Day 2088 (Saturday) 25th February 2023.

The Nice Matin announced yesterday that the end of the carnival in Nice has been brought forward to tonight instead of tomorrow because they are expecting a storm with snow and ice on Sunday. I cannot believe it’s going to snow, it’s not even cold.

We went to Le Phare last night and sat outside, we had coats on but it was definitely warmer. Dee was there and we haven’t seen her for weeks and Alex and Jacquie were also there so we had a good evening.

This morning was quite cloudy but not cold and we were surprised to see the king of the carnival in the bay. They will take him to the Promenade des Anglais later and burn him.

Nice Carnival: Facts and Figures

None of the following photos are mine

Nice Carnival Poster from 1898 [Public Domain]

These facts and figures show how the carnival of Nice is so popular… ranking as one of France’s largest carnivals:

The first mention dates back to 1294

204,000 spectators, including 12% international visitors

Budget for the 2019 edition: 6 million euros

Significant economic benefits from the carnival are estimated to +30 million euros

3 Parades on place Masséna and Jardin Albert 1er: Day Parade, Night Parade and Flower Parade

150 animated pieces, including a few Grosses Têtes (Big Heads)

17 floats, 12m long x 3m wide, up to 17m high

20 tonnes of confetti used during the three parades

400m of fabric used to design the king’s costume

20 tonnes of mimosa, including 4 tonnes distributed by 18 comedians

250,000 flower stems

1,600 artists and 50 national and international groups involved

54 security checkpoints and 250 security agents

 

Where does the Nice Carnival come from?

Nice Carnival in the 1900s [Public Domain]

The Nice Carnival is the most important winter event on the French Riviera and has been run since the Middle Ages.

In Ancient Times, the winter solstice was an occasion for pagan festivals and renewal celebrations.

 

What about the word ‘carnival’?

The word “carnival” derives from the Latin “carnelevare” meaning “to take out the meat”.

The medieval church banished meat from the table during the whole period of Lent, as it did with sugar, ingredients containing fat, eggs and dairy products.

Before the fasting period of Lent (on Ash Wednesday), people had fun running Carnivals as it was their last chance until Easter to eat meat.

The celebration was also a way to chase off the gloom of winter in the hope of spring.

 

The first mention of the Nice Carnival

The first mention of a Carnival festival in Nice dates back to 1294. That year, Charles of Anjou, Count of Provence and King of Sicily, mentioned the ‘Joyful days of the Carnival’ during a stay in the city.

Until the 19th century, the Nice Carnival was a street party without organised parades.

 

The royal visit changed everything!

In 1830 Charles-Felix, King of Sardinia and Duke of Savoy (1765-1831), and Queen Maria Cristina of Naples and Sicily came to Nice at the carnival time.

Charles Felix of Sardinia

Maria Cristina of Naples and Sicily

To mark the royal visit, the city’s local authorities organised the first parade in their honour.

Prominent residents of Nice dressed in elegant costumes paraded on decorated carriages past the palace balcony.

Nice Carnaval in 1916 [Public Domain]

Confetti Battle in Nice circa 1905 [Public Domain]

Confetti Battle in Nice circa 1904 [Public Domain]

Confetti Battle in Nice circa 1905 02 [Public Domain]

The show must go on… without the presence of King!

The first parade was a success and was renewed in the following years in the king’s absence. The people of Nice made themselves of the king of straw and old clothes and placed him on the palace balcony.

In 1882 it was decided that the mock king should participate in the parade by signalling the beginning of the festivities.

Nice Carnival in 1915 [Public Domain]

This explains why the arrival of the royal float with its gigantic character is such an important moment during the Nice Carnival. It is tradition for the king to preside over the carnival on the Place Masséna during the festivities.

The King © H. Lagarde – OTC Nice

On the final night of the carnival, the king’s effigy is put out to sea on a little boat and burned before the traditional fireworks of the Bay of Angels.

Fireworks © J. Kelagopian – OTC Nice

During the 2nd half of the 19th century, the festival attracted the international elite and became a real show with floats and tribunes (introduced in 1873). The Flower Parade was introduced in 1876 as a simple exchange of flowers.

The editions of the Nice Carnival

The Carnival of Nice on Place Masséna © Frederic Santos – OTC Nice

The 150th anniversary of the Nice Carnival takes place from 10 to 26 February 2023.

Every year the king presided over the parade based on a specific theme:

2010: King of the Blue Planet

2011: King of the Mediterranean Sea

2012: King of Sport

2013: King of the Five Continents

2014: King of Gastronomy

2015: King of Music

2016: King of the Media

2017: King of Energy

2018: King of Space

2019: King of Cinema

2020: King of Fashion

2022: King of the Animals

2023: King of the World’s Treasures

The Carnival’s Two Main Parades

Night Parade © I. Issock – OTC Nice

The carnival is a modern, high-quality show with a creative procession of floats made up of two events: the Carnival Parade (Corso Carnavalesque) and the Flower Parade (Bataille de Fleurs).

The Carnival Parade (Corso Carnavalesque)

The Carnival Parade takes place on the Place Masséna and around the Jardin Albert 1er.

The event features two parades:

a Day Parade (Corso Carnavalesque), and

a Night Parade (Corso Carnavalesque Illuminé) on Saturday and Tuesday nights.

Nice Carnival © J.KELAGOPIAN / OTC Nice

The parade works its way up to a crescendo of gigantic celebrations with three leading floats:

the King’s, the Queen’s, and Carnivalon’s, their son… and for the first time in 2020, the child was a girl!

Nice Carnival © J. Kelagopian – OTC Nice

Each of the floats is meticulously designed by the ‘Ymagiers’.

The ‘Carnivaliers’ are the artist-craftsman who create the float with the performance elements. Then artistic coordinators oversee the passage to 3D.

The 17 floats measure 12 m long by 3 m wide and 8 to 17 m high.

The particularity of the parade is to feature “Grosses Têtes” (Big Heads), similar to the traditional carnivals in Flanders.

 

The Flower Parade (Bataille de Fleurs)

The Flower Parade also takes place on Place Masséna. In French, it takes the name “Bataille de Fleurs” (literally “Battle of Flowers”).

The flower-decked floats of the parade are ridden by extravagantly dressed performers who throw out mimosas, gerberas, and lilies to the public.

Bataille de Fleurs / Flower Battle © E. Belin – OTC Nice

The 16 floats of the parade are 7m long by 2m wide and 6m high. Each float includes about 3,000 stems of which 75% is produced in the Nice region. Flower pricking takes 72 hours.

The Carnival Queen

Every year Nice nominates its Carnival Queen to represent the spirit of the Flower Parade.

A float at the Flower Parade in Nice © Zil – licence [CC BY-SA 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons

Carnival of Nice – the Flower Parade © Zil – licence [CC BY-SA 3.0] from Wikimedia 

Flower Parade in Nice © Zil – licence [CC BY-SA 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons

At the Flower Parade in Nice © Zil – licence [CC BY-SA 3.0] from Wikimedia CommonsDid you know? 

The Flower parade inspired Isabel, Princess Imperial of Brazil, for the first flower procession in Rio de Janeiro.

Dos and Don’ts!

There are five entrance points (E on the map)

Nice Carnaval

To avoid lengthy queues, arrive at least one hour before the show starts.

And when possible, bring a minimum of personal belongings (as no lockers are available during the event).

Do remember that no re-entry is permitted.

You can’t access the site with your pet. 

Lastly, I know this makes common sense but remember it’s forbidden to come with:

blades, blunt and pointed objects

weapons, even replica and fake

weapons and ammunition of any category, tear bombs

explosive, flammable or volatile substances (fireworks, firecrackers, Bengal fires)

alcoholic beverages, illicit substances, glass and metal containers (cans, glass bottles), plastic containers with cap

motorbike helmets

tripods

folding seats

metal spray cans, including Carnival silly string sprays …

suitcases, shopping bags and other bags and luggage

rolling objects (rollerblades, scooters, skateboards, bicycles etc.), excluding strollers and wheelchairs.