Near Nice. Disappearing ice rinks in Christmas markets?
By Manon Reinhardt
Published on
It’s one of your favorite winter activities. Everyone knows ice skating rinks ephemera that traditionally accompany Christmas markets. But this animation is gradually disappearing from the big cities of the Riviera, facing the ecological issues and the problem of energy consumption.
A Pleasant (Alpes-Maritimes), the ice rink normally installed on Place Masséna, in the Christmas village, is not anymore. Other cities in the vicinity have however decided to maintain them or to propose alternatives. Make the point.
Cagnes sur Mer, Grasse, Cannes…
Here’s where you can put on your skates on the Côte d’Azur during the end-of-year festivities:
- In Cagnes-sur-Mer : a 400 m² ice rink has been fitted out with the Christmas market on place de Gaulle. It is completely free and accessible to everyone from 3 years old, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., every day. A night is also planned until 10 p.m., Wednesday, December 21, 2022. Minors are under the responsibility of a parent present on site. Open until December 31, 2022.
- In Grasse: the launch of the Christmas market is scheduled for Friday, December 16, 2022, at 6 p.m., in the town. An ice rink will be available to visitors on the Cours Honoré-Cresp. Several animations are there organized. It will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- In Mougins: from December 7 to 30, 2022, the city installed an ephemeral ice rink in its Christmas village, avenue Jean-Charles-Mallet. It is open on Wednesdays, weekends and during school holidays, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please note: gloves are mandatory but the skates are ready on site.
- At Cannes : a 350 m² natural ice rink has been installed. It is open Sunday to Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. An instructor is present every morning for initiations to beginners. Registration is done directly on site. The ice rink is free for children from 4 to 10 years old, every morning, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. It is then accessible to all in 45-minute sessions. Count 3 euros per person. The equipment is provided but not the gloves.
- In Valbonne: the town offers an ice rink on the course of the Abbey until December 24, 2022, with a snack area and entertainment planned for children. Open from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., on December 16 and 16, 2022, then every day from December 17, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.
No ice rink in Nice and Menton
In Nice, for two years, we no longer see the ephemeral ice rink on Place Masséna. Questioned, the services of Christian Estrossi indicates that it was not installed in 2021 “for health reasons”. But no more explanations for this year.
On the other hand, in the city of the lemon, the municipality claims “redesigned animations” and eco-responsible on son website. “In 2022, exit the ice rink for obvious reasons of energy costs”, can we read there.
And in Monaco… a skating rink
To try to lower the bill, the Monegasque principality has bet on a great novelty: a roller track now replaces the mythical ice rink normally present on the port.
The Minister of State, Pierre Dartout, justified this choice by an activity “too energy-intensive, especially since it is in the open air and often in direct sunlight”, as relayed by our colleagues from Monaco-Morning. An innovation that should allow the princely government to save 15 to 20% of electricity, according to the local newspaper.
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