Nice in May: weather, water temperatures and things to do
Is May a good time to visit?
May in Nice is warm, with daytime temperatures averaging +20 °C. These conditions suit walks and sightseeing. The water is cool at the start of the month, averaging +20 °C, and warms to +23 °C towards the end.
June is an option for warm-weather beach time and swimming in warm water.
Weather in May
Late May is warmer during the day than the start of the month.
- Water
- +21 °C
- Daytime air
- +20 °C
- Night-time air
- +15 °C
Sun and precipitation in May
Monthly averages
Sunny
13 days
Sun and clouds
13 days
Cloudy
5 days
By part of the month
| Dates | Sunny | Sun and clouds | Cloudy | Days with precipitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1–10 | 5 days | 4 days | 1 day | 3 days |
| 11–20 | 3 days | 5 days | 2 days | 4 days |
| 21–31 | 5 days | 5 days | 1 day | 2 days |
Early, mid or late May?
| Travel dates | Day | Night | WaterWater |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–10 May | +19 °C | +14 °C | +20 °C |
| 11–20 May | +19 °C | +14 °C | +21 °C |
| 21–31 May | +21 °C | +16 °C | +23 °C |
Water in May
Seasonal data gives an average water temperature of +21 °C for the month. It averages +20 °C in the first ten days and +23 °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 May
Historical records show that May has precipitation from time to time.
April, May or June: which should you choose?
| Month | Day | Night | WaterWater |
|---|---|---|---|
| April | +16 °C | +11 °C | +18 °C |
| May | +20 °C | +15 °C | +21 °C |
| June | +24 °C | +19 °C | +25 °C |
Both the air and the water are cooler in April than in May. Both the air and the water are warmer in June than in May.
The annual charts for Nice compare air and water temperatures throughout the year. For historical weather in May across different years, see the weather archive.
Things to do in May
- 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.