01
Old Nice & the promenade
A good arrival-day combination: colourful lanes, cafés and a long seafront walk.
Plan the visit
France · THE COMPLETE SHORT-STAY GUIDE
Nice & Menton
Two Riviera festivals, one lovely base
THE REASON TO GO
Nice Carnival & the Lemon Festival
Combine Nice Carnival’s theatrical floats and flower battles with Menton’s citrus sculptures and parades. Stay in Nice for the wider choice of five-star hotels, then take a day trip east for the Lemon Festival.
WHEN TO PLAN YOUR TRIP · 202719–22 February · 3 nights; Menton parade on Sunday 21 FebruaryEditorial itinerary · confirm the festival timetable before booking
Best base
Nice, for both Riviera festivals
The main moment
Coordinate the two parade programmes
Make room for
A separate half-day in Èze
THE MAIN OCCASION
The festival, in pictures
Scenes from past editions: the scale, colour and atmosphere that make the journey worthwhile.
THE STORY BEHIND THE SPECTACLE
How it began
Nice: 1294 · Menton: 1934
Nice · from medieval revelry to giant floats
Nice’s Carnival is documented as far back as 1294, but its modern organised form began in 1873, when Andriot Saëtone established a festival committee. Satirical floats and elaborate costumes became a highlight of the Riviera’s winter season. The Battle of Flowers followed in 1876, growing from a floral exchange into the flower-covered parade that gives Carnival its softer, more fragrant side.
Menton · a citrus-growing town finds its signature
Menton’s Lemon Festival emerged from an exhibition of flowers and citrus fruit at the Hôtel Riviera in 1928. Its success brought orange- and lemon-covered carts onto the streets the following year; the municipality launched the Fête du Citron under that name in 1934. Citrus displays reached the Biovès gardens in 1935. Today’s enormous fruit-covered creations carry that local identity into an exuberant winter spectacle.
OUTSIDE THE MAIN EVENT
Make time for these
02
Menton beyond the festival
Take time for the steep old-town lanes and the waterfront instead of making this just a parade stop.
Plan the visit03
Castle Hill
Use a clear-weather gap for views across Nice and the bay; it fits well before a late-afternoon festival session.
Plan the visitA LITTLE STRUCTURE. PLENTY OF ROOM TO WANDER.
Your short-stay plan
Arrange the festival day around the confirmed programme, then shift the surrounding days to suit your arrival.
Nice, slowly
Arrive, walk the Promenade des Anglais and explore Old Nice. Keep the evening open for Carnival if the final programme includes a suitable performance.
The Carnival day
Choose a Nice flower battle or parade from the published timetable. Fit in Castle Hill and an unhurried old-town lunch around your ticketed session.
Menton’s citrus spectacle
Travel to Menton for the Lemon Festival and the Sunday parade on 21 February 2027. Add its old town and seafront; leave time for the return journey.
A last Riviera morning
Enjoy breakfast and the promenade before heading home. With a fourth night, make Èze a separate outing.
JUST BEYOND THE FESTIVAL
Worth the detour
Choose one outing for a short stay. Add another night if you want to explore further at an easy pace.
A BASE FOR EVERY KIND OF TRIP
A good hotel changes the trip.
Choose a hotel base to suit your budget and festival plans. Ratings are shown by category, with any seasonal openings and journeys from nearby towns explained below. Availability and rates for your dates have not been checked.
5-star hotels
01★★★★★
Nice · Promenade des Anglais
Le Negresco
5-star · art-filled landmark
Why we would choose it
A memorable base for a classic Riviera trip, with a distinctive collection of art and seafront setting.
Before you book
Compare room positions if you value quiet during Carnival.
View hotel & check availability02★★★★★
Nice · Promenade des Anglais
Hôtel Palais de la Méditerranée
5-star · contemporary comfort
Why we would choose it
A practical central seafront base for Nice and day trips, with an elegant Art Deco frontage.
Before you book
Now part of The Unbound Collection by Hyatt; older listings may use its former Hyatt Regency name.
View hotel & check availability4-star hotels
01★★★★
Nice · edge of Old Nice
Hôtel Beau Rivage
Contemporary boutique hotel
Why we would choose it
The old-town and seafront position is practical for Nice Carnival and evening meals.
Before you book
A Nice base still needs an outward and return rail plan for Menton; festival barriers can affect the walk to the hotel.
View hotel & check availabilityStar-rating source02★★★★
Menton · Garavan seafront
Hôtel Napoléon
Small coastal hotel with garden and pool
Why we would choose it
Choose Menton for its old town, citrus displays and a local return after the Lemon Festival.
Before you book
East of the main Biovès gardens; walk along the seafront to the displays and allow a separate rail trip for Nice Carnival. Confirm winter pool access.
View hotel & check availabilityStar-rating source3-star hotels
01★★★
Nice · Jean Médecin
Hôtel Florence Nice
Central hotel with an environmental focus
Why we would choose it
Useful for central Nice, cafés and the station connection east to Menton.
Before you book
Set back from the waterfront Carnival area; check your ticket entrance and evening return from Menton.
View hotel & check availabilityStar-rating source02★★★
Menton · central, Rue de la République
Best Western Hôtel Méditerranée Menton
City hotel with rooftop terrace
Why we would choose it
An easy local base near the old town and gardens for the Lemon Festival.
Before you book
Nice becomes the day trip; check the last useful train. The rooftop restaurant is seasonal, while the ground-floor restaurant is year-round.
View hotel & check availabilityStar-rating sourceTHE PRACTICAL BIT
Getting there
Airport Nice Côte d’Azur (NCE)
On arrival Tram line 2 links both terminals with central Nice. Use coastal trains for the day trip to Menton.
Getting around Stay in Nice and check the last return train after the parade; Èze village needs an onward bus or taxi from its coastal station.
Check services for your travel dates.Research checked 7 October 2026 · schedules and facilities may change.Photo credits