Happy New Year to one and all! The festive season may be winding down on the Côte d’Azur, but there is still plenty happening around the region
We have an action-packed programme for the next seven days with plenty of activities to help you keep your New Year’s resolutions! Read on for our suggestions for things to do over the coming week.
Whatever your tastes, you’ll definitely find something here to keep you occupied .
Here are our top picks for the weekend and week ahead.
– SATURDAY 3rd JANUARY –
This is Prom’Classic weekend, with the main race taking place tomorrow. In advance of this, there is a breakfast run taking place at 10 am this morning. Meet up 15 minutes beforehand in front of the Expo Village. The Village remains open throughout the day for participants to collect their number bibs and for those interested in the various facets of the world of running. There will also be a yoga session for participants at 3 pm today at Plage des Ponchettes on the quai des États-Unis in Nice.
The Christmas Markets and villages around the region are concluding this weekend, including those in Nice | Cannes | Cannes La Bocca | Monaco | Menton | Antibes/Juan-les-Pins | Fréjus | St Laurent du Var | Vence | Saint Tropez.
Video via Rêves de Cirque on YouTube
After a triumphant run around the world (Asia, South America, Europe), the show « Rêves de cirque » has finally come to France. The story recounts the dream of a little boy who sets off in search of his favorite toys, a touching and thrilling adventure filled with incredible encounters. With its cast of artists from all corners of the globe, its breathtaking staging, and its fabulous sets, « Rêves de cirque » immerses us in a dazzling atmosphere. Taking place at the Grand Chapiteau at M.I.N. d’Azur, there are three performances today at 2:30 pm, 5 pm and 7:30 pm. Tickets may be reserved online.
Courtesy Luminescence
The latest immersive experience, L’Odyssée Céleste, continues in the Basilica of Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption in Nice. This incredible show, designed and executed by Luminiscence, transforms sacred architecture into living narrative through light, sound, and technology. There are two shows per night on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays only. Tickets start from €19 and may be reserved online (reduced rates also available).
Courtesy Gare Croisette
Our friends in Gare Croisette in Cannes have another busy weekend lined up to start off the New Year on the right note. Today we have Marché des plantes (plant market) running from 11 am to 7 pm today. From 2 – 7 pm, there is a video game tournament hosted by Le Hive. There is a free samba class running from 6:30 pm to 8 pm (you do need to sign up for this), followed by a samba dance show at 8:30 pm. The evening is rounded off (10 pm to 4 am) with Do Brasil, another Soirée Twelty.
Video via MonacoInfo on YouTube
Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo presents the penultimate performance of ‘Ma Bayadère‘ by Jean-Christophe Maillot. Taking place at the Salle des Princes in the Grimaldi Forum at 7:30 pm. Tickets may be reserved online but be warned, very limited places left.
Courtesy Ville de Cannes on Instagram
Come celebrate the New Year with the Orchestre National de Cannes with Cannes Latino! Benjamin Levy invites us to embark on this journey, a whirlwind of rhythms and colours inspired by Latin American dances. From George Gershwin’s Cuban Overture to the syncopated bursts of Leonard Bernstein’s Mambo, each piece celebrates the energy of movement and the richness of popular traditions. The concert takes place at 7:30 pm at the Théâre Debussy in the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès. Tickets cost from €41 to €57 (reduced rates available) and may be reserved online.
– SUNDAY 4th JANUARY –
Courtesy Ville de Menton
How does a New Year plunge sound to start off your Sunday? Get yourself along to Plage des Sablettes, voûte n°1 in Menton at 11am for the annual Bain du Nouvel An. Registration opens on-site from 9:30am. Further information is available by calling the Services des Sports on +33 (0)4 92 10 50 47
Courtesy Azur Sport Organisation / PromClassic on Instagram
The 26th edition of the Prom’Classic, organised by Azur Sport Organisation, takes place in Nice today. With over 13,000 participants, this is guaranteed to be another memorable edition, run on the stunning Promenade des Anglais.
« Rêves de cirque » continues at the Grand Chapiteau at M.I.N. d’Azur, with a further three performances today at 10:45 am, 2 pm and 4:30 pm. Tickets may be reserved online.
The Marché des plantes (plant market) continues at Gare Croisette today, running from 11 am to 6 pm. Why not bring home a little greenery and start off the year right?!
Courtesy Hippodrome de la Côte d’Azur
The Hippodrome de la Côte d’Azur hosts the Grande Journée de l’Obstacle from 11:30 am today with seven steeplechase races on the programme. There are also two major events: the Grand Prix de la Ville de Nice – Grand Steeple-Chase and the Grande Course de Haies de Cagnes-sur-Mer, two unmissable events for enthusiasts.There will also be entertainment for the whole family with competitions, puppet shows and ventriloquism, children’s play area, quad bike track and much more! Admission is €5 per person with reduced rates available – tickets available online. Persons with reduced mobility and under 18s get in for free. There is also food and drink available on site. Book your restaurant places online.
Photo © Alice Blangero
The final performance of ‘Ma Bayadère‘ by Jean-Christophe Maillot featuring Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo takes place at 3 pm at the Salle des Princes in the Grimaldi Forum. Tickets are no longer available online but you may contact either the Atrium box office at the Monte-Carlo Casino on +377 92 00 13 70 (Tuesday to Saturday, 10:00 am to 5:30 pm) or the Grimaldi Forum on +377 99 99 30 00 (Tuesday to Saturday, 12 pm to 7 pm)
Courtesy Le Cannet Côte d’Azur
Le Cannet hosts an Epiphany Concert at 4 pm today in Église Sainte-Philomène. Featuring the vocal ensemble “The 3 Voices” (Laurie Jauffret, Mickaël Guedj and Gilles San Juan). Free admission, places subject to availability
Video via Palais des Festivals et des Congrès Cannes on YouTube
Le Palais des Festivals de Cannes and the association Chère Ukraine invite you to an unforgettable evening, bringing together stars from the world’s greatest ballet companies in Paris, Berlin, London, New York, Miami, and Kyiv, to perform duets from masterpieces of the classical repertoire. The performance takes place at 6 pm in the Grand Auditorium Louis Lumière in the Palais des Festivals and lasts two hours. Tickets cost from €47 to €65 and may be reserved online. Part of the evening’s proceeds will be donated to support the children of Ukraine, continuing the charitable commitment of both the Palais des Festivals and Ville de Cannes. Further details on programme available on the Cannes website.
– MONDAY 5th JANUARY-
Courtesy Antiquites Brocante Cannes
At the heart of the legendary Marché Forville in Cannes, the Monday flea market is a veritable treasure trove for passionate bargain hunters and those curious about great finds. Here you can find everything from tableware, luxury and vintage secondhand goods, to contemporary art and vintage vinyl. Whether you’re a collector, art lover, vintage fan, or simply strolling through Cannes, don’t miss this authentic event every Monday at the foot of Le Suquet!
More racing action from the Hippodrome de la Côte d’Azur today with eight (trot) races on the programme. Admission is €5 per person with reduced rates available – tickets available online. Persons with reduced mobility and under 18s get in for free. There is also food and drink available on site. Book your restaurant places online.
– TUESDAY 6th JANUARY –
Courtesy Hippodrome de la Côte d’Azur
The Hippodrome de la Côte d’Azur presents a programme of seven jump races from 10:50 am. Admission is €5 per person with reduced rates available – tickets available online. Persons with reduced mobility and under 18s get in for free. There is also food and drink available on site. Book your restaurant places online.
Courtesy Ville de Villefranche-sur-Mer
The first UVIA conference of 2026 in the Mardis de la Citdelle series will take place this evening at 5 pm at the Auditorium de la Citadelle in Villefranche-sur-Mer. The topic this evening is “L’Opéra Garnier, joyau du Patrimoine Français”, presented by Y. Gastaut, Senior Lecturer in Contemporary History. Admission is €7 (€5 for members). Please note that the lecture will be in French.
– WEDNESDAY 7th JANUARY –
Courtesy Mairie de Monaco
The Mairie de Monaco invites you to the Marché de la Condamine for a festive evening, “A se revëde,” before the temporary closure of the market hall. There will be a DJ, a dance floor, and dinner will provide the soundtrack to this convivial evening, open to everyone, in the warm and welcoming spirit of the market. Free entry – drinks available for purchase. 6:30 pm to 10:30 pm
Courtesy Médiathèque Caroline
The Médiathèque Caroline in Monaco hosts a lecture at 6:30 pm tonight entitled “De l’hôtel particulier au grand-hôtel, du palazzo au palace : les origines de l’hôtellerie de luxe sur la Riviera, 1787-1870″ (From the Private Mansion to the Grand Hotel, from the Palazzo to the Palace – The Origins of Luxury Hotels on the Riviera, 1787-1870 – lecture will be in French). You will be taken on a journey through time, to a pivotal era when habits were changing, the taste for leisure travel was developing, and the railway revolution and the emergence of major European events led to a surge in the number of travelers, thus transforming the world of the inn into that of the modern hotel. The lecture will be given by Alain Bottaro, Head of the Heritage Collection at the Médiathèque. Free admission, further information available by calling + 377 93 15 29 40
Courtesy Micro-Folie Département 06
Opéra Nice Côte d’Azur présents Un autre point d’ouïe, a concert run in conjuncton with the current Ludwig Van exhibition. Following the performance, a discussion will be held with the cast and crew and the musicians of the Nice Philharmonic Orchestra. Concert stars at 7 pm and tickets may be reserved online.
– THURSDAY 8th JANUARY –
Courtesy Mairie de Monaco
If you are in Monaco, why not take some time and check out the Petit Marché du Larvotto, which takes place every Thursday from 8 am to 1 pm. Located on the Esplanade Joséphine Baker, near the Lartigue Fountain. A weekly event to complement the municipal markets, delighting foodies and fresh produce lovers.
More racing action from the Hippodrome de la Côte d’Azur today with eight (trot) races on the programme. Admission is €5 per person with reduced rates available – tickets available online. Persons with reduced mobility and under 18s get in for free. There is also food and drink available on site. Book your restaurant places online.
Courtesy Sporty&Dance on Instagram
SPORTY & DANCE takes over STUDIO 22 Yoga & Pilates Studio in Cannes for an extraordinary opening night, blending sport, music, and good vibes. A unique concept where the rhythm of the body meets the rhythm of sound. You can sign up for the pilates or just come along for a drink. From 6 – 10:30 pm. Live DJ set throughout the evening in the studio. Further details available from Sporty&Dance on Instagram.
Image via RIVIERA BUZZ
The first Opéra Nice Côte d’Azur Afterwork of the New Year takes place at 6 pm in the Foyer Monserrat Caballe of the opera house. Entitled C.A.L.M. #1, tickets cost from €10 to €20 and may be reserved online.
The Nutcracker (Casse-Noisette) by Tchaikovsky will be performed by students of the Conservatoire de Nice at 6:30 pm this evening in the Auditorium du Conservatoire. This version will be orchestrated for narrator and double-reed instruments with the oboe, English horn, and bassoon taking centre stage. Heidi Braesch and Stéphanie Chomette – oboe, English horn; José Castillo, bassoon; narrator, a student from the Drama Department. A musical moment to share with the family, specially designed for young children. Free admission.
Video via Malt Liquor on YouTube
The Grimaldi Forum Monaco presents another Thursday Live Session with French band, Malt Liquor, at the Espace Indigo. This quartet, originally from Nice, bring a style of alternative pop-rock like you rarely see. Proceedings start at 6:30 pm with an apéromix, followed by the live show at 8:30 pm. Free admission but you need to reserve your table in advance by calling +377 9999 3000.
Courtesy Gare Croisette
Another busy weekendf ahead for the guys at Gare Croisette – full dteails of tonight’s proceedings on the poster above! Enjoy!
– FRIDAY 9th JANUARY –
Courtesy Galeries des Dominicains
Starting today and running throughout the weekend at the Galeries des Dominicains in Nice,an exhibition of Byzantine iconography. is on display This is your chance to show your support for sick children in Hôpital Lenval in Nice by purchasing one of these icons. For them, it’s a smile. For you, a light. From 10 am to 6 pm today.
Courtesy Rêves de cirque on Instagram
« Rêves de cirque » continues at the Grand Chapiteau at M.I.N. d’Azur, with a further performance tonight at 7:30 pm. Tickets may be reserved online.
Courtesy Gare Croisette
The fun continues at Gare Croisette in Cannes tonight until the wee hours, as they say! Get your groove on!
– OTHER EVENTS & ATTRACTIONS –
Courtesy Nice Jazz Festival / Ville de Nice
The 2026 Nice Jazz Festival may be seven months away (23 – 26 July, 2026) but intial ticket sales are now open. Early bird passes costing €120 are available online now but not for much longer!
Courtesy Ville de Nice
The Carnaval de Nice takes place from 11th February to 1st March, 2026. Ticket sales are now open so be sure to reserve your places asap! Et, vive la Reine!
Courtesy Les Plages Électroniques
Tickets sales are also open for the 20th anniversary edition of Les Plages Électroniques, taking place in Cannes in August next year. You can purchase your festival passes now.
Courtesy Grimaldi Forum Monaco
The anual summer exhibitions at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco are always something to look forward to. Next summerm we will be treated to a major exhibition retracing over a century of passion for motoring in the Principality. Running from July 1st to September 6th, 2026, advance ticket sales are now open.
There is plenty going on in the world of theatre around the region. The Anthéa in Antibes has an amazing programme of shows and performances lined up for the 2025/’26 season. The Théâtre National de Nice also has an impressive line-up for the season as does the Théâtre de la Cité in Nice who have a very busy programme.
Courtesy Ville de Cannes
There are also plenty of excellent exhibitions going on throughout the region, with a number finishing up in the coming days.
Have a great week, wherever you find yourself!
PHOTO CREDITS
- Lead image © RIVIERA BUZZ
- All other images/photos as credited
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