Fall Beach Weather

Not as mean beach goers and many places are starting to clean up their cabanas. 

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When we were planning this trip to Nice, we figured that summer would be too busy. We had visited briefly two years ago and remembered the city being packed with tourists. So, we thought fall would be the perfect balance—fewer crowds, cooler weather, and still enough sunshine to enjoy the beach. But as the trip got closer, we kept obsessively checking the weather reports, and let’s just say the forecasts weren’t looking too promising. The hydraulic outlook for the Mediterranean didn’t exactly scream “sun-soaked beach days.”

That first day, though, was beautiful—sunny with a few clouds scattered here and there, just enough to remind us it wasn’t quite summer anymore. We headed down to the beach, wearing our swimsuits optimistically, but when we dipped our toes in the water, it was colder than we remembered. It was a bit too brisk for us, so we decided to hold off on swimming for now.

Instead, we laid on the rocky beaches, which—let’s be real—are not the most comfortable! If you’ve never been, Nice’s beaches aren’t your typical soft sand. They’re made up of small, smooth stones called "galets," and while they look beautiful, they’re a challenge for bare feet. Every step feels like a mini massage from nature (the painful kind), and lying down? Well, let's just say the rocks always seem to poke you in the wrong spots. We imagined that on a hot summer day, the warmth of the stones might actually feel amazing. But at 72°F with a cool breeze, not so much. Despite the cool temps, locals and braver visitors were out there sunbathing and even swimming. We admired their courage from the safety of our towels.

As the week went on, dark clouds kept rolling in. Swimming in the Mediterranean might be off the cards for us this trip, but we’re not giving up on the water just yet! We’ve been eyeing some kayaking and boat tours—activities that let us be near the sea without fully diving in. Snorkeling is also still on the table, though many of the tours come with a disclaimer about weather postponements. So, fingers crossed the forecast improves!

Lesson learned: for true beach time, you have to endure the summer crowds! The fall is still a fantastic time to explore Nice, though. There are so many events happening around the city, from film festivals to the open-sea swim events. The city is always buzzing with life, even as the weather cools down. So, while our beach days may not be as long as we hoped, we’re still soaking up everything Nice has to offer this season.