carnival in Nice France

The festival begins on a Saturday 10 days before Mardi Gras with the arrival of the carnival king. There are parades every night or day for the entire carnival. At the height of the carnival Nice France is awash with flowers. Since 1876 the carnival in Nice France has included a Bataille de Fleurs (battle of the flowers). Twenty meticulously designed flower-covered floats parade down the Promenade des Anglais along the Nice beaches. Costumed men and women throw approximately 100,000 flowers to an enthusiastic audience. Some 90% of the flowers—carnations, daisies, gerberas, gladioli, mimosa, roses, and other varieties—are produced locally, highlighting the variety and quality of the flowers grown in the French Riviera. The flower parade takes places several times during the Nice carnival. For the best view, reserve a seat or a place in the designated standing area along the Promenade des Anglais.

Events like the flower parades make the carnival in Nice France the liveliest in the country and one of the best of all France events. In France carnival is a time of unrestricted celebration and Nice has the most spectacular carnival in France. The date of the festival depends of the date of Easter and varies from year to year between February 3 and March 9. Most years it falls sometime in mid-February. The festival culminates on the Tuesday of Mardi Gras with a not-to-be-missed Grande Parade and fireworks.