What to Do in March in and around Nice – 2025
Nice Carnaval Parade of Lights Saturday March 1, and then the Burning of the King Sunday March 2, 2025 –FREE – right after the final night parade. Join the troupes of Big Heads, dancers, local groups and musicians, who head to the beach at Opera Plage where the King float awaits them… to be dramatically set on fire at 10:45pm, followed by fireworks!
Paris-Nice Bike Race March 15-16, 2025 – Free. Missed the Tour de France? Catch the finish of the Paris-Nice! Covering over 1000 kilometers over 7 punishing days, the Paris-Nice bike race roars into Nice for its spectacular final day and dramatic finish. There is a free village off Place Massena from March 8-16 with food, fun, expos, demos, and more.
Mars aux Musees All Museums in Nice are free March 1-31, 2025 for students and those under 26, with lots of special activities, conferences, soirees and tours.
Stand up Comedy in English – Every Sunday– The Bobar Comedy Club in Old Nice does weekly stand-up comedy shows in English ‘Spill the Tea’, at 5:15pm and cover charge is just 8€ or 5€ students. 27 rue Benoit Bunico, tram stop Cathedrale.
Old Nice Spring Sidewalk Sale – first weekend in March. Over 300 boutiques pull their wares out on the streets of the Old Town, for a week-long ‘braderie‘ bargain-fest.
Gourd Festival – Free – March 30, 2025 in the Cimiez Gardens. Nice has a long history with gourds, and at its origin this festival used to include gourd battles where squabbling couples were invited to have it out once and for all (as depicted on this 500-year-old fresque found in Old Nice). Now days its more folkloric, and a fun way to spend an afternoon.
Saint Patrick’s Day in Old Nice, Monday, March 17, 2025 A plethora of Irish Pubs await you in the old town, for the wildest pub crawl night of the year! See if you can hit them all!
Spring Movie Madness! From March 23-25, 2025 all seats at all cinemas are just 5€! It’s called Printemps du Cinema (Springtime at the Movies) and is a France-wide cinema celebration. Here is a list of local cinemas featuring movies in English.
Here’s another surprising event: a multi-artist exhibition in an extraordinary abandoned villa! I can’t decide which is more captivating, the art or the elegantly decaying ruins of the once stately Villa Cameline. It’s not a squat: the owner gives a free hand to chosen artists every spring, with this year’s dates from March 15 to April 12, 2025. Open Wednesdays and Saturdays only from 3pm-6:30pm. Free! 43 ave Monplaisir, tram stop Borriglione, then from the tram stop a 6 minute walk along Ave Romain Rolland that curves into ave Monplaisir up the hill. Worth the effort!
Afterwork Jazz Concert at ‘secret bar’ Cave Bianchi – March 27 and 28, 2025, 7-8pm, Part of the Nice Opera’s Afterwork series, this 1-hour swing concert is held in a historic ‘secret bar’ that is rarely open to the public. The 20€ ticket covers your first drink, but honestly this surprising venue is so cool you won’t want to miss it. 7 rue Raoul Bosio, tram stop Opera.
Sunday Orchestra Concerts – FREE – Every Sunday at 3:30pm the Nice Orchestra d’Harmonie gives a free concert in the either the Church in the Port (tram stop Port) or the Basilica Notre Dame (tram stop Jean Medecin). Click here for this week’s concert program.
Candlelight Concerts What could be more romantic that a concert lit by a sea of candles? With classical takes on varying themes, the concerts are held at various venues around town according to the seasons.
Classical Concerts in Nice – There is a whole slate of at least 10 classical concerts every month by different Baroque and Classical ensembles performing in Nice’s fabulous Baroque Churches.
The Nice Opera has all kinds of events going on every week: Here is this month’s schedule
- Insider Tip: The Nice Opera ticket office has a last-minute ticket line, where one hour before the performance, unsold tickets drop to half-price …and for students and under-30s tickets are just 5€!
Jazz/Blues/Rock Concerts in Nice Besides nightly concerts at local jazz clubs and rock bars, there is also a robust monthly concert schedule with Nice Music Live; the concerts at Theatre de Verdure, Black Box, and Stockfish, all have easy tramway access.
Go to the Snow: Take the bargain snow-bus for just 14€ round trip and in just 90-minutes, you can be up in the mountains for an easy day-trip with the feel of a mini-vacation. Here is a recent ranking of the best ski resorts and why, but know that Valberg is worth the day trip even if you don’t ski: you can still play in the snow, warm up with raclette for lunch, soak up the alpine ambiance, hike or snowshoe the Planetary Trail in the afternoon (a multimedia GPS guide is available at the tourist office), and sip hot spiced wine in a warm chalet before napping on the bus ride back.
How to get there on the Ski Buses: Besides the Valberg ski bus, there are three other Ski Express Buses to three different ski resorts, Isola 2000, La Colmiane and Auron… so really you can shuss in a different ski resort every weekend of the month and your transpo costs are only 7€ each way!
Ice Skating: Nice has a full-sized indoor ice skating rink with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the rooftops, and it’s just 7€ including skate rental. Easy access: the Patinoire Jean Bouin is right across from the Palais des Expositions tram stop. And since Nice will be hosting the ice skating events for the 2030 Winter Olympics, this might be just the time to go ice skating in Nice!
Free Parc Phoenix Weekend March 1&2, 2025 for local residents – Free – The first full weekend of each month Parc Phoenix nature park/arboretum is free to local residents (but you need to bring proof: a recent phone or electric bill, or tax notice). Right after lunch is the busiest time with a line to get in so mornings or late afternoons are best. Tram stop Parc Phoenix
See Related Pages:
- Weekly Open-Air Markets – don’t miss the famous Monday Antique Market at Cours Saleya, and great shopping for Italian wares at the sprawling Friday Market in Ventimiglia, even in Winter!
- What to do on Sundays in Nice
- Nice by Nite – concerts, jazz clubs, salsa and tango venues, pub quiz nights, English-language theater and movie venues…
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