From art to gastronomy to the major events of 2026

Its landscapes and atmospheres have inspired artists such as Matisse, Picasso, Renoir and Chagall, whose works can be admired in the museums that bear their names: an occasion not to be missed is the weekend of 31 January-1 February, when "Mon Week-end aux Musées" is scheduled, with free animations and workshops in some 40 exhibition spaces in the region. The Côte d'Azur is also gastronomy of excellence, from menus embellished with Ligurian and Piedmontese touches in restaurants open all year round (more than 30 of them have a Michelin star, including the double-starred Villa Archange in Le Cannet) to street food specialities and open-air markets where gourmet products can be found (the latest in the collection is the wildflower honey from Château de Crémat in Nice). Once the end-of-year festivities are over, the calendar of events is just as rich and for all tastes, from the Carnival of Nice to the Fête du Citron in Menton (on 21 February) to the Mimosa Festival in Mandelieu La Napoule. 2026 will also be a year of big anniversaries, with the 100th anniversary of the famous Fragonard perfumery in Grasse, the 20th anniversary of the 'Les Plages Electroniques' music festival in Cannes and the 10th anniversary of 'Biot et les Templiers', one of Europe's biggest medieval festivals.