New Year's Eve on the French Riviera has no single big party: every town does it its own way. Monaco and Cannes fire their fireworks over the harbour at midnight, Saint-Tropez lights up its port early in the evening, Juan-les-Pins waits until New Year's Day — and Nice, the largest city on the coast, has no municipal show and celebrates in its restaurants instead. Here is what to expect for 31 December 2026 and 1 January 2027, where to have dinner, and how to see the fireworks from the deck of a boat.
For the whole month — Christmas markets, ballets, concerts — see our guide to December on the French Riviera and our page on the Christmas markets of 2026.
New Year's Eve 2026/27 at a glance
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Saint-Tropez — fireworks on the port, Thursday 31 December 2026 at 7:30pm, free (confirmed by the town).
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Monaco — free party at Port Hercule with DJs (9pm–2am in 2025) and fireworks over the harbour at midnight; 2026 programme not yet published.
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Cannes — free musical fireworks over the bay at midnight every year; for 2026 the city has ordered a show combining drones and pyrotechnics.
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Antibes Juan-les-Pins — fireworks over the bay of Juan-les-Pins on New Year's Day, at 6pm in 2026; the 2027 date is still to be confirmed.
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Nice — no municipal fireworks in recent years: dinners, cabarets and parties in hotels and restaurants, and a free concert at the Opera on 1 January in 2026.
Towns usually publish their programmes in early December. We will update this page as they are announced; until then, the details of the 2025 edition are given as a guide.
Monaco: midnight fireworks at Port Hercule
Monaco throws the most complete free party on the coast. On 31 December the Christmas village on the Quai Albert-Ier at Port Hercule stays open late, two stages with DJs played from 9pm to 2am in 2025, and at midnight the traditional fireworks go up over the harbour, reflected in the water between the yachts. A few minutes' walk up the hill, Casino Square holds the official countdown under its decorations.
For a sit-down dinner, Monte-Carlo is the most expensive place on the Riviera that night: in 2025 the Café de Paris terrace charged €470 per person and the dinner show at the Salle des Étoiles started at €665. Book weeks ahead. Coming from Nice, Monaco-Monte-Carlo station is about 20 minutes by train — check the times of the last trains back before you go, or book a taxi in advance: they are scarce after midnight. See also the events in Monaco.
Cannes: fireworks over the bay, drones in 2026
Cannes celebrates with a free musical firework display over the bay at midnight — in 2025 it was themed on the 100th birthday of Marilyn Monroe. For 31 December 2026 the city has put out a tender for a show that combines lighting drones and pyrotechnics, so expect something new; the theme and exact location have not been announced yet.
The classic spot is the Croisette, packed well before midnight; for a view over the whole bay, climb up to Le Suquet, the old quarter on the hill. Evening options in 2025 included a cabaret dinner at the Palais des Festivals (from €150) and a show in its main hall. More ideas: events in Cannes.
Saint-Tropez: early fireworks, then dinner
Saint-Tropez is the only town with its 2026 date already confirmed: the fireworks go off on the port on Thursday 31 December 2026 at 7:30pm, and entry is free. The early time is an advantage — watch the show from the quay or from the water, then go on to a New Year's Eve dinner in the village without missing midnight. Restaurants in Saint-Tropez are fewer in winter than in summer, so reserve as soon as the menus come out.
Antibes Juan-les-Pins: fireworks on New Year's Day
Antibes Juan-les-Pins does things differently: its fireworks are on 1 January. In 2026 they went up over the bay of Juan-les-Pins at 6pm, after a free afternoon of jazz in the streets and a parade of giant soft toys — a good plan with children, and a way to have a second firework display if you spent the night in Cannes or Nice. The 2027 programme will be published in December.
Nice: dinners and parties, but no municipal fireworks
Nice has not held a municipal firework display on New Year's Eve in recent years, so the celebration moves indoors. In 2025 the options ranged from a gala dinner with a dance and magic show at the Casino Barrière Le Ruhl on the Promenade des Anglais (€320) to the Salon Royal of the Negresco, cabaret evenings in small theatres and themed parties in hotels. The Village de Noël in the Jardin Albert-Ier stays open until early January, and on the afternoon of 1 January 2026 the Nice Opera gave a free concert of highlights from The Nutcracker (tickets handed out on the day).
If you are based in Nice and want fireworks, Monaco (20 minutes by train) is the easiest option for midnight. Check the events in Nice for concerts and shows in the last days of December.
Seeing the fireworks from a boat
The best seat for Monaco, Cannes or Saint-Tropez is on the water, facing the shore, with the whole display and its reflection in front of you and no crowd. In winter this means a private boat with a skipper rather than a self-drive rental: the crew knows the port, handles night navigation and keeps the boat at a safe distance from the firing zone. A few private trips from our catalogue that are a good starting point — open the booking calendar to check whether your date is available and ask the operator about a New Year's Eve departure:
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Private luxury boat tour Nice – Monaco: 2.5 hours from Nice around Cap-Ferrat with an apéritif on board, from €450 per boat — one of the best-reviewed boat trips on the Riviera.
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Monaco private boat cruise: 2 hours with a skipper from Menton, the closest port to Monaco on the French side, from €550 per boat.
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Private evening boat trip to the Lérins Islands from Cannes: 3 hours in the bay of Cannes, from €390.
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Private sunset yacht charter in Saint-Tropez: 2 hours on a 13-metre motor yacht, from €795 — time it with the 7:30pm fireworks.
For a larger group, or to choose the boat yourself, compare yachts and motorboats with a skipper in Cannes, Monaco, Nice and Saint-Tropez, or browse all boats. Our guide to a sunset yacht cruise explains what is included and how to book.
What to know before booking a winter cruise:
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The sun sets around 5pm at the end of December and the sea is about 13–14°C: bring a warm coat, a hat and gloves, even on a sunny day.
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The weather decides: a mistral or a swell can cancel a departure at short notice. Read the cancellation terms and keep a plan B ashore.
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Not every operator works in winter, and New Year's Eve is a premium date: ask early and confirm the exact departure time and the place the boat will anchor for the show.
New Year's Eve dinners: how to book
New Year's Eve menus on the Riviera are set menus at a fixed price, published in November and early December, and the best tables go first. A few rules that save the evening:
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Book early, and ask whether drinks, champagne at midnight and music are included in the price.
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Choose a restaurant within walking distance of where you will watch the fireworks — roads around the harbours are closed or jammed before midnight.
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For something more relaxed before dinner, an evening tour works well: the Monaco by Night private tour from Nice via Èze and La Turbie (4 hours, from €600) or a sunset apéritif in a vintage Land Rover in the hills above Nice (from €70) — check that they run on the 31st.
Practical tips
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Hotels: Nice, Cannes and Monaco fill up for New Year's Eve, and many hotels ask for a minimum stay of two or three nights — compare where to stay on the French Riviera early.
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Transport: the coastal train links all the towns, but check the last departures on the night of the 31st; taxis and ride-hailing are rare and expensive after midnight.
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Crowds: arrive at the Croisette or Port Hercule at least an hour before midnight to get a spot by the water.
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1 January: many shops, museums and some restaurants are closed; it is a good day for a walk by the sea, the Juan-les-Pins fireworks or a concert.
Plan the rest of your stay with our calendar of upcoming events on the French Riviera.
