While Nice and its surrounding hills have been covered in snow in recent days, the question of a white Christmas resurfaces. However, this possibility remains limited. According to a ranking by Aladinia, the chances of having a snowy Christmas in Nice are unsurprisingly very low, but what about Europe?
The recently fallen snow on the hills around Nice made a strong impression. The whitened landscapes reminded people of rare winters on the French Riviera. This situation has reignited a recurring question as the holidays approach. Can the snow last until December 25? To answer this, Aladinia analyzed meteorological data from December and Christmas from the period 2000-2020. The study is based on several indicators: the average number of snowy days per year, the average snow depth, the total number of recorded white Christmases, and the average snow depth at Christmas. A final score allows for city comparison.
The ranking lists many European cities. Seven French cities appear in the results. None are at the top of the list. The gaps remain significant compared to cities in Central, Eastern, and Northern Europe.
The highest-ranked French city is Lille. The capital of the North is in 46th place in Europe. The data indicates an average of six snowy days per year and an average depth of 1.96 cm. Over twenty years, Lille has experienced three white Christmases.
Lyon comes just behind, in 49th place. The city records an average of 8.24 snowy days per year with three white Christmases also recorded over the studied period.
Paris is in 51st position. The capital shows an average of 5.50 snowy days per year and only one white Christmas over the twenty years studied.
Toulouse ranks 54th. The southwestern city surprises with certain indicators. The data shows an average of 5.33 snowy days per year, with two white Christmases recorded in this period.
At the bottom of the French ranking, Marseille, Bordeaux, and Nice bring up the rear. The scores remain very low. The likelihood of snow at Christmas appears almost nil.
Nice in last place
Nice is in 59th place in the European ranking. Between 2000 and 2020, the city recorded an average of 4.83 snowy days per year. The average depth remains limited to 1.50 cm. No white Christmas was observed in the studied period.
Nice shares this last place with several Mediterranean cities: Athens, Naples, Rome, Barcelona, Valletta, Monaco, Lisbon, Porto, Bordeaux, or Vatican City. These results confirm a clear trend. Southern Europe remains unsuitable for snow at Christmas. The recent snowfall in the French Riviera appears to be a one-time event. Fortunately for ski enthusiasts, the Alpes-Maritimes are full of ski resorts open for this holiday season. The opening dates vary according to snow cover and local conditions.
Auron and Isola 2000 opened their ski domain on December 6, 2025, with an early opening for a weekend the previous week. Valberg maintained its schedule for December 20. Village resorts, such as Roubion-les-Buisses or Val Pelens, are set to open between December 20 and 27. Some Nordic areas, including Le Boréon, Saint-Dalmas-le-Selvage, or Castérino, will refine their schedules based on upcoming snowfall.
The analysis by Aladinia provides a clear answer. Images of Nice under the snow remain exceptional. The statistics confirm a stable climatic reality over twenty years. To hope for a white Christmas, one must look to the north and east of Europe. For the French Riviera, the white magic remains mostly an ephemeral memory.
