Nice

The seventeen huge paintings of Chagall's Biblical Message, visited with guides who use stories, movement, drawing and sound to bring children into them.

1 November–30 April: 10:00–13:00 and 14:30–17:00 (16:30 in March); 2 May–31 October: 10:00–13:00 and 14:30–18:00.

Bright, direct naïve paintings in a pink château with a big garden, and one of the few museums in Nice with activities for toddlers.

Open all year 10:00–18:00; closed Tuesdays, Easter Monday, 1 May and 25 December.

Wolves, chamois, birds of prey, reptiles and insects of the Alpes-Maritimes, laid out as a walk from the hills to the valleys; a good rainy-hour stop near the old town.

Open all year, Tuesday–Sunday 10:00–12:30 and 13:30–18:00.

One of the world's largest sports collections inside the Allianz Riviera stadium, with interactive displays and children's activities in the school holidays.

September–May: Tuesday–Sunday 10:00–17:00; June–August daily 10:00–18:00.

Charles Garnier's observatory with Gustave Eiffel's moving dome, the largest in Europe, plus the new Universarium and treasure-hunt tours for families in the school holidays.

Public visits Wednesdays 14:00 and Saturdays 10:00 and 14:00; during Zone B school holidays Wednesday–Saturday 10:00 and 14:00.

A former 1750 prison above the port, now free temporary exhibitions with activity booklets, workshops and a big terrace over the boats.

Open all year, Wednesday–Sunday 10:00–17:00.

A free guided tour of a four-generation sweet-maker on the port, where fruit and flowers become candied fruit, jams and chocolates, ending with a tasting.

Open all year, daily 10:30–18:30; closed 25 December and the morning of 1 January.

An Olympic-size rink in the city centre where, on Sunday mornings, small children get a fenced-off ice garden with sledges, double-blade skates and games.

Le Jardin de glace: every Sunday 09:00–12:00 except July and August.

A 1,400 m² bouldering loft on two floors with its own area for children from three, and a canteen so parents can sit with a coffee between turns.

Open all year, daily 09:30–midnight.

LEGO workshops in the middle of the shopping street, from motorised builds and mosaics to robotics, and one-hour sessions parents can join.

Open all year; workshop times vary (holiday camps in the school holidays).

A silent electric train that climbs Castle Hill and stops ten minutes for the view over the Baie des Anges, or loops the centre with commentary for children.

Runs all year, daily; timetable on francevoguette.fr.

Take-off and landing from the deck of a platform boat, so children fly high over the Cap de Nice without getting wet; up to three can share a parachute.

All year, daily 10:00–18:00; booking required.

A guided two-hour paddle along the rocky coast towards Villefranche, with stops to look at the sea life and a swim, in single or double kayaks.

All year, Tuesday–Saturday 09:30–18:00; every outing booked in advance and led by a qualified instructor.

An 1885 Italian-style opera house that puts on shows for young audiences, concerts for babies and on-stage tea parties, with workshops for children while parents watch.

Box office September–May: Monday–Friday 09:00–17:30, Saturday 09:00–15:30.

An intimate 259-seat theatre in the old town with theatre, dance, puppetry and object theatre for children from five.

Season programme online; children's and teens' classes every Wednesday outside Zone B school holidays.

Children work in teams to make their own animated film, from characters and storyboard to editing and sound, at the city's film archive.

Animation workshops every Wednesday from October to June and in the Zone B school holidays; registration required.

A free, city-run centre with an educational garden where children from two learn organic gardening, plus workshops on recycling and water.

Open 3 January–22 December 2026; programme online.

Six workshops for taste, touch, hearing, smell and sight, most of them in total darkness – a rainy-day challenge for a family team.

Open every day; booking online required.

A pushchair-friendly café with a play area and changing table, home-cooked lunches and a monthly programme of workshops, music and puppet shows.

1 February–31 December 2026: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday 09:30–18:00.

An 18th-century villa wrapped in brutalist terraces and Mediterranean gardens, with family tours and workshops in the school holidays and a wide view over Nice.

During exhibitions only: Monday and Wednesday–Sunday 14:00–18:00 (14:00–19:00 in July–August).

Seven hectares of gardens with 2,000 animals – lemurs, iguanas, crocodiles, black swans on the lake – one of Europe's tallest greenhouses and free playgrounds.

1 October–31 March daily 09:30–18:00; 1 April–30 September daily 09:30–19:30.

The flower stalls Niçois have shopped at since 1861, next to fruit, vegetables and local crafts – a colourful, free morning for children before the beach or the château.

Flower market Tuesday–Sunday mornings, all year; fruit, vegetable and fish market Tuesday–Sunday 06:00–13:30; antiques market Mondays 07:00–18:00.

Nearly seven kilometres of free pebble beach along the Promenade, with summer lifeguards, rope rails into the water on ten beaches and a city-run beach club for six- to twelve-year-olds.

Lifeguards in summer only: 2026 season 1 July–31 August, 09:00–18:30, some beaches until 13 September (Carras and Forum also 5–6 and 12–13 September).

The ruins of Roman Cemenelum – an amphitheatre, baths and paved streets – that children can walk through, with tours and activities on some Wednesdays, Saturdays and school holidays.

1 November–30 April: 10:00–17:00; 1 May–31 October: 10:00–18:00.