May in Nice averages highs of 21 °C (70 °F) and lows of 14 °C (57 °F), with about 7 rainy days and 14 h 42 min of daylight. The sea is fresh, around 19 °C (65 °F): fine for a quick swim.
May weather in Nice at a glance
average high to low each dot ≈ 3 rainy days
Is May a good time to visit Nice?
Good time to go: comfortably warm and some rain. May is usually shoulder season in Nice: fewer crowds than peak months, with prices often a little lower.
Our rule: a month scores 2 points for comfortable average highs of 18–28 °C (1 point for 14–18 or 28–32 °C) and 2 points for 5 or fewer rainy days (1 point for 6–10). Average highs above 35 °C or below 8 °C make it a tough month whatever the rain. A rainy day here means 2 mm of rain or more. 4 points = great, 3 = good, 2 = mixed, 0–1 = tough.
Holidays and events in May 2026
- Fri 1 May: Labour Day (Fête du Travail) public holiday
- Fri 8 May: Victory in Europe Day (Victoire 1945) public holiday
- Thu 14 May: Ascension Day (Ascension) public holiday
- Mon 25 May: Whit Monday (Lundi de Pentecôte) public holiday
Banks and many shops close on public holidays, and museums may change their hours, so check before you go.
Things to do in Nice in May
May's weather suits a mix of outdoor sights and museums, so the open-air ones come first.
- Promenade des Anglais — walk or bike the seafront outdoors
- Vieux Nice and Cours Saleya market outdoors
- Castle Hill — the best view of the bay outdoors
- Èze and Monaco — by bus or train outdoors
- Villefranche-sur-Mer — a swim in a calm bay outdoors
- Matisse and Chagall museums indoors
Where to stay: Vieux Nice for character; near the Promenade des Anglais for the sea; Port area for value.
What to pack for Nice in May
- Light layers for the day and a jumper for evenings, which cool to 14 °C (57 °F).
- Comfortable walking shoes.
What a day in Nice costs
| Budget traveller | Mid-range | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical total per person, per day | €60–140 | €170–350 |
Excluding flights. May is usually shoulder season in Nice: fewer crowds than peak months, with prices often a little lower.
May in nearby cities
| City | High / low | Rainy days | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florence | 22° / 12° | 11 | Mixed weather |
| Venice | 21° / 14° | 11 | Mixed weather |
| Rome | 23° / 13° | 10 | Good time to go |
Want the whole trip planned? Join the Journey waitlist: tell it where, when and your budget, and it plans every day hour by hour.
FAQ
Is May a good time to visit Nice?
By the numbers, May is a good time to go: comfortably warm and some rain, with average highs of 21 °C (70 °F) and about 7 rainy days. May is usually shoulder season in Nice: fewer crowds than peak months, with prices often a little lower. The best months for weather are September.
How warm is Nice in May?
Average highs are 21 °C (70 °F) and lows 14 °C (57 °F) (2015–2024 averages). The sea is fresh, around 19 °C (65 °F): fine for a quick swim.
Does it rain a lot in Nice in May?
Expect about 7 days with 2 mm of rain or more, about 62 mm in total. It is the 3rd wettest month of the year in Nice.
Sources: climate averages from Open-Meteo historical weather (ERA5 reanalysis, 2015–2024); sea temperatures from the Open-Meteo marine API (2023–2024); public holidays from Nager.Date. Daylight is calculated for the 15th of the month. Averages are a guide, not a forecast. Costs are typical ranges per person per day, excluding flights.