The Côte d’Azur is buzzing, and we’ve got your front-row seat to everything you can’t afford to miss. From glittering coastline soirées to hidden-gems in the hinterland, this is your curated guide to what’s hot and happening along the Riviera.
Summer here is a whirlwind – events, festivals, and experiences come thick and fast, and it’s easy to feel spoiled for choice. That’s where we come in – consider this your insider’s map to the very best of the season.
Whether you’re a local looking for fresh inspiration or a visitor chasing that quintessential Provençal moment, there’s something here for you.
Here are some highlights for the week ahead – let’s dive straight in.
SATURDAY 2nd AUGUST
The Fête du Raisin in Fréjus continues until tomorrow. Beneath the thousand-year-old bell tower of the cathedral, both visitors and locals gather to celebrate with concerts, songs, traditional music, and vibrant dance performances. The festivities continue with tastings of local wines, a fitting tribute to Fréjus and its surrounding region—above all, a land of dedicated winegrowers where the AOC Côtes de Provence Fréjus is prized for its distinctive quality and character.
The town of Grasse also celebrates with the Fête du Jasmin, an annual event held on the first weekend of August. There will be a flower market in the morning in Place aux Aires followed by a parade of musicians, circus artists, dancers strolling through the historic town centre in a festive atmosphere in the afternoon. That evening, from 9pm until midnight, there will be the corso fleuri and the bataille des fleurs – experience the heart of the Fête du Jasmin with decorated floats and exceptional costumes.
The Festival de Musique de Menton continues at 6pm tonight with a concert featuring two of the Gautier Capuçon Foundation laureates from the class of 2024, Elias Moncado (violin) and Mirabelle Kajenjeri (piano). The concert is entitled Les maitres de demain and features works from Mozart, Brahms, Debussy and Ravel and takes place at Palais de l’Europe Salon de Grande Bretagne. Reserve your tickets online.
Experience les Nuits d’Été at the Hippodrome de la Côte d’Azur in Cagnes-sur-Mer with 6 races on the card and the Soirée #RACEANDCARE, an evening dedicated to animal welfare. There will also be guided tours of the racecourse where you can discover more about the different professions involved in horse racing. Admission is €5, free for those under 18 – please note that you must book and pay online. Restaurants may also be booked online.
ALL GROOVE, a band whose repertoire spans many genres, including Funk, Acid Jazz, and Groove from the 80s and 90s, play the Jardin de l’Olivaie in Beaulieu-sur-Mer at 9pm. Free admission, open to all.
Gilles Peterson, producer, DJ, and passionate curator presents Impressions – an exceptional evening of music featuring Idris Ackamoor & the Pyramids followed by Gille Peterson’s DJ Set at the Fondation Maeght. Doors open at 7:30 p.m., followed by a self-guided visit of the Barbara Hepworth exhibition. Light refreshments and a bar will be available throughout the event. Tickets cost €40 and may be reserved online.
The Monte-Carlo Summer Festival continues with movie star and multi Grammy Award-winning rapper, Will Smith, who will be kicking off August at the Salle des Étoiles with this exceptional concert. Tickets may be reserved online.
Place de la Courtine in Saint-Paul de Vence is the venue for the spectacle ‘Rêves et couleurs d’Heide Melano, Mosaîste de Marc Chagall’, a one-of-a-kind experience that blends dance, singing, poetry, art, colour, and dreams — all in tribute to Heidi Melano, the mosaicist who worked alongside Chagall. The show starts at 9pm and tickets are available online (cost €25).
The second edition of the Zamna Festival in Fréjus concludes tonight. Tickets are available online but are selling like the proverbial hot cakes. Act fast – you have been warned!
The town of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat hosts a Grande Nuit Vénitienne which starts with a parade at 9pm, featuring over 100 artists and flag-bearers and plenty of Venetian character! This will be followed by a fireworks display at 10:30pm and the partying continues in the small hours with a Venetian Ball. Free entry, all welcome.
SUNDAY 3rd AUGUST
One of the most beautiful and oldest traditions from Provence, the Fête du Raisin in Fréjus comes to an end today. Among the highlights are the renowned “Grape Mass” and the sacred dance of the vine, powerful symbols of Provençal heritage and enduring roots.
The Fête du Jasmin in Grasse concludes today. There will be plenty of activities around the town, including a traditional Provençal Mass in les jardins de la Princesse Pauline with the Leï Basso Luserno folk group. Aioli is the star of the show in the local restaurants today, ensuring a truly gourmet meal. Reservations are required directly with participating restaurants. The Mondial Parfumé de Boules Carrées (boules tournament) takes place in Place du Petit Puy from 1:30pm. Free registration on site.
A dazzling tribute to the Motown label hits, the Motown All-Stars show at the Monte-Carlo Summer Festival ignites the Salle des Étoiles with its vocal quartet, live orchestra and impeccably choreographed dance troupe. Tickets may be purchased online.
The Concerts au Palais Princier series continue with conductor Tianyi Lu leading the Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo in a performance of Beethoven’s Coriolan Overture, his Piano Concerto No 4 and extracts from Prokofiev’s gorgeous score to the ballet Romeo and Juliet. The soloist for the evening is Latvian pianist Georgijs Osokins who gained international recognition at the age of just 19 as a finalist in the 2015 Chopin Competition. The performance takes place at 9:30pm in the Cour d’Honneur du Palais Princier. Unfortunately, tickets are now sold out.
Le Bal des Fous kicks off its August run with Le Bal Strass & Paillettes – picture yourself under a star-studded sky and an atmosphere worthy of the greatest gala nights, where the doors of dreams are thrown wide open. Welcome to the whirlwind of Le Bal des Fous – get ready to sparkle! There are limited tickets remaining, so you need to act fast to secure your place!
MONDAY 4th AUGUST
Further racing and fun with Les Nuits d’Été at the Hippodrome de la Côte d’Azur in Cagnes-sur-Mer with 7 races on the card. Admission is €5, free for those under 18 – please note that you must book and pay online. Restaurants may also be booked online.
The Festival de Musique in Menton welcomes Jean-Baptiste Doulcet for a piano recital entitled Paysages nordiques featuring the works of Grieg, Liszt, Sibelius and Doulcet in the Palais de l’Europe Salon de Grande Bretagne at 6pm. Reserve your tickets online.
More movie action from Ciné Quartier in Cannes with Le Secret de Khéops (2025 | 1h38). Was the treasure of Pharaoh Khufu, discovered during Napoleon’s Egyptian campaign, brought back to France, and then hidden in Paris? You’ll have to find out for yourself at Place du Marche de La Bocca! Free admission. Film starts at 10pm.
Beaulieu-sur-Mer also has some outdoor cinematic fun lined up with a screening of Dragons (French version) at 9pm at Théâtre de la Batterie. Tickets cost €8.50 (reduced rates available) and may be purchased online.
A bit further afield, there will be a fireworks display in Fréjus, part of the ongoing Summer Fireworks programme. The display starts at 10:30pm in Port-Fréjus. Free entry.
TUESDAY 5th AUGUST
In the continuing Festival de Musique in Menton, Alexandra Dovgan gives a piano recital entitled Tempêtes pianistiques featuring the works of Beethoven, Chopin, Franck and Prokofiev. This takes place at Parvis de la Basilique Saint-Michel Archange at 9pm. Tickets may be reserved online.
More open air cinema at Théâtre de la Batterie in Beaulieu-sur-Mer tonight with a double header as part of a Soirée Music & Surf. We have the documentary Some Like It Classic (2025 | 1h10) and Sound of the Surf (2022 | 1h10) – both screenings in English with French subtitles. Tickets cost €8.50 (reduced rates available) and may be purchased online. There will also be an apéro musical and light refreshments available from 7:30pm, along with DJ sets by Lilia Navigue and Bratchman. Real Cool Trash, a Nice-based record store, will also be on site selling its vinyl wares.
The Motown All-Stars show continues at the Monte-Carlo Summer Festival. Tickets may be purchased online.
The Festival d’Art Pyrotechnic returns to Cannes after a short break. Pyrogenie Feuerwerk GmbH from Germany presents The Dream Catcher, featuring an eclectic mix of music from the likes of David Bowie, Hans Zimmer and Imagine Dragons. The display starts at 10pm in the Baie de Cannes. Free admission.
WEDNESDAY 6th AUGUST
Further racing and fun with Les Nuits d’Été at the Hippodrome de la Côte d’Azur in Cagnes-sur-Mer with 6 races on the card. Admission is €5, free for those under 18 – please note that you must book and pay online. Restaurants may also be booked online.
Another performance from The Motown All-Stars show at the Monte-Carlo Summer Festival. Tickets may be purchased online.
La Ville de Villefranche-sur-Mer presents “Féé moi rêver”, a cabaret evening taking place at the Théâtre de La Citadelle as part of the Soirées Estivales du Département. Free admission, snacks available on site. Show starts at 9pm. You are promised to be transported away by a whirlwind of feathers, captivating choreography, and visual surprises!
Cinémathèque Hors les Murs continues in the Port of Nice with an outdoor screening of All is Lost by J.C. Chandor, starring Robert Redford (2013 | 1h46 | English, French subtitles). Admission is free and limited places available.
THURSDAY 7th AUGUST
As part of the Festival de Musique in Menton, the Ramona Horvath Trio will perform improvisations on themes from Bizet’s Carmen at 6pm in Casino Barrière. Tickets may be reserved online.
Jazz Art Lympia continues in Port de Nice with the PounkIPA Jazz Quartet. Enjoy some great rooftop sounds, overlooking the port! Doors open at 7pm, performance starts at 8pm. Free admission, limited places.
The Concerts au Palais Princier conclude in Monaco tonight with a performance led by Emmanuel Tjeknovorian. Featuring the Orchestra Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo and solo violinist Sergey Khachatryan, the concert takes place in the Cour d’Honneur du Palais Princier, starting at 9:30pm. Tickets are no longer available online but you can try contacting the ticket office on + 377 92 00 13 70 on the off chance.
The 13th edition of Festival Saint Jazz Cap Ferrat gets underway tonight and continues until Saturday at the Jardin de la Paix. The lineup for tonight includes Nirina Rakotomavo at 20h30 followed by Julien Lourau «The Rise» at 21h50. Tickets and festival passes may be purchased online.
FRIDAY 8th AUGUST
The 2025 edition of the Festival de Musique de Menton comes to an end tonight with a performance featuring Orchestre de l’Opéra Royal de Versailles with Justin Taylor (harpsichord and conductor). This concert, which features the concerti of Bach, takes place at 9pm in Parvis de la Basilique Saint-Michel Archange. Tickets may be reserved online.
Les Plages Électroniques get underway in Cannes, running throughout the weekend. Headlining the opening night we have Tiësto, Kungs, Trym and Vald, and a vast selection of support acts. Daily and multi-day passes may be purchased online.
The 13th edition of Festival Saint Jazz Cap Ferrat continues at the Jardin de la Paix in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat with performances from Yazz Ahmed «A paradise in the hold» at 20h30 and Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio at 21h50. Tickets and festival passes may be purchased online.
OTHER EVENTS & ATTRACTIONS
Monaco Open Air cinema continues with movies each night of the week.
Villefranche-sur-Mer also has a busy programme for its summer of open air cinema in the Théâtre de la Citadelle, running until 10th August. Movies start at 9:30pm and admission is €6. No reservations required. Tickets may only be purchased on site and payment is by cash or cheque only.
The Nice Classic Festival continues at Le Cloître du Monastère de Cimiez, running until 9th August. There are concerts and performances on in the afternoons and evenings. The full programme and ticketing information is available on the festival website.
Pages à la Plage is an initiative being run in Cannes where you can borrow books for 48 hours to read on the beach. Open everyday, it runs until 29th August.
Une Journée à l’opéra continues at Opéra Nice Côte d’Azur until 31st August – come experience Nice Opera like you’ve never seen it before!
Les Soirées Estivales organised by Département des Alpes-Maritimes 06 continues throughout the summer with an amazing programme of events. Check out the programme and decide for yourself what you want to do or see – the list is almost endless!
Les Contes d’Apéro, hosted by the Théâtre National de Nice, run daily at 7pm, finishing up on Sunday, 3rd August 2025. The performances are free and there is limited seating available. TNN Kiosque on the Promenade du Paillon in Nice.
There are also plenty of exhibitions on throughout the region. Be sure to check out our roundups of the must-see exhibitions in Nice | Monaco | Cannes
Have a great week, wherever you are!
Lead image courtesy Ville de Fréjus; other images/photos as credited
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