nice) is the big winter festival of the Côte d'Azur: giant floats, papier-mâché heads, parades at night and the famous flower parades along the sea. The short answer for 2027: according to the official website, the carnival runs from Tuesday 9 February to Sunday 28 February 2027, and its theme is "Long live love" (Vive l'Amour).

Nice Carnival 2027: the dates

Dates and theme from the official website of the Nice Carnival, as of October 2026 (see sources). Unlike many carnivals, Nice does not end on Shrove Tuesday; the 2027 edition starts on it.

The detailed programme – which day has which parade, and the times – is published by the organisers on the official programme page. In earlier years, carnival parades and flower parades alternated over the three weeks. Choose your weekend once the programme is out, and book the parades you want to see.

The carnival parades

The carnival parade (Corso carnavalesque) is the heart of the festival. According to the organisers, it runs around Place Masséna and the Jardin Albert 1er and includes large floats, giant automatons, about a hundred giant heads, street art troupes, costumed groups and music from around the world. The floats take up the theme of the year with humour – in 2027 that means love in all its forms.

At the front rides the King of the Carnival, whose float stands out from all others at about 15 metres high. The carnival opens when the King takes the keys to the city on Place Masséna, and some parades take place after dark, when the floats are lit up.

The flower parades

The flower parades (Batailles de Fleurs) take place on the Promenade des Anglais, with the sea as a backdrop. According to the official website, each parade has around fifteen floats decorated with fresh flowers, most of them produced locally, preceded by street performers such as jugglers and stilt walkers. From the floats, the performers throw flowers to the public – gladioli, gerberas, daisies, carnations, roses, lilies and mimosa. The organisers count 250,000 stems and 21 tonnes of mimosa in a season.

If you see only one event, many visitors choose a flower parade: it is unique to Nice, and it takes place in daylight, which is a plus with children.

Tickets

The parades are ticketed. According to the official website, you buy tickets in the online ticket shop, and ticket offices around the site are also open on event days, subject to availability. Check the official site for the options and prices of each parade.

Weather in February

Averages 2015–2024 from the ERA5 reanalysis (via Open-Meteo), rounded.

Nice in February is mild by day, often sunny, but cool in the evening, and a rainy day is possible. For a night parade, bring a warm layer; for a flower parade, sunglasses. YesTrip shows you the forecast for your actual travel days and suggests matching clothes in the packing list.

Getting there

From London, Nice is about two hours by plane. Nice Côte d'Azur Airport lies right by the sea west of the city; the tram runs into the centre, and our guide Nice airport to the city centre compares the options. With luggage or a late arrival, a transfer from Nice airport^* can be booked with Welcome Pickups. Trains along the coast to Monaco, Menton and Cannes are easy to compare at train tickets on the Côte d'Azur^* (Omio).

Where to stay

• Around Place Masséna and the old town: the parades on your doorstep, lively, the first rooms to go.
• Along the Promenade des Anglais: sea views and the flower parades in front of the hotel.
• Libération and around the station: calmer, more affordable, a short tram ride to the centre.

Carnival weekends are busy in Nice; book early. If you arrive in the morning and leave in the evening, there is luggage storage in Nice^* (Radical Storage). From outside the EU, a travel eSIM for France^* (Airalo) is usually cheaper than roaming; our eSIM price index compares prices per gigabyte.

A few days on the Riviera

The carnival fits well into a long weekend or a week of winter sun: the old town and the castle hill, the Promenade des Anglais, the markets of the Cours Saleya, and day trips by train along the coast. Our plan for Nice combines these and works around the parades; how many days in Nice helps you choose. If you prefer the big carnival in the north, our guide to the Cologne Carnival 2027 has the dates, and Venice Carnival 2027 runs just before Nice.

Nice trip planDay by day, with map and tips

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