Nice in December: weather, sea and travel tips
Is December a good time to visit?
December in Nice suits a short city break with walks between museum visits. Days average +12 °C and nights +9 °C. Another time is a better fit for spending a whole holiday on the beach.
Weather in December
Compare the three parts of December below and choose dates that suit your plans. Check the forecast closer to departure.
- Water
- +14 °C
- Daytime air
- +12 °C
- Night-time air
- +9 °C
Early, mid or late December?
| Travel dates | Day | Night | Sea |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–10 December | +12 °C | +8 °C | +15 °C |
| 11–20 December | +12 °C | +9 °C | +14 °C |
| 21–31 December | +13 °C | +9 °C | +13 °C |
Days with precipitation in December
Share of days with precipitation in the weather archive.
Water in December
Seasonal data gives an average water temperature of +14 °C for the month. It averages +15 °C in the first ten days and +13 °C towards the end. These are seasonal averages, so the water on your travel dates can be warmer or cooler. Before your trip, check the water temperature and weather in the forecast for Nice.
Rainfall in December
In December, the average is 9 days with precipitation. In 2020–2025, the number ranged from 3 to 13 per month. Light precipitation is included in the count. This does not mean that it rains all day.
November, December or January: which should you choose?
| Month | Day | Night | Sea |
|---|---|---|---|
| November | +15 °C | +11 °C | +17 °C |
| December | +12 °C | +9 °C | +14 °C |
| January | +12 °C | +7 °C | +13 °C |
November has warmer days than December. The difference matters if you prefer warmth to cooler walking weather. December and January have similar daytime temperatures.
The annual charts for Nice compare air and sea temperatures with the rest of the year. For a closer look at December, see the December charts and archive by year.
Things to do in December
- In dry weather, the Promenade des Anglais offers a walk beside the pebble beaches. Views of the Baie des Anges, palms and historic hotels form a distinctive city seafront.
- Castle Hill Park is an option for a dry day. Its viewpoints overlook the old town, harbour and Baie des Anges, offering a way to see Nice from above.
- For rainy weather, the Matisse Museum in Cimiez offers indoor galleries with paintings, sculpture and paper cut-outs. They introduce several sides of the artist’s work.
About the data
Air temperatures use the WorldWeatherAI archive for 2020–2025. Precipitation uses data for 2020–2025. Sea temperatures use WorldWeatherAI seasonal data.