6 good reasons to celebrate Christmas on the Côte d'Azur

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2- Enchanting strolls to feast your eyes on

The streets of the Côte d’Azur come alive with poetic strolls, where street artists, storytellers and musicians captivate passers-by. Enchanting shows emerge from the alleyways, creating a magical, timeless atmosphere.

• In Cannes, don’t miss Santa’s “white parade” of ten performers on the ground, two inflatable horses, two inflatable snowflakes, four stilt walkers and ten musicians on 23 December.
• In the heart of the village of Nice, you’ll be able to dance to the sounds of traditional Christmas music with the entertainers on 10, 17, 27 and 30 December, and at the afterwork parties with DJs on 15, 21, 22 and 28 December and 4 January.
• In Antibes, there will be a large parade through the narrow streets on 16 December and Juan-les-Pins on 23 December, not forgetting the traditional arrival of Father Christmas on water skis on 20 December at 11am at La Baigneuse.
• In Monaco, enchanted parades take place at weekends and every afternoon during the school holidays, and the illuminated fountains put on a show at the Stade Nautique Rainier III swimming pool on 16 and 23 December and 6 January.
• Menton’ s famous parade takes place on 23 and 30 December at the Casino Barrière, and the Festival of Magic can be seen from 20 to 23 December on the Francis-Palmero esplanade.
• In Saint-Raphaël, Father Christmas arrives by sea at the Old Port on 23 December, accompanied by a spectacular parade by the Cielo and Planète Vapeur companies, followed by fireworks and, at nightfall, a magical atmosphere projected onto the Notre-Dame-de-la-Victoire basilica!

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4- Les bains de mer pour se ravigorer

Envie de terminer l’année en beauté ou d’attaquer la suivante avec énergie ? Les bains de mer de Noël et du Nouvel An attirent, chaque année, une foule de courageux. Une tradition qui vient des pays nordiques où se baigner dans une eau froide avant de plonger dans un bain de vapeur est considéré comme bon pour la santé. Alors, il faut bien reconnaître qu’il faut davantage d’audace en Scandinavie que dans le Sud pour respecter la tradition. Mais qu’importent les degrés, plonger dans les eaux méditerranéennes pour les fêtes reste une expérience revigorante, originale et inoubliable ! Cette année, ne manquez pas le bain de Noël à Cagnes-sur-Mer, qui se tiendra le 1ᵉʳ décembre 2024. C’est l’occasion de commencer les festivités en plongeant dans la mer avant de profiter des nombreuses animations proposées. À Villeneuve-Loubet, rendez-vous le dimanche 15 décembre 2024, de 9 h 30 à 12 h 30, pour le bain de Noël, suivi de diverses animations festives et conviviales. Les autres bains de mer se dérouleront à Nice, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Saint-Raphaël et Antibes, mais les dates exactes sont encore à venir. Restez à l’affût des informations pour profiter de ces événements rafraîchissants et originaux pour bien finir l’année !

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6- Fireworks to ring in the New Year

To celebrate the New Year, the Côte d’Azur skies are lit up in brilliant colours. A fireworks display and festive entertainment will bring residents and visitors together to celebrate the transition to a new year full of promise.

• Cannes: Head to the Bay of Cannes to watch the fireworks at midnight sharp on 31 December. The theme of this year’s fireworks show is “Charlie Chaplin”, a visual and musical celebration dedicated to the cinema legend.
• Monaco: New Year’s Eve on 31 December promises to be a memorable one, with a musical evening hosted by two DJs from 9pm. A stage, set up on the north side of the Quai, will welcome an additional 2,000 spectators. The big news is that the fireworks will be back at midnight, lighting up the Monegasque bay to celebrate the New Year.
• Saint-Raphaël: The evening of 31 December in the Jardin Bonaparte will kick off at 6.30pm with musical entertainment provided by a DJ. Then, at 7.30pm, a fireworks display will light up the skies over Raphaël, offering a magical moment to share with family and friends.
• Juan-les-Pins: On 1ᵉʳ January 2025, at 6 p.m., the sky over the bay of Juan-les-Pins will be the setting for a unique and magical show entitled “L’Éveil des Lumières”. The show will combine light and music, with a spectacular performance by 500 drones, visible from boulevard Guillaumont. To extend the evening, the Orchestre National de Cannes invites you to the Anthéa theatre at 8.30pm for an exceptional concert on the theme of “Paris-Vienne”.