Practical Guide
Practical Guide :
- Climate
- Opening hours
- Public Holidays
- Nice Carnival
- Cannes Film Festival
- Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix
- Monte Carlo Open
- About Nice
Climate
The French Riviera benefits from a Mediterranean type climate with sunshine almost 300 days a year and mild temperatures for most of the year. It rains but infrequently mostly in March/April and October/November.
Winter temperatures are moderated by the proximity to the Mediterranean; days of frost are extremely rare, and in summer the maximum temperature rarely exceeds 30º.
Due to the fabulous climate, the area attracts thousands of holiday makers every year. It also attracts those wishing to buy their dream property whether for investment, holiday home, or as a first step to a new life on the Côte d'Azur.
| Climate Table | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Daily maximum temperature (°C) | 13 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 20 | 24 | 27 | 28 | 25 | 21 | 16 | 14 |
| Daily minimum temperature (°C) | 6 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 14 | 17 | 20 | 20 | 17 | 14 | 9 | 6 |
Opening hours
Shops are usually open from 10 am to 7 pm from Monday to Saturday. In some periods of the year , the shops stay open much later in the evening and even on Sunday. Banks are open from 9 to noon and 2 to 4.30 pm, Monday to Friday.
Public Holidays
On public holidays, banks, government offices, shops, the majority of businesses and also many museums and tourist attractions are closed.
The French public holidays are not the same as those in the UK. Good Friday and Boxing Day are not holidays in France. If a public holiday falls on a Thursday, it's common for almost everybody to take the Friday off, too, to make a four-day break, a practice known as faire le pont or making the bridge.
The biggest street parties of the year celebrate the Fête Nationale on Bastille Day. Christmas, on the other hand, is celebrated on Christmas Eve, with Christmas Day to recover.
- 1st January - New Year's Day
- Moveable - Easter Monday
- 1st May - Labour Day
- 8th May - VE Day
- Thursday - Ascension Day
- 27-28 June - Whit Monday
- 14 July - Bastille Day (Fete National)
- 15 August - Day of Assumption
- 1 November - All Saints' Day
- 11 November - Armistice Day
- 25 December - Christmas Day
Nice Carnival
Every year in February the carnival takes over the city. This is the main event of the winter season on the French Riviera. There are Carnival and Flower processions during the day and in the evening. Also the famous « jetée des fleurs ».
On the final day you can watch the Closing parade which ends with a fantastic firework display.
Cannes Film Festival
Today, the Cannes Film Festival is the world’s greatest cinematographic event. It takes place every year in May at the « Palais des Festivals ». Outside, the famous steps, 24 in all, are covered by their red carpet where photographers and cameramen capture the moment when the stars make their entrance to the legendary building in the dazzle of projectors and flashes. All along the Festival you can catch a glimpse of a film star or of a famous producer, in the street or in a restaurant.
Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix
Every spring, sports car fans from around the globe descend on the Principality of Monaco to witness the Monaco F1 Grand Prix, the only race in the world that is held on city streets.
Spectators delight in the noise of the roaring engines as they speed along the Boulevard Albert 1er up toward the Casino and around the hairpin turn in front of the Fairmont Monte Carlo.
Organized by the Automobile Club of Monaco, the Monaco Grand Prix is one of the world's most popular international sporting events and takes place each year during the last weekend in May.
Monte Carlo Open
Since over 100 years, the Monte Carlo Tournament is one of the most prestigious sporting events in the field of International tennis, where the best players in the world confront each other during this competition.
The Monte-Carlo Open, which takes place in the legendary setting of the Monte-Carlo Country Club, has not only become a key fixture on the professional circuit, but now ranks as one of the nine "Super" tennis tournaments in the world.
The tournament bracket has been highlighted by such stars as phenom Lleyton Hewitt, defending champion Gustavo Kuerten, living legend Pete Sampras and fan-favourite Andre Agassi, Raphaêl Nadal or Roger Federer.
About Nice
France's fifth-largest city and a dignified queen of the Côte d'Azur, certainly has plenty to offer the tourist. Its rich blue-green sea, diverse shopping, splendid dining and lovely art deco façades. Nice is just a delight, with its flower market, gorgeous coastline, sipping drinks mere feet from the Mediterranean, great shopping and delightful pastries.
There are several spots that a tourist simply must see, such as the Cours Saleya flower market, the Matisse Museum, ancient Roman ruins, the Russian Cathedral, and more.
Nice has a total of 19 museums and galleries, 32 classified historical monuments and 300 ha of parks and gardens, woodland and green areas in addition to 150 ornamental lakes and fountains.
Nice is the cultural capital of the French Riviera. Brilliant and creative, the city is a hive of activity throughout the year, theatre, dance, opera, the famous carnaval, etc...
The French Riviera is not only famous for its coastline, the nearby mountain villages and ski resorts have constantly gained in popularity over the years.
Guaranteed sunshine, snow and mountain peaks reaching 3000 meters in altitude: all at less than 100 km from Nice.
A very important factor is the Nice International Airport, with its direct flights to most UK and Ireland destinations. After your arrival it takes only about 15 minutes to be in the middle of the center or to settle in your apartment.