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Category Archives: Festivals
New Saleya Live Free Concert Series Starts Tonight
Ever since the local farmers were forced to move their produce stands, we’ve all been wondering what the Mayor’s office had in mind for Place Pierre Gautier, the newly refurbished off-shoot from Cours Saleya in Old Nice… And now we … Continue reading
Posted in Festivals
2 Comments
Don’t Miss C’est pas Classique!
When you think of classical music, do you think snobby, stuffy, and snooze inducing…? Then the C’est pas Classique music festival in Nice is for you! This free annual festival pulls classical music down off its high horse, and … Continue reading
Posted in Festivals
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History Comes Alive in Weekend du Patrimoine
A fabulous French tradition, the annual Weekend de la Patrimoine (Heritage) being held this weekend, Sept 17 and 18, is an opportunity to see inside normally-closed sites, go behind the scenes, and take a multitude of tours (in French)… all for … Continue reading
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Nice’s Best Fest in the Port this Saturday
UPDATE: Our favorite from the Chef’s Village: Diamant Noir with their foie gras ravioli with a truffle cream sauce… yum! In just 8 years the Festin dou Pouort (Port Fest in Nicois) has evolved from a very strange affair to become one … Continue reading
Free Summer Concert Series
An eclectic program of high-quality concerts presented in picturesque settings in charming villages.. and free: what’s not to love? Every year the Conseil General’s ‘Summer Nights’ series fills the Cote d’Azur with free music and gives us an excuse to visit the wonderful little … Continue reading
Posted in Bargain Hunting, Festivals, Fun Stuff to Do
Tagged Bargains in Nice, Deals in Nice, Festivals in Nice, Free in Nice, Things to do in Nice France
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Jazz Fest Discoveries
Thanks to the plethora of Riviera summer jazz fests, every year I make some amazing new musical discovery (…new to me, at least!) It was last year’s Nice Jazz Festival that introduced me to Rodrigo y Gabriela’s fabulous jazz flamenco, and where in 2009 I discovered Jake Shimabukuro’s jazz ukulele (who … Continue reading
A Weekend with Something for Everyone
UPDATE: for a great photo reportage of last night’s Prom Party, click here… next Prom Party: Friday July 22… Tonight the weekend starts with a bang (literally) with Nice’s 14 Juillet fireworks extravaganza on the Promenade des Anglais; and in Cannes at the International Art of Fireworks Competition, where … Continue reading
New Nice Jazz Fest Venue and Nuits du Sud
UPDATE: Check out French Riviera Travel News for a review of the Nice Jazz Festival’s new location and programming, …plus Best of Nice Blog’s take in the comments section… And another good review in the Riviera Times. The Nice Jazz Festival opened in … Continue reading
Nice Jazz Fest kicks ‘OFF’
How can you experience the Nice Jazz Festival for free? Come to the free Off concerts offered all over town! Tonight, just off Cours Saleya, there is a free jazz concert with with Jilly Jackson, followed by a special cinema-under-the-stars screening of … Continue reading
Fete de la Chateau this Weekend
The Fete de la Chateau is the one weekend a year when you can experience the majestic Chateau at night (although admittedly looking a little less than majestic as it’s filled with hippies and sausage stands…!). Not only do you get to dance on this … Continue reading
Fete de la Musique!
The longest day of the year: the summer solstice, and the Fete de la Musique. What started in 1982 as an initiative of Jack Lang, the Ministre de la Culture at the time (who, by the way, was also responsible for snatching the wrecking ball … Continue reading
Last Few Days for Jazz Fest Discounts
Updated below… July is the month of amazing jazz festivals, which is great on the ears …but hard on the wallet. To combat the ticket-sticker-shock, some are offering discounted passes, and others have earlybird ticket prices… which expire in just a few days, at the … Continue reading
Posted in Bargain Hunting, Festivals, Monaco
Tagged Deals in Nice, Festivals in Nice, Jazz a Juan, Nice Jazz Festival
2 Comments
Museums by Night
Saturday night is the annual Nuit Européenne des Musees; the one time each year when the museums party under the moonlight, welcoming their noctambule guests with music, surprises, guided tours and free admission. Starting at 6pm and going to at least 11pm, you can bounce … Continue reading
Posted in Festivals, Fun Stuff to Do
Tagged Bargains in Nice, Free in Nice, Museums in Nice France
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Cannes Film Festival: How to See Films Without a Badge
The films for the Cannes Film Festival were just announced and, to quote Vanity Fair, it looks like an all-out, art-house glamour year. But if you’re not an industry insider and can’t get a badge, who cares? Au contraire mon … Continue reading
Posted in Bargain Hunting, Cannes Film Festival, Festivals
Tagged Cannes, Cannes France, Free in Nice
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Sneak Peek for Summer Jazz Fest Programs
Update: for 2012 edition, click here The Nice Jazz Festival is undergoing a painful facelift: after 35 years it’s been yanked from its charming but problematic home in Cimiez and is being transformed to fit a sprawling new in-town venue. The organizing … Continue reading
UK Rock and Roll Film Festival at Mercury
Catch cult classics ‘This is Spinal Tap’ and ‘Trainspotting’ tonight as part of the Film Festival component of the UK Music Festival happening this month in Nice. The film series features Brit-rock themed films in VO, from Spinal Tap to John Lennon, and runs through … Continue reading
Posted in Festivals, Fun Stuff to Do
Tagged English Language Movie Theaters in Nice France, Festivals in Nice
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The Bataille de Fleurs
The Nice Carnival’s Bataille des Fleurs is a completely different animal from the regular Carnival Corso parades: It has its own floats (covered in flowers), a separate route along the seaside, a completely different ambience of elegance and aesthetics, and whereas it … Continue reading
Posted in Carnival, Festivals, Fun Stuff to Do
Tagged Nice Carnaval, Nice Carnival, Nice Mayor Christian Estrosi
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Nice’s ‘Other’ Carnival
Carnaval Populaire You know about the ‘official’ Carnival, but do you know about the unofficial one, the rough-and-tumble Carnaval Populaire? It started in 1990 in reaction to the city-sponsored festivities, which were perceived by locals as a hollow tourism marketing ploy. In … Continue reading
How to Become a Carnival Convert
photo: www.telegraph.co.uk This weekend marks the start of Carnival, a festival most locals completely avoid: too expensive, touristy, commercialised, and boring. Au contraire! Every year I drag some nay-sayer into the melee and they emerge converted: Carnival is surprisingly irreverent, impressive, fun, … Continue reading
Posted in Carnival, Festivals, Fun Stuff to Do
Tagged Free in Nice, Nice Carnaval, Nice Carnival
1 Comment
Pain, Amour, Chocolat
It’s the perfect way to prep for Valentine’s Day: a festival devoted to love and chocolate. By the way, the ‘pain’ in the title refers to bread, not the pain of love… although maybe the latter would be more apropos. In its 5th year, the Pain-Amour-Chocolat festival offers tastings, … Continue reading