Opera Plage, Nice: what the photos don't tell you
Short answer: Pebbles beach facing south. Mid-July: Direct sun on the sand from 06:55 (50 min after sunrise) to 20:20, 53 min before sunset, when the sun drops behind the hills: 13 h 25 of sun in all.
Côte d’Azur: Nice, Cannes, Saint-Tropez.
Thu 15 July 2027
Sun on the sand 06:55–20:20
Direct sun on the sand from 06:55 (50 min after sunrise) to 20:20, 53 min before sunset, when the sun drops behind the hills: 13 h 25 of sun in all. Sunset at sea level: 21:12.
Each block is half an hour from 05:00 to 22:00. sun on the beach · sun up but behind the cliffs or hills · sun down.
Reality check
- Surface
- Pebbles (OpenStreetMap)
- Water shoes
- Recommended: pebbles are hard on bare feet and hot by midday, and urchins live on rocky seabeds. (From the surface)
- Climb back up
- No car park or bus stop mapped within 700 m: expect a walk or a boat. (Elevation model + OpenStreetMap)
- Beach clubs and free sand
- No beach clubs are mapped on this beach. That usually means free sand, but clubs are not always mapped: check recent photos for rows of sunbeds. (OpenStreetMap)
- Natural shade
- Hills 13° high behind the beach shade it some hours before sunset. Midday sun is full: bring an umbrella. (Calculated from the terrain)
- Water depth
- Drops off fast: deep water close to the shore, watch small children. 200 m out about 86 m deep, 400 m out about 112 m deep. (Seabed model with about 100 m detail: the first metres from the shore are not resolved.) (EMODnet Bathymetry)
- Toilets and showers
- None mapped within 400 m. (OpenStreetMap)
- Sea temperature
- August: 25 °C on average. Warmest August (25 °C). (NOAA OISST, 1991–2020 average)
Plan it
Arrive before the sun reaches the sand to get a spot, or come for the last hours of sun when the day crowds leave. A boat trip reaches coves with no road access.
Through the year
Times on the 15th of each month, local time.
| Month | Sun on the sand | Lost to cliffs | Sea | Waves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 08:20–17:10 | 27 min | 14 °C | — |
| February | 07:55–17:45 | 40 min | 13 °C | — |
| March | 07:15–18:15 | 53 min | 14 °C | — |
| April | 07:30–19:40 | 1 h 15 | 15 °C | — |
| May | 06:50–20:05 | 1 h 28 | 18 °C | — |
| June | 06:45–20:25 | 1 h 46 | 21 °C | — |
| July | 06:55–20:20 | 1 h 43 | 24 °C | — |
| August | 07:15–19:55 | 1 h 20 | 25 °C | — |
| September | 07:45–19:15 | 1 h 02 | 22 °C | — |
| October | 08:15–18:30 | 48 min | 20 °C | — |
| November | 07:45–16:55 | 31 min | 17 °C | — |
| December | 08:15–16:45 | 27 min | 15 °C | — |
Questions
What time does the sun leave Opera Plage, Nice?
In mid-July: Direct sun on the sand from 06:55 (50 min after sunrise) to 20:20, 53 min before sunset, when the sun drops behind the hills: 13 h 25 of sun in all. Pick any date above for that day's times.
Is Opera Plage, Nice sand or pebbles?
Pebbles. Water shoes: Recommended: pebbles are hard on bare feet and hot by midday, and urchins live on rocky seabeds.
How far is the walk from parking to Opera Plage, Nice?
No car park or bus stop mapped within 700 m: expect a walk or a boat.
Is the water deep at Opera Plage, Nice?
Drops off fast: deep water close to the shore, watch small children. 200 m out about 86 m deep, 400 m out about 112 m deep. (Seabed model with about 100 m detail: the first metres from the shore are not resolved.)
How warm is the sea at Opera Plage, Nice?
Jan 14 °C, Feb 13 °C, Mar 14 °C, Apr 15 °C, May 18 °C, Jun 21 °C, Jul 24 °C, Aug 25 °C, Sep 22 °C, Oct 20 °C, Nov 17 °C, Dec 15 °C (1991–2020 averages).
Is there free beach at Opera Plage, Nice or only beach clubs?
No beach clubs are mapped on this beach. That usually means free sand, but clubs are not always mapped: check recent photos for rows of sunbeds.
Sun and shade come from the sun's position and the skyline around each beach, measured every 4° of compass direction from a 30 m elevation model out to 6 km. The climb back up is the height difference between the beach and the nearest mapped car park or bus stop (about 0.17 m per step). Water depth comes from the EMODnet seabed model; surface, beach clubs, toilets and showers from OpenStreetMap; sea temperature is the 1991–2020 average from NOAA OISST and waves the 2015–2024 average from ERA5. Prices are not shown: they change every season and differ between clubs. Map data checked 7 Nov 2026; next check 1 Dec 2026 (monthly). Sea averages are refreshed every January. Sun and shade are calculated for any date you pick. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · map record. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information.