Representatives of the Rio carnival in Brazil or the Dominican Republic have adorned this grand parade with their shimmering costumes, which marks the anniversary of a carnival tradition that dates back to Nice in the Middle Ages and was formalized there in 1873.
Placed under the sign of "Treasures of the world", the very colorful floats traveled in a festive atmosphere along a route placed under close surveillance by the police, under a welcome sun to warm up the chilly atmosphere of February.
Le Roi lui-même, un immense personnage de plus de 15 mètres de hauteur, rend hommage aux monuments du monde, du Colisée en passant par Big Ben ou la statue de Liberté, autant de symboles qui partiront en fumée lors de l'incinération du Roi le dernier jour du carnaval le 26 février. Tout aussi majestueuse, la Reine du carnaval, juchée sur une pagode, est entourée de différents symboles inspirés du thème des "Mille et une aventures".
Parade pour les 150 ans du carnaval de Nice, le 11 février 2023 © Valery HACHE / AFP
En 2020, le carnaval avait été écourté; en 2021, il avait été annulé et en 2022, il avait eu lieu mais avec une jauge réduite.
"We are filling up our hotel business, with 30% more reservations than the average of the last five years, and we have sold almost 95% of our ticketing", rejoiced the mayor of the city Christian Estrosi in the preamble to the opening ceremony.
The stands and walkways can accommodate 18,000 paying spectators at each of the ten parades scheduled for the fortnight.
In total, 200,000 people are expected in Nice during the carnival period, one of the main in the world with Rio and Venice.
Parade for the 150th anniversary of the Nice carnival, February 11, 2023 © Valery HACHE / AFP
Although it is celebrating its 150th anniversary, this is only the 138th edition of this carnival, as it did not take place during the two world wars or during the war in Iraq in 1991 and, in 2021, because of the health crisis.
© 2023 AFP