French Riviera: Where To See The Most Beautiful Christmas Cribs?
On the French Riviera, the holiday season has something magical about it. You can stroll through the streets of Cannes, Antibes, Nice or Monaco to rediscover these cities of the Riviera beautifully illuminated and decorated. If you like more particularly the santons of Provence and the cribs, follow the guide! We explain to you where to see the most beautiful Christmas cribs on the French Riviera.
A life-size crib in Old Nice
In Nice, Lou Présépi is one of the star attractions during the Advent season. While the Christmas market in Nice is set up on Place Masséna and in the Jardin Albert Ier, this life-size nativity scene is set up every year on Place Rossetti in Vieux-Nice.
No less than 17 animated automatons make up this Christmas crib, which recreates a traditional village of the region in the heart of the old town.
It is one of the most beautiful Christmas cribs on the French Riviera because the characters of Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus and the shepherds are human-sized.
Nativity scenes from around the world at the Forville Mill
In Cannes, the Moulin Forville - Victor Tuby Museum traditionally organizes during the end-of-year holidays an exhibition dedicated to the cribs of the world.
This exhibition allows you to admire some of the most beautiful Christmas cribs of the French Riviera as it brings together not less than 40 different cribs. The smallest fits in a shell while others are much larger...
Admission is free and guided tours are offered on certain days. To learn more about the dates and times of the guided tours, we invite you to visit the website of the city hall of Cannes (link below).
You can also take the opportunity to discover the Victor Tuby museum. This museum is located in a former oil mill and is dedicated to the traditions of Provence.
A giant crib in Suquet
Still in Cannes but on the heights, in the Suquet district, the Notre-Dame d'Espérance church hosts every year a giant animated crib dating from 1920.
Azuréens and tourists come to admire one of the most beautiful Christmas cribs of the French Riviera.
This crib, which was restored in 2010, brings together more than 100 characters. It is really worth a look because it is the largest mechanized and musical crib of the Sulpician type in France.
To note: if you go to the Christmas village of Cannes you can also admire a traditional Provencal crib rich with more than 150 santons from Provence!
The Way of the Cribs in Monaco
Since 2014, the Principality of Monaco has been exhibiting about 60 Christmas cribs along a route from the Rampe Major to the Rock.
The Chemin des Crèches de Monaco allows you to admire some of the most beautiful Christmas cribs on the French Riviera.
You can discover cribs from all over the world. These compositions representative of all continents are installed in the loopholes and on top of the large doors of the Rampe Major as well as on the Place du Palais.
Take advantage of your stay in the Principality to visit the Christmas market of Monaco installed on the Port until early January.
