Let’s explore the Nice Carnival through three major aspects of this family friendly event. Let’s begin with kings and parades.
Kings and parades
As Nice prepares for Carnival that means another royal visit is on the way. Every year in February, a different king comes to town to celebrate the carnival and participate in the parade on his own special float. But it wasn’t always this way…
In the beginning, the carnival resembled a big unorganized street party – there wasn’t a parade in sight. But in 1830, when the King and Queen of Sardinia (Charles-Félix and Marie-Christine) were in Nice, the city wanted to do something special, so the first carnival parade was organised in their honor. The royal couple sat on their palace balcony and waved the royal wave as prominent Niçois ladies and gentlemen, dressed in elegant costumes filed past in decorated carriages.
A Straw King
That parade was such a success that in succeeding years, when the king wasn’t present, the Niçois took some straw and old clothes and made themselves a king. They placed him on the palace balcony where he approvingly watched the passing revelry. Then in 1882 they decided that this mock king should participate in the procession.
Put the Fake King on a Float
This was the beginnings of the modern carnival parade which is always presided over by a gigantic, kingly character. Each year, brings a different king who sets the theme for the entire event. For example, in 2015, it was His Majesty, King of Music, so all the floats were music related.
Unfortunately for His Majesty, his reign is very short-lived. France isn’t known for being merciful to its kings, and on the last night of the carnival, he is put out to sea on a little boat and burned while the carnival-goers celebrate with fireworks.
Burn the Fake King
Even though His Majesty’s reign in Nice is short, he has a full schedule. For 2 ½ weeks there are parades every day and evening. He oversees the line of decorated floats, interspersed with marching bands and costumed characters, as it makes its way along the carnival route. The King’s helpers (the people on the floats) throw confetti and candies into the crowd and in return they are targeted by children with cans of silly string.
Silly String and Other Projectiles
One thing you can’t escape at the carnival is silly string, that aerosol spray that sends out foamy streamers that stick to everything but are easy to remove. It can be annoying but it’s actually the modern version of, and a great improvement upon, a long-standing tradition.
Throwing Things
In the earliest carnivals, people threw things at each other: things like sugar-coated seeds, confetti made of plaster, egg shells filled with soot or flour, rotten eggs, fruit and vegetables. Those who had a window overlooking the parade route stocked up with “ammunition” and bombarded those in the streets below.
Masks and Costumes as Protection
The masks and costumes worn during the carnival were not only to hide your identity, but also to shield your face and clothing from all of those objects flying through the air. Some masks were even made of iron for extra protection. In our day, throwing eggs, vegetables, and plaster have, thankfully, fallen out of fashion, leaving us with harmless paper confetti and silly string. Many of us now even feel brave enough to attend the carnival “maskless”.
Flower Battles
While those early rowdy, egg-throwing free-for-alls were taking place in the Old Town of Nice, another more genteel battle was born on the Promenade des Anglais. In 1876 the first “bataille des fleurs” (flower battle) took place. It was an elegant parade of carriages covered in flowers, reserved for the elite who didn’t like getting hit with eggs and vegetables. This is where Queen Victoria is said to have thrown flowers at young soldiers. It was more of a show with polite flower exchanges – not really much of a battle.
Blooming Things
The modern flower battle is still a separate event from the carnival parade. A procession of bloom-covered floats rolls along the Promenade des Anglais, showcasing the variety of flowers grown in this region. Each float is manned by beautifully costumed ladies showering the admiring crowd with colourful blossoms. Today, we don’t normally throw things back at them, but they do sometimes get attacked by a child with a can of silly string.
Even though the Nice Carnival has changed over the years, it has retained three essential historical ingredients: A king to preside over the parade, good-natured battles, and lots of blooming flowers.
Carnival Info – See the official tourist office site for full details.
Lemon Festival in nearby Menton – Official Lemon Festival site
Have you been to the Carnival in Nice? Or anywhere else? Let me know in the comments section below.
*More About Nice – You can read more about the history of Nice in my book, Curious Histories of Nice, France.
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