The Nice Carnival,
a unique experience!

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2026 festivities programme

Carnival kicks off on 11 February with the Grand Charivari and culminates on 28 February with the cremation of the King and his pyrotechnics show.

Not-to-be-missed events :

• Bal Veglione – Friday 13 February at 7pm – At the Opéra de Nice. An evening to mark the prelude to Carnival.
• Opening Illuminated Corso – Saturday 14 February at 9.00pm – Place Masséna. The first illuminated parade of the season.
• Flower Battles – 18, 21, 25 and 28 February at 2.30pm – Place Masséna and surrounding area. Over 100,000 flowers are distributed to the public on floats decorated with floral arrangements.
• Illuminated Carnival Corsos – 14, 17, 21, 24 and 28 February between 8.30pm and 9pm – Place Masséna. Five night-time parades featuring spectacular floats, giant heads reaching 20m in height, and musical and street art troupes from all over the world.
• Corso d’Aqui – Sunday 22 February at 2.30pm – Place Masséna. A daytime corso featuring local folk troupes and authentic traditions.
• Lou Queernaval – Friday 27 February at 8.00pm – Enceinte des festivités. France’s first gay carnival, free but booking essential. A popular event celebrating inclusion and living together.
• Burial of the King and Pyrotechnics Show – Saturday 28 February at 10.45pm – Quai des États-Unis. A solemn closing ceremony to mark the end of the reign and welcome the new 2027 theme. The crowd sings “Nissa La Bella”. Spectacular fireworks display. Free admission.

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The Illuminated Carnival Corso: The Heart of Carnival

A Spectacle of Excess and Magic

Illuminated Corsos with giant, colourful parades day and night, brought to life by over 1,000 musicians and dancers from all over the world.

Giant heads reaching up to twenty metres in height embody the great heroines of the 2026 theme, while spectacular floats tell their inspiring stories. Every evening, Nice is transformed into a stage of light, where visual animations and street art performances create a veritable spectacle of sound and light.

The Five Illuminated Corsos of 2026

Five illuminated corsos take place on Saturdays and Tuesdays:

• Saturday 14 February at 9:00 pm (changed times)
• Tuesday 17 February at 8.30pm
• Saturday 21 February at 8.30pm
• Tuesday 24 February at 8.30pm
• Saturday 28 February at 8.30pm (closing parade and special festivities)

The Incineration of the King: A Cathartic and Reborn Moment

The final corso culminates in an emotionally-charged ritual. The cremation of the King marks the end of the reign and the welcome of the new theme 2027. The crowd then burst into a chorus of the traditional “Nissa La Bella”, transforming the moment into a collective celebration. At 10:45pm, a pyrotechnics show lights up the sky over the Quai des États-Unis in Nice.

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Practical Guide to Your Visit

Tickets and prices

Free entry requires a ticket. Free entry is only available in the pedestrian zones of the illuminated Corsi carnavalesque and the daytime Corso carnavalesque, for people in full costume.

New for 2026: “Royal Treatment” VIP packages

In keeping with the “Long live the Queen” theme, VIP “Royal Treatment” packages will be offered, including access to the best seats, meetings with the artists and a behind-the-scenes tour of the floats. For groups of more than 20 people, special rates can be negotiated directly with the organisers.

Transport and access

There are several options for getting to the festivities:

• By plane: Nice Côte d’Azur airport is just 6 km from the city centre.
• By train: Nice-ville station is a 15-minute walk from Place Masséna. ZOU! trains run every 15 minutes between Cannes and Menton, with extra trains for night corsos.
• By car: The A8 motorway links Nice to major French and Italian cities.
• By tram: Tramway line 1: Masséna station – Opéra station – Cathedral station – closed. Get off at Jean Medecin.
  Tram line 2: normal traffic.