The Christmas market in Nice, France

Nice at ChristmasAlthough beautiful Nice, with its wide stretch of beach and lovely blue Mediterranean waters, attracts flocks of tourists in the summertime, this pretty city also makes an ideal winter get-away destination.

Enjoy Nice without the crowds as it prepares for the Christmas season with its annual holiday market, set up on Place Massena, just at the edge of picturesque Vieux Nice.

Illuminated palm trees border the ice skating rink set up for the Christmas market.

Nice at ChristmasThe French Riviera is not known for its snowfall, but the fake snow on the pretty Christmas trees that grace the market look almost like the real thing.

The Christmas stalls sell gifts and food and, of course, wonderful vin brulé (mulled wine).

There are plenty of activities to keep the kids happy – ice skating, the giant ferris wheel, trampolines and fun houses.

Nice at ChristmasEnjoy a trip to beautiful Nice during the holiday season. When you tire of the mulled wine and “snow-covered” trees, you can walk a few short meters away to enjoy a pleasant stroll on the beach. Clearly, the best of both worlds.

If looking for other Nice tips, enjoy past tips to visit the market at the Cours Saleya, eat at the Café de Turin and take a day trip to stunning Eze.

Nice at Christmas

Nice at Christmas

9 Comments

  1. ledrakenoir on December 18, 2012 at 11:11 am

    I have visiting Nice a lot, but never in december – great shots, looks great… 🙂

  2. kimberlysullivan on December 18, 2012 at 6:05 pm

    Thanks, Ledrakenoir. It’s nice in the off-season… minus the crowds. And the combination of palm trees and fake snow really made me smile.

  3. Julia on December 22, 2012 at 6:16 am

    What a beautiful place. I hope to visit it one day.

  4. kimberlysullivan on December 27, 2012 at 10:30 am

    You’ll enjoy it, Julia! I actually like inland Provence best, but Nice is pretty spectacular, too…

  5. […] But lately, I’ve been discovering the Christmas markets in more southern climes. I already wrote about the Christmas market in Nice, France. […]

  6. Shobha George on November 12, 2014 at 8:07 pm

    Really interesting. I always thought Christmas Markets were a German thing!

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