Christmas in Cannes
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CHRISTMAS IN CANNES 2024
Santa's French sorting office, manned by 60 elves, has opened. Children can write in French or English to Father Christmas either by normal post - no stamp needed - or electronically on www.pere-noel.laposte.fr Every child will receive a letter from Santa Claus, accompanied by a colouring postcard, so remember to put the address on the envelope.
Deadline is 20 December.
NEW YEAR'S EVE MIDNIGHT FIREWORKS
2024 theme: Dolce Vita
A Provencal Christmas officially starts 4 December on St Barbara's Day and lasts until Candlemas on 2 February. On Christmas Eve a big supper is served before going to Midnight Mass. On returning from mass the 13 desserts are served, representing Christ and the 12 disciples. It consists of dried figs, almonds, raisins, walnuts, dates, black and white nougat, candied fruit and fresh fruit, oreillettes (sugar pastries) and fougasse.
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Everyone can enjoy a Provencal Christmas in and around Cannes. There are santon exhibitions, live nativity plays known as pastorales, Christmas markets and food fairs, ice skating, circuses, Christmas lights and son and lumieres, horse racing and Christmas sailing regattas. The list is endless. Here we give you just a flavour of events.
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Creche at St Catherine's Church,
Le Cannet
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In Cannes there are free seasonal creches/cribs to see in the Christmas Village and Moulin Forville. La Bocca has its own programme of events. |
Christmas in Cannes Cannes Christmas Village
The Christmas village, fairground and ice rink officially open at 7.30pm 29 November. The bandstand this year has a giant ball plus plus. The village is open until 5 January from 11am till 9pm and 10pm at weekends. Food stalls and lots of gift ideas in the many chalets, not forgetting Santa's. The Village chalets include ones selling mulled wine, champagne and seafood bars. The fairground is open on the Pantiero and has 59 attractions. Opens 4 -9pm weekdays and until 11pm weekends. From 20 Dec to 5 Jan it opens 2 - 11pm daily. The ice rink (350sq m) is on Les Allees. The mornings are reserved for children aged 4-10 and it is free. Adults can take to the ice for three euros (45 minute sessions) including skate hire from 1pm. You must wear gloves - not provided - so remember to take a pair. The Christmas parade is on 23 December leaving rue Meynadier(near Forville market) at 5.30pm. Santa, his elves, musicians, and floats are on parade. The rue d'Antibes is pedestrianised 2-7pm every weekend in December with music played as well as on the rue Meynadier. The Cannes illuminated sign (think Hollywood) will be lit up again. Xmas Church Services
Notre Dame de Bonne Esperance, Le Suquet Hugely popular with locals and tourists, especially the Italians, are the provencal Christmas and New Year services at the church atop Le Suquet (see above). Get there early or prepare to stand or even have to go elsewhere if full. Christmas Eve at 9pm there is an enactment of the shepherd's story by the Provencal Academy. A real shepherd with a lamb leads the representatives of the villages around Cannes. Wearing traditional costumes, they bring to the child Jesus a selection of local treats. The choir sings Christmas carols in the Provencal language of the 17th century. This is followed by Midnight mass, at 10pm, during which the ladies of the academy knit a shawl for the first child born in Cannes after midnight. Christmas Day service at 11am Do note that the creche/crib is not Provencal but a true nativity scene, known in France as a Sulpice creche. It is the largest in France at 6 x 4 meters. Put in one euro and it moves, lights up and plays music! It celebrated its centenary in 2020 and has been renovated. Can be seen 9 December to 7 February 9am to noon and 2-5pm. 
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Christmas in Le Cannet Town Hall - son et lumiere
Christmas festivities start 13 December with the Xmas market in the Tivoli Gardens which is open until end of Sunday 15 December. The Christmas lights are switched on in Place Foch, Rocheville, on 15 December. The spectacular son and lumiere on the facade of the town hall takes place on ? December 6.30pm. The Xmas parade and arrival of Santa also takes place this evening. . The Bonnard Museum has an exhibition- Bonnard, painter of feeling. The Epiphany Concert is January, St Philomene church at 3pm. There is a marvellous Provencal creche at the equally marvellous, and very old, St Catherine's Church - just off the Grande Bretagne roundabout. Open weekends 2-6pm till 22 December and every day from 24 December until 5 January.
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Christmas in Mougins 1 December 2024 - 5 January 2025
The lights are switched on in the old village at 6pm 1 December and the Maison de Noel will be in the old village till 7 January. The wonderful creche in the Lavoir is also open (free). There will be hot chocolate for the children and vin chaud for the adults. There will be ice skating and a visit by father Christmas.
The Christmas market takes place 14-15 December and is open from 10am till 6pm. The '13 desserts and gospel' takes place on December from 3.30pm.
The Christmas market takes place 14-15 December and is open from 10am till 6pm. The '13 desserts and gospel' takes place on December from 3.30pm.
Christmas Further Afield
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ANTIBES - The Christmas lights are switched on 30 November till 5 January. Throughout the town there are concerts, theatre, exhibitions and workshops. The Christmas village with the big wheel opens 30 November on the Esplanade. The water display with music and lights takes place every 20 minutes from 5.30 to 7.30pm at the Place des Martyrs. There are parades plus children's rides at the Place Nationale and family rides at Place de Gaulle.
In the Little Pinede at Juan les Pins a 200sq m ice rink opens 13 -20 December. The rink is open to all - three euros for adults - and everyone must wear gloves. Closes 8pm and 9.00pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Father Christmas arrives on skis - water skis of course - at Juan les Pins on 21 December at 10.30am and if the weather is bad, the following day.
On 1 January there is a light show in the sky with music at 6.00pm.
See www.antibes-juanlespins.com for full details;
www.antibesjuanlespins.com/sites/antibes/files/brochures/files/programme_noel_web.pdf
CAGNES SUR MER - the winter horse racing season starts 2 December till 9 March 2024/5 with steeple chasing, trotting and flat racing. Festive highlights include: St Nicolas Day 6 December, free entry for all called Nicolas; Christmas Fete 24th - lots of activities for the kids and free entry if wearing a Xmas hat.
There is racing 21/23/24/26/28 December and New Year's Day.
The main steeple chasing event is 5 January,
See www.hippodrome-cotedazur for full details and restaurant reservations. Entry is five euros and free for under 18s. Parking is free or you can take the train to Cagnes sur Mer and then a bus or taxi to the course. There are restaurants - best to book - and snack bars.
MOUANS SARTOUX - you can buy santons at the Santon Fair, La Strada library, av de Cannes, from 2 - 6pm daily 1 November - 24 December. It is the oldest and one of the most important santon fairs in the region. Take them home and create your own Provencal creche.
There is a Festival of Light on 7 December and from 7.00pm you can collect your lantern from behind the cinema, 1euro. Follow the marching band round the old town and drink hot chocolate as well as meeting Pere Noel and then watch the fireworks at 8.30pm. The Christmas market takes place 30 November to 1 December 9am-6pm.
Full details: mouans-sartoux.net/agenda
THEOULE - take a Christmas stroll around the village from 7 December till 5 January to discover nativity scenes from around the world. The Santon fair in the Cultural Hall is also open the same period between 10 -12 noon and 2-5.30pm. Santa's house is open 14/15/18/22/24 December and there is a Christmas market and parade on 21 December. A xmas show on 28 December and the Kings' Parade 5 January at 3.30pm is followed by galettes des rois. See www.theoule-sur-mer.org
ST RAPHAEL - the town has a terrific Christmas programme to January. You will find a Big Wheel, giant Xmas tree, ice rink and a Xmas market. At the Basilique Notre Dame there is son and lumiere, the creche and concerts. Father Xmas arrives at 5.30pm at old port 24 December with a Christmas Parade and fireworks at 5.30pm.
On New Year's Eve from 8 to 9.30pm there are DJs, musicians and fireworks(7pm).
See www.ville-saintraphael.fr
Best to go by train from Cannes
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2025
ANTIBES - The Christmas lights are switched on 30 November till 5 January. Throughout the town there are concerts, theatre, exhibitions and workshops. The Christmas village with the big wheel opens 30 November on the Esplanade. The water display with music and lights takes place every 20 minutes from 5.30 to 7.30pm at the Place des Martyrs. There are parades plus children's rides at the Place Nationale and family rides at Place de Gaulle.
In the Little Pinede at Juan les Pins a 200sq m ice rink opens 13 -20 December. The rink is open to all - three euros for adults - and everyone must wear gloves. Closes 8pm and 9.00pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Father Christmas arrives on skis - water skis of course - at Juan les Pins on 21 December at 10.30am and if the weather is bad, the following day.
On 1 January there is a light show in the sky with music at 6.00pm.
See www.antibes-juanlespins.com for full details;
www.antibesjuanlespins.com/sites/antibes/files/brochures/files/programme_noel_web.pdf
CAGNES SUR MER - the winter horse racing season starts 2 December till 9 March 2024/5 with steeple chasing, trotting and flat racing. Festive highlights include: St Nicolas Day 6 December, free entry for all called Nicolas; Christmas Fete 24th - lots of activities for the kids and free entry if wearing a Xmas hat.
There is racing 21/23/24/26/28 December and New Year's Day.
The main steeple chasing event is 5 January,
See www.hippodrome-cotedazur for full details and restaurant reservations. Entry is five euros and free for under 18s. Parking is free or you can take the train to Cagnes sur Mer and then a bus or taxi to the course. There are restaurants - best to book - and snack bars.
MOUANS SARTOUX - you can buy santons at the Santon Fair, La Strada library, av de Cannes, from 2 - 6pm daily 1 November - 24 December. It is the oldest and one of the most important santon fairs in the region. Take them home and create your own Provencal creche.
There is a Festival of Light on 7 December and from 7.00pm you can collect your lantern from behind the cinema, 1euro. Follow the marching band round the old town and drink hot chocolate as well as meeting Pere Noel and then watch the fireworks at 8.30pm. The Christmas market takes place 30 November to 1 December 9am-6pm.
Full details: mouans-sartoux.net/agenda
THEOULE - take a Christmas stroll around the village from 7 December till 5 January to discover nativity scenes from around the world. The Santon fair in the Cultural Hall is also open the same period between 10 -12 noon and 2-5.30pm. Santa's house is open 14/15/18/22/24 December and there is a Christmas market and parade on 21 December. A xmas show on 28 December and the Kings' Parade 5 January at 3.30pm is followed by galettes des rois. See www.theoule-sur-mer.org
ST RAPHAEL - the town has a terrific Christmas programme to January. You will find a Big Wheel, giant Xmas tree, ice rink and a Xmas market. At the Basilique Notre Dame there is son and lumiere, the creche and concerts. Father Xmas arrives at 5.30pm at old port 24 December with a Christmas Parade and fireworks at 5.30pm.
On New Year's Eve from 8 to 9.30pm there are DJs, musicians and fireworks(7pm).
See www.ville-saintraphael.fr
Best to go by train from Cannes
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2025
SKI SEASON
The ski resorts open in December 2024
There are ski buses from Nice & Antibes to the resorts. Ask at the tourist office for details.
The ski resorts open in December 2024
There are ski buses from Nice & Antibes to the resorts. Ask at the tourist office for details.
