A curated glimpse into what’s hot, happening, and utterly unmissable on the stunning Côte d’Azur. We’ve got the inside scoop on everything that’s setting the Riviera abuzz
Summer on the Côte d’Azur is unquestionably the busiest season of the year. With an overwhelming number of events and activities on offer, it’s a minefield – but, rest assured, we’re here to guide you through it all.
Whether you’re a local in the know or a sun-seeking visitor chasing that perfect Provençal moment, there’s bound to be something here to tickle your fancy!
This week we have plenty of offerings, from the hinterland to the Mediterranean, so let’s dive straight in!
SATURDAY 26th JULY
Quai Saint-Pierre in Cannes will play host throughout the day (9am to 6pm) to the Challenge du Comité Var Côte d’Azur Joutes Provençales, a jousting tournament in motorboats that brings together the best teams in the region. Come cheer on your team and enjoy a festive atmosphere quayside. Free entry.
The Nice Jazz Festival continues with performances from Jorja Smith, Masego and Goldlink on the Scène Masséna, with The Cookers, Tyreek McDole and others playing in the Théâtre de Verdure. Tickets may be reserved online.
The Festival de Musique de Menton continues at 9pm tonight with Pene Pati (tenor) with Ensemble Il Pomo d’Oro playing in the Parvis de la Basilique Saint-Michel Archange. The concert is entitled Silenzio Cantatore : L’âge d’or des chansons napolitaines, in two parts, Canzoni di Notte and Canzoni di Giorno. Reserve your tickets online.
Experience 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. There’s plenty more happening on site! Restaurants may also be booked online.
The penultimate night of the Festival Saint-Paul de Vence sees virtuoso pianists Beatrice Rana and Massimo Spada performing works by Ravel, Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky and Say. 9pm at Place de la Courtine. Tickets may be reserved online.
Meanwhile in Fréjus, the Madame Loyal Festival, billed as the craziest electronic funfair of the summer, comes to an end after two days of an explosive cocktail of music and thrills. Taking place at the Base Nature François Léotard, tickets may be reserved online. Strictly over 18s.
La Mairie de Monaco is hosting a Soirée Feux d’Artifice on Quai Albert 1er. There will be bouncy castles for the kids from 6:00 – 9:30pm, followed by the fireworks display. There will also be a DJ so you can boogey the evening away by Port Hercule. Free admission.
L’Association des Amis du Musée océanographique de Monaco is holding its Summer Party on the roof terrace of the Musée Océanographique, running from 7pm to 11pm. Enjoy a panoramic view of the Principality and later the fireworks in Port Hercule. Tickets may be reserved online.
SUNDAY 27th JULY
The Nice Jazz Festival comes to a close tonight after another hugely successful edition. We have MRCY, Feu! Chatterton and Santa performing on the Scène Masséna, while on stage in the Théâtre de Verdure, we have the Avishai Cohen Quintet, Monsieur Mala, and Ekep Nkwele. The evening concludes with a Jazz Celebration featuring the likes of China Moses, Robert McKelle and others. Tickets available online.
Les Nuits d’Été continue at the Hippodrome de la Côte d’Azur in Cagnes-sur-Mer with a 6 race card. Admission is €5, free for those under 18 – please note that you must book and pay online. Restaurants may also be booked online.
More from the Festival de Musique in Menton with duet Vassilena Serafimova (marimba) and Hélène Escriva (euphonium) presenting Entre ombre et lumière which features the works of Schubert, Fauré, Barthélémy, Piazzolla amongst others. The concert takes place at 6pm in the Palais de l’Europe Salon de Grande Bretagne. Tickets may be reserved online.
The Festival de Saint-Paul de Vence finishes tonight with a performance by Renaud Capuçon on violin and Guillaume Bellom on piano featuring works of Schumann and Brahms. 9pm at Place de la Courtine. Tickets available online.
Sir Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Oratorio, written in conjunction with Carl Davis, will be performed by the CBSO Chorus along with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo and the Chœur d’enfants de l’Académie Rainier III, conducted by Kazuki Yamada. This special concert is part of the Concerts au Palais Princier series and takes place at 9:30pm in the Salles des Prices in the Grimaldi Forum. Tickets may be reserved online.
MONDAY, 28th JULY
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 the trio of Renaud Capuçon (violin), Kian Soltani (cello) and Mao Fujita (piano) who present Rencontre au sommet sees the trio perform Schubert’s Piano Trio No. 1 in B-flat major, D. 898 and Brahms’s Piano Trio No. 1 in B major, Op. 8 at 9pm in the Parvis de la Basilique Saint-Michel Archange. Reserve your tickets online.
More movie action from Ciné Quartier in Cannes with Un P’tit Truc en Plus (2024 | 1h39) being screened at Place du Marche de La Bocca. Free admission. Film starts at 10pm.
Not to miss out on the action, Beaulieu-sur-Mer also has some outdoor cinematic fun lined up with a screening of Superman (French version) at 9:15pm 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, 29th JULY
In the continuing Festival de Musique in Menton, Louise Akili (classical piano) and Dexter Goldberg (jazz piano) perform a selection of works from the likes of Bach, Debussy, Chopin, Ravel and others as part of Faits pour s’entendre. 6pm at Palais de l’Europe Salon de Grande Bretagne. Tickets may be reserved online.
More open air cinema at Théâtre de la Batterie in Beaulieu-sur-Mer tonight with a real classic, Rio Bravo, starring John Wayne and Dean Martin. The movie (in English with French subtitles) starts at 9:15pm. 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.
WEDNESDAY, 30th JULY
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 and Soirée de St-Laurent-du-Var. There will also be a craft market with around ten stalls, a martial arts show by the Budokaï Academy, games for the children and fireworks. Admission is €5, free for those under 18 – please note that you must book and pay online. Restaurants may also be booked online. Free entry for residents of St Laurent du Var upon presentation of proof of address or the invitation flyer.
The Festival de Musique de Menton hosts the Concert Jeunes Talents Yamaha in association with Concours Chopin. Accompanied by Michał Szymanowski on piano, Les maitres de demain features Chopin’s 2nd Concerto and Pièces pour piano. 6pm at Palais de l’Europe Salon de Grande Bretagne. Reserve your tickets online.
Cinémathèque Hors les Murs continues in the Port of Nice with an outdoor screening of A Scene at the Sea by Takeshi Kitano (1999 | 1h41 | Japanese, French subtitles). Admission is free and limited places available.
Catch The Beatles Factory in concert in Golfe-Juan where legendary songs are re-orchestrated and enhanced by a top-flight ensemble, supported by a string trio composed of two violins and a cello. Théâtre de la Mer in Golfe-Juan at 9:30pm. Tickets may be reserved online.
THURSDAY 31st JULY
Jazz Art Lympia continues in Port de Nice with the Arnoise Jazz Project (Power Trio). Enjoy some rooftop jazz, overlooking the port! Doors open at 7pm, performance starts at 8pm. Free admission, limited places.
The Festival d’Opérette de la Ville de Nice presents L’Auberge du Cheval Blanc which takes place in the Théâtre de Verdure at 8:30pm. Admission is €25 for adults with tickets being available on the night. Free admission for children under 10 years of age.
As part of the Festival de Musique in Menton, Bertrand Chamayou (piano) presents a very special performance of the complete works of Maurice Ravel on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the composer’s birth. 9pm at Parvis de la Basilique Saint-Michel Archange. Tickets may be reserved online.
The Concerts au Palais Princier continue in Monaco with a performance featuring French pianist David Fray and Swiss conductor Charles Dutoit who leads the Orchestra Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo. The concert takes place in the Cour d’Honneur du Palais Princier, starting at 9:30pm. Tickets are no longer available online but it might be worth contacting the ticket office on + 377 92 00 13 70
FRIDAY 1st AUGUST
Gilles Peterson, producer, DJ, and passionate curator presents Impressions – an exceptional evening of music celebrating jazz 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.
Up for something new? Why not pay a visit to Fronton Michel Ughetto to see Cannes Pelote Basque take on Guéthary in their summer series of Grand Chistera. €10 entry, children under 10 free admission. Doors open 7:30pm. Reserve your place online.
Fréjus seems to be the electronic music capital of the Côte d’Azur this summer! The Zamna Festival, offering an exceptional musical experience, is back for its second edition. From the moment you arrive, you’ll be struck by the spectacular scenery, with each space carefully designed to create a magical atmosphere. Tickets are available online.
Yulianna Avdeeva gives a piano recital featuring selected works of Chopin as part of the ongoing Festival de Musique de Menton. 8pm at Palais de l’Europe Théâtre Francis Palmero. Tickets may be reserved online.
OTHER EVENTS & ATTRACTIONS
Monaco Open Air cinema continues with movies each night of the week.
The Nice Classic Festival is underway 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.
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, running daily at 7pm until 3rd August 2025, the performances are free. Limited seating available. TNN Kiosque on the Promenade du Paillon in Nice.
Throughout the months of July and August, Les Nocturnes Cannoises offer late-night markets where local produce and decorative objects blend harmoniously with the mild summer evenings. These markets take place on Tuesday evenings on Esplanade Pantiero (except Tuesday, August 26), Wednesday evenings at Place du marché de La Bocca and Thursday evenings on Boulevard Jean Hibert.
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 © RIVIERA BUZZ; other images/photos as credited
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