In this guide
💡 The Short Version: The Village de Noël runs Friday 27 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027 in the Jardin Albert 1er and on Place Masséna. It has more than 60 chalets and free entry. The City has not published the 2026 opening hours, and its Noël à Nice page lists the illuminations, a big wheel and food markets with it. The Matisse, Chagall, Lascaris, Photography and Archaeology museums are closed on 25 December and 1 January, and the Chagall museum is free on Sunday 6 December and Sunday 3 January. December averages 14.1°C by day with 90 mm of rain. Prices are in euros. Or book a tour: the Old Town and Castle Hill walking tourad is from €26 and the one-hour sightseeing cruisead from €30 (GetYourGuide).
⚠️ 25 December and 1 January. The Matisse, Chagall, Lascaris, Photography and Archaeology museums are shut on both days, and the Chagall museum closes at 16:00 on 24 and 31 December.
The village
| What | When | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Village de Noël | Friday 27 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027 | Jardin Albert 1er and Place Masséna |
| Entry | Free | |
| Opening hours | Not published | See the City’s Noël à Nice page |
The tourist office’s event page lists more than 60 chalets with Christmas products, mulled wine, Christmas beers, cold meats and cheeses, an oyster bar, a champagne bar, socca and waffles. The City’s umbrella page for the season lists the illuminations, the village, a big wheel and food markets. Tram line 1 stops at Masséna: Nice public transport has the fares.
The big wheel and the Christmas tree on Place Masséna at night. Photo: Jesmar, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Closed days over Christmas
| Sight | 24 December | 25 December | 31 December | 1 January |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matisse museum | Open | Closed | Open | Closed |
| Chagall museum | Closes at 16:00 | Closed | Closes at 16:00 | Closed |
| Palais Lascaris | Open | Closed | Open | Closed |
| Photography museum | Open | Closed | Open | Closed |
| Archaeology museum, Cimiez | Open | Closed | Open | Closed |
24 and 31 December 2026 are Thursdays, and 25 December and 1 January are Fridays. The Café Chagall in the museum garden is also closed on 25 December and 1 January. The Chagall museum is free for everyone on the first Sunday of the month: 6 December 2026 and 3 January 2027. What to book in Nice has the hours and closed days of every sight, and Nice’s museums the prices.
December in Nice
Météo-France’s normals for Nice airport, 1991 to 2020, give December a mean daily maximum of 14.1°C and a minimum of 6.6°C, with 90 mm of rain on 6 days and 145 hours of sun. The shortest day, 21 December, has about 8 hours 55 minutes of daylight, with sunrise at about 08:01 and sunset at about 16:56. The sea averages about 15°C in December, from NOAA satellite data. Castle Hill closes at 18:00 from November. The best time to visit Nice has every month.
New Year’s Eve
The City has not published a programme for 31 December 2026. The prefecture issues orders on alcohol and fireworks each year, so check them for the night. The Chagall museum closes at 16:00 on 31 December. Where to eat in Nice lists the restaurants and the days they close, and where to stay in Nice compares the areas.
Eating and staying
Socca stands on the Cours Saleya sell hot slices from Tuesday to Sunday mornings: best socca in Nice. The village’s own chalets sell oysters, champagne, cheeses and waffles. For a bed beside the village, see hotels near the Promenade des Anglais.
Next
Nice Carnival 2027 covers the February festival, and 3 days in Nice fits the sights round the closed days. The Monaco Grand Prix 2027 and what to book before you go to Nice have the rest of the year’s dates.
To set Nice’s Christmas against the other cities we cover, with each city’s dates, hours and the thing that decides a visit, see Christmas market cities compared.
Common questions
When is the Christmas market in Nice in 2026?
The Village de Noël runs from Friday 27 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027.
Where is the Christmas market in Nice?
In the Jardin Albert 1er and on Place Masséna, in the centre of the city. Tram line 1 stops at Masséna.
Is the Nice Christmas market free?
Yes. The tourist office lists free access to the village, which has more than 60 chalets.
What is sold at the Nice Christmas village?
The tourist office lists Christmas products, mulled wine, Christmas beers, cold meats and cheeses, an oyster bar, a champagne bar, socca and waffles.
What are the opening hours of the Nice Christmas village in 2026?
The City has not published them. The programme, with the village's days and hours, is on the City's Noël à Nice page.
What is closed in Nice on 25 December and 1 January?
The Matisse museum, the Chagall museum, the Palais Lascaris, the Photography museum and the Archaeology museum are closed on both days. The Chagall museum also closes at 16:00 on 24 and 31 December.
