Nice in December: weather, water temperatures and things to do
Is December a good time to visit?
December in Nice is suitable for sightseeing. Daytime temperatures average +12 °C, so a jacket will be useful for walks. The water is cold, so this month is unsuitable for a swimming holiday.
June is an option for warm-weather beach time and swimming in warm water.
Weather in December
Average daytime temperatures vary little between early, mid- and late December. There is no clear advantage in warmth between these periods.
- Water
- +14 °C
- Daytime air
- +12 °C
- Night-time air
- +9 °C
Sun and precipitation in December
Monthly averages
Sunny
14 days
Sun and clouds
10 days
Cloudy
7 days
By part of the month
| Dates | Sunny | Sun and clouds | Cloudy | Days with precipitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1–10 | 4 days | 3 days | 3 days | 4 days |
| 11–20 | 5 days | 3 days | 2 days | 3 days |
| 21–31 | 6 days | 4 days | 1 day | 2 days |
Early, mid or late December?
| Travel dates | Day | Night | WaterWater | Days with precipitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1–10 December | +12 °C | +8 °C | +15 °C | about 4 out of 10 |
| 11–20 December | +12 °C | +9 °C | +14 °C | about 3 out of 10 |
| 21–31 December | +13 °C | +9 °C | +13 °C | about 2 out of 11 |
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
Historical records show that December has precipitation from time to time.
November, December or January: which should you choose?
| Month | Day | Night | WaterWater |
|---|---|---|---|
| November | +15 °C | +11 °C | +17 °C |
| December | +12 °C | +9 °C | +14 °C |
| January | +12 °C | +7 °C | +13 °C |
Both the air and the water are warmer in November than in December. December and January have similar average daytime temperatures. Neither has a clear advantage in warmth.
The annual charts for Nice compare air and water temperatures throughout the year. For historical weather in December across different years, see the weather archive.
Things to do in December
- The Promenade des Anglais runs along the pebble beaches of the Baie des Anges. A walk along it takes in palm trees, the famous blue chairs and historic hotels.
- Castle Hill Park overlooks the old town, the harbour and the Baie des Anges.
- The Matisse Museum in Cimiez displays paintings, sculptures and compositions made from painted paper cut-outs. It occupies a Genoese villa.
About the data
Air temperatures use the WorldWeatherAI archive for 2020–2025. Precipitation uses data for 2020–2025. Water temperatures use WorldWeatherAI seasonal data.
Cloud cover is estimated from local six-hour intervals weighted by their overlap with daylight: up to 25% clear or mostly clear, 75% or more mostly cloudy, and partly cloudy in between. These are the site’s categories. Rounded day counts add up to the period length; icons do not represent particular dates. Precipitation is counted separately and may coincide with sunshine. Sunshine hours come from the archive, not from cloud cover. Each metric requires complete data for the same set of years; incomplete metrics are omitted.