NICE CARNIVAL. The historic carnival kicked off its 150th edition on the theme of “King of the Treasures of the World”. Rates, program, disguise, all practical information.
[Mis à jour le 17 février 2023 à 11h01] The Nice Carnival celebrates its 150e edition until Sunday February 26, 2023 on the theme of “King of the treasures of the world”. During this annual event, 5 illuminated carnival parades with 16 floats, five flower battles, and nearly a thousand artists put on a show in front of nearly 100,000 spectators. “Let Nice be this place for all the meetings of the universality of the most beautiful heritages of the world”, announced the mayor of the city Christian Estrosi.
During the Carnival of Nice, the city is transformed, the King, the Queen and their subjects put on their most beautiful costumes to parade. Nearly 150 pieces including some traditional big heads parade on floats. After François Hollande, Nicolas Sarkozy, Jacques Chirac, Ségolène Royal or Manuel Valls, the bosses of GAFAM are also entitled to their big heads.
The Nice Carnival has several highlights, starting with the arrival of the king who collects the keys to the city on the Place Massena. This arrival marks the beginning of the festivities. Another highlight is of course the carnival corso with its parade of floats, emblems of the event, which punctuate the days and evenings. Another moment not to be missed is of course the famous Battle of Flowers during which participants can send flowers to each other in a joyful battle. At the same time, about twenty groups of artists, musicians, professionals or amateurs, impose rhythm and colors on each Corso Carnivale and Bataille de Fleurs. Finally, the election of the Queen of the Carnival of Nice is done among the mannequins of the Battle of Flowers.
The carnival offers two distinct events: the Carnival Paradeday and night, and the flower fight, another side of Carnival, more poetic. The course of these two events takes place in the totally secure enclosure of the Paillon walk (place Masséna, boulevard Jean Jaurès, avenue Félix Faure and crosses Flandres-Dunkerque) and the stands are located on the Place Masséna and all along Avenue de Verdun, another novelty this year. “A more family and quiet atmosphere than in the stands at Place Masséna, but just as festive!”, announces the mayor of Nice.
- During the Carnival Paradeallegorical and burlesque floats 12 meters long by 3 meters wide, and 8 to 17 meters high invest the Place Massena for 90 minutes, accompanied by international music groups and street art. The 3 leading chariots are the King, the Queen and the Carnival, their son. During the day, the carnival corso takes place at 2:30 p.m.. The illuminated carnival parades now start at 8 p.m. for a period of 90 minutes.
- During the flower battle, a procession of 16 floats, each carrying 3,000 stems of flowers and a total of 20 tons of mimosas, is surrounded by pretty women who throw the flowers towards the public on Place Masséna. Flower battles usually take place on Wednesday and Saturday.
Each year, the Nice Carnival takes place for two weeks, and includes three full weekends in February. Some years, the festivities can nevertheless continue on the first days of March. The Nice Carnival takes place from Friday 10 to Sunday 26 February 2023. Each year, the carnival has a title which determines the imposed theme. The title of the Nice carnival for the year 2023 is the King of the Treasures of the World.
- flower battle : 28 euros (seats zone A) / 14 euros (zone B)
- 150th Anniversary Grand Corso : 32 euros (seats zone A) / 17 euros (pedestrian zone zone A) / 10 euros (pedestrian zone zone B or C)
- Illuminated carnival parade : 28 euros (seats zone A) / 14 euros (pedestrian zone zone A) / 7 euros (pedestrian zone zone B or C)
- Package for two shows (except Saturday) : €45 in the grandstand per adult (Illuminated Carnival Corso + Battle of Flowers).
- For kidsI’access to the Battle of Flowers is organized as follows: from 0 to 5 years old, free in the promenade (zone B) and in the grandstand on the parents’ knees; from 6 to 12 years old, €10 in the grandstand, €5 in the Promenoir (zone B)
- For kids, I’access to Corso Carnavalesque and Corso Illuminé is organized as follows: from 0 to 5 years old, free in the promenade (zone A) and in the grandstand on the parents’ knees; from 6 to 12 years old, €10 in the grandstand, €5 in pedestrian zone A and from 0 to 10 years old, free in the promenade (zone C).
- For people in disguise At Carnival Corso and illuminated Carnival Corso : free in pedestrian zones A, B or C.
- For the disabledI’access to the Battle of Flowers, the Corso Carnavalesque and the illuminated Corso Carnavalesque is organized as follows: €11 in the grandstand and free in the walkways (zones A, B and C)
Each year, the Nice carnival is organized around an imposed theme. The theme of the 2023 carnival is the King of the Treasures of the World, and the costumes must therefore correspond to the imposed theme. Confusing costumes (religious, military or offensive) are prohibited. People in full disguise will be able to enter the Carnival Corso and the illuminated Carnival Corso in the walkways free of charge.
The costumes for the parades are created in an ephemeral workshop dedicated to the Carnival by costume designers from the entertainment world who juggle with original fabrics and materials, giving free rein to the imagination. It is of course possible to access the carnival as a simple participant, by even making your own carnival costume. Many disguises in animals, fruits, vegetables, plants are observed each year during the carnival of Nice. Extravagance and aesthetic beauty remain the hallmarks of revelers.
The Carnival of Nice attracts nearly 200,000 people and to protect this major event, “one of the most beautiful banners of tourism” according to the prefect, the city of Nice mobilizes many private agents, municipal police officers, gendarmes and a fifty CCTV cameras since the attack that hit the Promenade des Anglais. The route of the famous parade around Place Masséna is now completely cordoned off and all floats are subject to recurring mine clearance tests. Finally, theacknowledgment of an entry ticket is mandatory to pass the checkpoints 36 security gates.
For security reasons, blunt, sharp or pointed objects, even dummy weapons, fireworks, firecrackers, sparklers, glass or metal containers (cans, glass bottles and all metal bombs , sprays, including Carnival serpentine wire bombs), suitcases, shopping bags and other bags and luggage, as well as motorcycle helmets, are prohibited.
As the Venice Carnival, that of Nice has a long history since it already existed at the end of the 13th century. Having become a veritable popular festival in the 14th and 15th centuries, the Nice carnival took the form of grand balls and parades in the old town. While in 1871, the episode of the Commune worried the aristocracy and the big bourgeoisie, almost everywhere in France, the city of Nice tried to carry out a promotional campaign in order to bring wealthy visitors to it. It was then that was created in 1873 a festival committee which took charge of the organization of the carnival of Nice to make it a real spectacle. Very quickly, the symbol of the carnival becomes Sa Majesté Carnaval, a giant puppet. Three years later, in 1876, the Batailles de Fleurs were created by Andriot Saëtone on the Promenade des Anglais. Originally simple exchanges of flowers, they have become the poetic and elegant side of Carnival. As for Her Majesty Carnival, each year she becomes the master of the city during the two weeks of winter festivities, making this event one of the most famous carnivals in the world with that of Venice and Rio.
- To come to the Nice Carnival, it is advisable to leave your car in a Parcazur car park and take the tram to get to the city center. More informations.
- Follow the Nice Carnival live on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube Or instagram.