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Nice Carnival and Menton Lemon Festival Tour

This lovely tour, travelling by air, is based around two delightful annual events: the Nice Carnival and the Menton Lemon Festival. The earliest record of the Nice Carnival is 1294, making it one of the world’s oldest carnival celebrations.

For two weeks every February and March, Nice is full of open air music performances, parades, processions and carnival cheer. The Menton Lemon Festival is quite unique where locals use citrus fruit to create huge exhibitions and statues along a set theme – the results are truly impressive.

From

£1,945

per person

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what’s included

At A Glance

  • The Travel Editions Experience
    Our tours are thoughtfully crafted and meticulously planned, with every destination, hotel, excursion and stop along the way having been selected to form a truly memorable experience.
  • Meals Included
    All breakfasts and two dinners.
  • Handpicked Accommodation
    Seven nights’ accommodation at the four-star Brice Garden Hotel, Nice, based on shared occupancy of a twin/double room
  • Discover the Nice Carnival and Menton Lemon Festival
    Enjoy a colourful winter escape to the French Riviera, based in elegant Nice and timed to coincide with two spectacular annual events: the Nice Carnival and the Menton Lemon Festival. Includes seated tickets for the Carnival Parade of Lights and Menton’s Lemon Festival Parade, plus visits to Grasse, the Gorges du Loup, Vence, Saint-Paul-de-Vence, Biot, Antibes and Cap d’Antibes.
  • Tours, Transfers & Entrance Fees
    All tours, transfers and entrance fees are included as detailed.     Tour Manager throughout.
  • Carnival tickets
    Seated ticket to the Carnival Parade of Lights in Nice &
    Seated ticket in Menton
  • Flights from the UK
    Return flights from London Gatwick to Nice
itinerary & excursions

Your Itinerary

Explore this incredible tour in detail and discover what makes each day so special. Below, you’ll find a full day-by-day breakdown of your journey, from the moment you arrive to your final farewell. Learn more about the highlights you’ll experience, the unforgettable places you’ll visit, and the unique moments that bring each destination to life. Whether you’re drawn by rich history, stunning landscapes or unforgettable cultural encounters, this itinerary gives you everything you need to picture your adventure and look forward to every step of the way.

Day 1: Arrival in Nice

On arrival, transfer by coach to the hotel for check-in. Evening welcome drink at the hotel. Dinner in a local restaurant in Nice.  

Day 2: Nice, the Promenade des Anglais and Old Town

The capital of the Riviera, Nice is a buzzing city full of culture, excellent restaurants and good shopping. There are distinct districts – the medieval quarter, the Italianate quarter that belies Nice’s past as part of Italy and plenty of rich mansions that show past pedigree as one of the most fashionable resorts in Europe.

There are plenty of excellent museums to explore, and the vibrant Promenade des Anglais to stroll along.

Day 3: Nice Carnival and Parade of Lights

For two weeks every February and March, Nice is full of open-air music performances, parades, processions and carnival cheer. There are parades daily with numerous floats and over 1,000 musicians and dancers taking part.

You have a seated ticket to enjoy the evening parade included, but you will be able to purchase extra tickets for other parades whilst in Nice if you wish. The 2027 theme will be “Vive l’Amour”. 

Please note: Today, there is also the chance to view the Flower Parade (ticket not included) – please visit the Nice Carnival Website for more information and to book directly.

Day 4: Menton Lemon Festival Parade and Citrus Gardens

Right on the border, Menton exudes Italianate charm from its picturesque position ringed by mountains. The Lemon Festival (Fête du Citron) is the area’s biggest annual event.

You’ll find 10-metre-tall citrus-covered installations in the Biovès Gardens and a colourful parade with each float bearing over 140 tonnes of fruit! We have also included the ‘Exhibition of Citrus Patterns in the Jardins Biovès’ to view the sculptures up close. 

Day 5: Grasse and the Gorges du Loup

The medieval hill town of Grasse has been the capital of perfume concoction for nearly 300 years. In the midst of fields planted with an array of fragrant blooms, the town has a museum dedicated to the art of parfumiers as well as lovely old streets to wander.

Famous for the fortified villages that perch along the steep sides formed by the River Loup, the Gorges du Loup offer wonderful views and dramatic cascades.

Day 6: Vence, Saint-Paul-de-Vence and Modern Art

A hilltop town full of charm, Vence is interlaced by narrow streets and dotted with lovely squares. It was popular with painters, including Picasso, thanks to its excellent light and it was here that Matisse was involved in the architectural design and decoration of the Chapelle du Rosaire (entrance included). Saint-Paul-de-Vence was a magnet for artists throughout the 20th century, and the village is dominated by studios and galleries.

You can visit the Colombe d’Or restaurant where painters, including Picasso, traded paintings for meals and accommodation. You’ll also find the Fondation Maeght Museum of Modern Art here.

Day 7: Biot, Antibes and Cap d’Antibes

The hill town of Biot was a centre for pottery between the 16th and 18th century, a tradition reborn in the mid-20th century when the town once again became famous for its decorative pottery and glasswork. The lively resort of Antibes has a lovely old town and one of the world’s best Picasso collections in the old seafront, Chateau Grimaldi – entrance to the collection is included. Author Graham Greene was a resident here for 20 years. The Cap d’Antibes hides many a sumptuous villa in its pine woods, an area frequented by the likes of F Scott Fitzgerald in its 1920s heyday.

This evening, walk along the Promenade for a farewell dinner with wine at an authentic local restaurant in the old town of Nice.

Day 8: Return Flight from Nice

Transfer to Nice Airport for the return flight to London Gatwick.

NB: In the event that the parades in Nice and Menton are cancelled for whatever reason, only the ticket price for the parade will be refunded and no reimbursement made for hotel and travel costs. 

our guests say

Recent reviews

“Both the Nice Carnival and the Menton Lemon Festival were wonderful highlights, full of colour, creativity and atmosphere.”  
Ranjit Bajjon, travelled February 2026

“One of the highlights of the trip was visiting the perfume factory, along with the beautiful towns of Vence and St-Paul-de-Vence. During our free time in Nice we also took the opportunity to visit Villa Ephrussi using public transport, which we thoroughly enjoyed.”
Mr M, travelled February 2026

Availability

Choose Your Departure

Date
Departing From
Price From
Availability
18/02/2027
London Gatwick
£1,945
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Solo Traveller Supplement From: £495
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HOTELS

Tour Accommodation

Hotel Brice Garden 
Located in the heart of Nice, the four-star Hotel Brice Garden is beautifully decorated in a contemporary style, close to the beach and the pedestrianised streets lined with shops and restaurants. Hotel facilities include a lounge bar, serving hot and cold drinks, refreshments, cocktails and more. Bedrooms all have private bathroom facilities, air-conditioning, TV, minibar, safe, free wi-fi.

Hotel Brice Garden Website

our regular tours

Mobility Information

This tour has a moderate fitness rating, reflecting a fuller itinerary with a good balance of visits, walking and time spent exploring on foot.
 
Some visits may involve cobbled streets, uneven paving, slopes, steps, stairs, limited seating, or walking from the coach drop-off point to the entrance of a site or attraction. The exact demands will vary from day to day, and we highlight specific practical details within the itinerary wherever possible.
 
You should feel comfortable walking at a steady group pace, standing during visits and enjoying a full day of sightseeing. If you are unsure whether this tour is right for you, please contact us before booking.

Mobility Information
Your questions answered

Tour FAQ

If you have a question, we are more than happy to answer it via email or phone, but you may find your answer below more quickly.

Simply complete our online booking form or give us a call on 020 7251 0045 between 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday where you can speak to a real person. A 20% deposit per person is required at the time of booking, to book your place. Payments by debit card or credit card incur no charge. 

You must pay for the balance of your holiday at least 12 weeks before departure. Please note: no reminder for balance payments is sent to you and are not receipted unless requested. If you book your holiday within 12 weeks of departure, full payment is required at time of booking. Please note that some tours may require final payment to be paid earlier than 12 weeks, due to financial commitment with suppliers. The exact date will be notified to you at the time of booking. Final joining instructions and documentation will be dispatched approximately 10 days before travel.

In almost all cases, the price includes your accommodation, meals as described in the itinerary, all excursions shown in the programme, and travel arrangements from the UK. Excursions are taken by private coach exclusively for Travel Editions guests. If anything is ever excluded from the price, it will be clearly marked as optional and payable locally, you won’t find any hidden extras on your final bill. Travel Editions operates a firm no-surcharge policy, so the price you are quoted is the price you pay.

The specifics vary by tour and are set out in your individual itinerary, but most of our tours depart from London, either by Eurostar from St Pancras International or by air. For rail tours, we advise allowing at least one hour before the Eurostar departure when planning your journey to London. For flights, all costs are based on economy class unless otherwise stated, and all times shown are local time. For tours in the UK, these often start at the hotel in question.

Flight upgrades and connections from regional airports are available on request and subject to availability, contact us on 020 7251 0045 or at tours@traveleditions.co.uk for details. We strongly recommend not booking non-refundable connecting travel until you have received your final joining instructions, which are sent around 10 days before departure and confirm all timings and meeting points.

Yes, and you’re very welcome. Single room supplements apply on most tours, reflecting the fact that single and double rooms are generally priced similarly by hotels. If you would prefer to share with another solo traveller of the same gender, we are happy to arrange this, simply let us know at the time of booking. Sharing is subject to another traveller in the same situation being booked on the same tour.

Each tour is accompanied by a dedicated tour manager, who in most cases will travel out from the UK with the group. On some tours, the tour manager will meet you at your destination station or airport, with full details being confirmed in your joining instructions 10 days before travel. Many of our tours are also led by expert lecturers or specialist guides whose knowledge brings each destination to life; details of who will be accompanying your particular tour are included in the individual tour pages and itineraries.

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