What to Do in September in and around Nice – 2023
Nice Ironman Men’s World Championship Saturday, September 9, 2023 – Free to watch! An ultra-endurance race of insane proportions… but we mere mortals can still watch! The 6:25am start is a 2.4 miles (3.8 km) open water swim, then they bike over mountains for 112 miles (180 km), and if that wasn’t enough, then they run – I’m not kidding – a full marathon of 26.2 miles (42 km) on the Prom. The Promenade des Anglais is closed to traffic all day, so even couch potatoes can take advantage of the unusually silent Prom for a relaxing drink at one of the bars facing the sea.
Rugby World Cup 2023 – Nice is host to 4 group matches at the Stadium Allianz Riviera, September 16/17/20/24! Get tickets and see it live, or watch for free with 3000 of your closest rugby buds on giant screens in the Rugby Village opening September 8 at Place Massena (or in every bar and terrace in town…)
History Weekend Fete du Patrimoine – FREE (plus all museums are free) – third weekend in September, 16 & 17 September 2023
Grande Braderie de Vieux Nice – September 21,22,23 – all the old town shops put their wares on the street to tempt you with their bargain prices!
Fete de Sainte Fleur in Old Nice – FREE – Last weekend of September… The patron saint of florists (of course) is honored with a wandering floral fashion show made with over 6500 blooms, and wandering musicians.
Sunday Orchestra Concerts in the Park – FREE – Every Sunday at 3:30pm the Nice Orchestra d’Harmonie gives a free concert in the gazebo in the Albert 1st gardens. To find it, just walk to the end of the Promenade du Paillon, where the gardens meet the seaside, and it is in the far right corner. Click here for this week’s concert program.
Catch one of the rare Candlight Concerts at the Nice Observatory September 10 and 11, 2023. A one of a kind concert venue in a historic (but still operating) observatory lit only by candles… and at the end the coupola opens up to the stars. Tickets start at 49€ but worth it for the magical ambiance.
Monaco Classic Week classic wooden yacht show – September 13-16, 2023 – Free
Other September Yacht Shows (but not free!) Cannes Yachting Festival September 12-17, and Monaco Super-Yacht Show September 27-30, 2023… it’s 600€ a pop for a day pass, so obviously I’ve never been, but here is a really interesting article on what it’s like behind that velvet rope…
Nice Music Live presents jazz and world music concerts at local venues. Particularly interesting are the concerts at the open-air Theatre de Verdure, and also those at the Black Box, or Stockfish, both of which have easy tramway access.
Flea Markets: September is prime Flea Market season… keep your eyes peeled for banners and posters touting Vide Grenier, which translates to “empty your attic!” In Nice there is usually a big one in the Nice Port once a month or so.
Free Parc Phoenix Weekend 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
Annual Autumn French Wine Sales (Foire aux Vins), when the large French supermarket chains crank out over 25% of their yearly wine business in a few short weeks with deep discounts, bulk buying and margin slashing. The biggest sellers for restocking cellars are bottles in the 5-8€ range, but the deals are deep on all price ranges. Cheers!
See Related Pages:
- Weekly Open-Air Food and Antique Markets – don’t miss the famous Monday Antique Market at Cours Saleya
- What to do on Sundays in Nice – free afternoon orchestra concerts, free museum days, special family-friendly concert matinees at the Opera House, and of course numerous Catholic masses to choose from…
- Nice by Nite – concerts, jazz clubs, salsa and tango venues, pub quiz nights, English-language theater and movie venues…
Photo credit: Rugby World Cup fans by Best of Nice, Nice Ironman photo by Patrice Lapoirie courtesy of the Nice-Matin