April 17, 2025It is wonderful to live and work here on the Côte d’Azur! As locals, we’re often asked by future holiday guests what there is to do here in the early season.
With May and June just around the corner, we’ve put together a brief selection of events, music festivals, and cultural highlights worth exploring.
We’ll be attending as many as we can—and who knows, we might bump into you at one of them!
May 2025
- Festival Cross-Over – Act I (2–4 May): A festival that takes place in Nice and Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, with a mix of musical genres in iconic locations.
- Riviera Electro Festival (REF) (9–11 May): This electronic music festival takes place in Nice, with performances by various artists.
- Les Musicales dans les vignes – May to Sept 2025: Celebrating the nobility of wine and music with jazz and classical concerts at the prestigious wine estates of Provence is the aim of this unique festival.
- Expo Rose Festival – Grasse (8–11 May): A festival in honour of roses, with flower markets and cultural activities in Grasse.
- Cannes International Film Festival (13–24 May): One of the most prestigious film festivals in the world, held in Cannes.
- Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix (22–25 May): An iconic car race through the streets of Monte-Carlo.
June 2025
- Festival des Nuits Carrées (12–14 June): A music festival in Antibes that presents both up-and-coming and established artists in an intimate setting.
- La Crème Festival (dates in June): A pop and electro festival in Villefranche-sur-Mer, held in the Citadel of Saint-Elme, overlooking the sea.
- Les Voiles d’Antibes (4–8 June): A sailing event in Antibes in honour of classic yachts.
- Fête de la Musique (21 June): A music festival with free performances at various locations throughout the region, including the Parc de Robinson in Mandelieu-la-Napoule. Celebrate the start of summer with music!
- Fête de la Saint-Jean (24 June): This traditional festival is an important event in Fréjus, but also in the small harbour of Les Issambres or the old centre of Roquebrune-sur-Argens. The Fête de la Saint-Jean is a cheerful evening with (live) music and dancing on the coast, a large torchlight procession and fireworks displays in honour of the summer solstice.
- Ironman Nice (29 June): A triathlon competition that takes place in Nice, with participants from all over the world.
- More info on festivals and things to do: cotedazurinsider.fr
