Two different housing patterns
Our Nice–Cannes comparison examined everyday journeys and local services. Holiday rentals add another question: how does the chosen building function throughout the year?
According to INSEE’s 2023 data, second homes and occasional-use dwellings represent 44.2% of housing in Cannes and 13.8% in Nice. That is approximately 32,500 and 33,200 homes respectively: similar numbers within housing stocks of very different sizes.
This category includes homes used by their owners. Measuring holiday rentals themselves requires separate data on registered properties, active listings and overnight stays.
How the housing stock changed
| Second homes and occasional-use dwellings | 2012 | 2017 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nice: number of homes | 28,722 | 31,344 | 33,235 |
| Nice: share of housing stock | 12.8% | 13.7% | 13.8% |
| Cannes: number of homes | 28,967 | 31,433 | 32,466 |
| Cannes: share of housing stock | 40.9% | 44.1% | 44.2% |
Source: INSEE censuses, using consistent municipal boundaries as of 1 January 2026. The category combines second homes and occasional-use dwellings.
Between 2017 and 2023, their number rose by approximately 6.0% in Nice and 3.3% in Cannes. Their share of each city’s housing stock increased by only 0.1 percentage point. Read the trend in both ways: how many homes were added and their place within the whole housing stock.
This series ends in 2023. It describes the context for the 2026 rules; later data will be needed to assess Nice’s September quotas.
How local procedures developed
Cannes. The municipal page states that major platforms have removed listings without a registration number since 1 June 2018. The city requires advance registration of all furnished tourist accommodation, whether a main or second home. The 13-character number must appear in the listing. The page states a 120-day annual letting limit for main residences.
Nice. A new change-of-use regulation applies from 1 September 2026. Tourist letting of a second home requires authorisation from the first night. The first temporary authorisation under the general regime lasts five years; four zones have a combined limit of 691 new authorisations in 2026. Older descriptions of a three-year term need to be checked against the transitional rules.
For a genuine main residence, Nice’s regulation provides an exemption from authorisation within 120 letting days per year. Conditions, compensation and transitional provisions are explained in our detailed legal article.
This comparison covers documented procedures. The Cannes page reviewed explains registration; we did not find a complete equivalent regulation on authorisations and quotas in the municipal sources examined. Before planning holiday letting in Cannes, obtain a written answer from the city for the intended address and ownership arrangement.
Cannes’ season extends beyond summer holidays
According to the Palais des Festivals report published in July 2026, the venue hosted 168 events over 340 days of activity in 2025, including 79 professional and 89 cultural events. These describe the venue’s calendar; an individual apartment’s occupancy requires its own records.
Prospective residents should therefore plan viewings around business events as well as summer. Compare evening access, lift use, bedroom sound insulation and parking during an ordinary week and an event.
Questions about the building
Ask the syndic, the building manager, for the co-ownership rules and meeting minutes. Check whether owners have discussed holiday letting, noise, guest access, key boxes or additional communal expenses. Those discussions identify questions to investigate; visits establish actual conditions.
For living there, examine how often neighbours change, night-time quiet and shops available outside peak weeks. For letting, add lawful use, arrival management and a complete annual budget.
If the seller presents rental income, request a monthly history: occupied nights, the price actually received, platform fees, cleaning, management and owner expenses. This reveals the property’s seasonality. A high festival-week rate alone cannot establish an annual budget.
Compare Nice and Cannes at the level of the address and building. City statistics provide context; documents, journeys and visits establish whether an apartment suits your life and intended rental use.
Sources and verification date
Checked on 21 September 2026. Data periods are identified in the article.
