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Here’s your May update:
May is still one of the busiest months on the French Riviera, but the rhythm has shifted this year — for the first time in F1 history, the Monaco Grand Prix has permanently moved to June (5–7), so the headline May event is now the Cannes Film Festival, with the Monaco E-Prix on the Ascension weekend.
That said, if you’re visiting Monaco this month, brace yourself: the Grand Prix grandstands and safety fencing are already going up around the circuit, and they stay in place for roughly six weeks between the Historic GP and the F1 race. That means closed streets, blocked harbor and Casino Square views, restaurants with their terraces partially walled in by chain-link fence, and a generally disrupted city. If you’ve come for the postcard-perfect Monte-Carlo views, you may not get them in May. It’s not just a race-weekend disruption anymore; it’s a season-long one.
The private beach clubs of Saint-Tropez, Cannes, Nice and the rest of the Riviera have opened for the summer season, offering sunbathing, swimming, and an array of water sports — and they’re already busy.
Our suggestion? Don’t rent a car, as parking is nearly impossible in many places. Instead, take the train and Uber the rest of the way (unless you’re going to Monaco, in which case you’ll need to learn where the public elevators are since Uber is banned here). And book restaurants, hotels, and everything else far in advance — this season promises to be a busy one, and you don’t want to miss out on the best restaurants and clubs. Here are some tips about booking hotels and vacation rentals.
If you’re a car person, Top Marques Monaco runs May 6–10 at the Grimaldi Forum — over 235 supercars, hypercars and one-off creations. The public can visit on the weekend (May 9–10). Insider warning: Top Marques is genuinely annoying for residents. Every parking lot in Larvotto fills up, so locals are left circling, normally chill restaurants become noisy and booked up, and the streetcorners around the Grimaldi Forum get clogged with young men loitering, trying to film supercars as they leave the show.
The following weekend (May 16 & 17), it’s worth coming to Monaco for the E-Prix — the electric version of the Grand Prix. Honestly, a lot of locals prefer it to the F1: tickets start at €35, the cars are not nearly as noisy, and the crowds are more manageable. Same iconic track, fraction of the price and chaos. For details, check our guide to car races in Monaco.
If you’re still planning to attend the Monaco Grand Prix, our complete guide has all the insider tips — just remember the dates are now June 5–7.
In between, you can attend the Cannes Film Festival (May 12–23) — if you can find a hotel with space, as you’ll be competing with filmmakers, studio executives, distributors and star-gazers. A few things most first-timers don’t realize: almost every screening inside the Palais requires a professional badge, so unless you have one or know someone who does, you’re not actually seeing competition films. The exception is Cinéma de la Plage, the festival’s free open-air screenings on Plage Macé — these are open to anyone, no badge needed, and they show classics and out-of-competition premieres. Also: the A8 between Nice and Cannes turns into a parking lot during the festival, and Cannes hotels routinely triple their normal rates. Check out our complete guide to the Cannes Film Festival for more insider tips.
Looking for something more chill this May? On May 23rd, museums across Nice (including Matisse + Chagall) stay open late with fun events, live shows, and free entry for European Museum Night. From May 29th to 31st, head to Nice for the 30th edition of the Festival du Livre at the Jardin Albert 1er — over 200 authors, free entry, and this year’s theme is “transmission,” with Antoine Compagnon of the Académie française as president of honor. Our events calendar has all the details.
Crazy local history: Do you know the real story behind the Cap Moderne villa museum on Cap Martin? It involves nudity, jealousy, vandalism, and a feud between celebrity designers. Go see it yourself — but make sure to secure a reservation.
Want to know why property prices seem so insanely high? Because it actually is a form of insanity; it’s not reflective of actual selling prices, but of competition between real estate agents, and pie-in-the-sky seller speculation. Learn about how to avoid getting scammed in our unbiased guide to the French Riviera real estate market.
Thinking of renting a villa? Watch out for these pitfalls (yes, even with big agencies!)
Got tips or feedback? Email us at hello@iconicriviera.com
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