Festivals in France
Festivals in France are great places to sample French culture in many forms: music, art, theatre, religious pageantry and food. Everybody comes out to enjoy the fun.
The festivities start up full force in Spring. The weather becomes warmer and people go outside. July and August are the busiest months.
Some Festivals in France happen all over the country. Others are specific to the region and its culture.
Bastille Day traditions, a national holiday brings celebrations across France with fireworks, parades and fun for all.
Festivals in the south of France celebrate bullfighting season. This type of
bullfighting is not bloody for the bull and hopefully not bloody for the
matador. One of the matador’s challenge is to jump
over the horns of the charging bull!
All across the country Autumn brings the harvest festivals, and Christmas in France is celebrated with pageants and holiday markets that characterize the regional heritage. For example the most elaborate and beautiful Christmas decorations are in Alsace and reflect its Germanic influence.
Festivals in France Countrywide
The festivals listed below are held all over France or in several regions.
May
- Fête de la TransHumance (end May) Herds of animals are taken up to graze in summer pastures.
June
- Fête de la Musique (June 21)
Celebrating World Music Day with free and paid music events and concerts
http://www.fetedelamusique.culture.fr - Fête de St-Jean (June 24)
Music, bonfires and fireworks celebrating the passing of the summer solstice and the feast of Saint John (Jean) the Baptist
September
- Grape harvest celebrated in the French wine regions
Festivals in France by Region
Alsace Lorraine
April
- Floréal Musical d’Epinal, Vosges Region, Multi genre music festival
May
- Floréal Musical d’Epinal (through mid May), Vosges Region
Multi genre music festival
June/July
- Strasbourg International Music Festival
Aquitaine & Poitou
January
- Festival de la Bande Dessinée (last weekend Jan), Angoulême, Poitou
International strip cartoon festival
July
- Francofolies (mid July), La Rochelle
Music festival - Mont-de Marsan Feria (3rd weekend July)
Bullfights and music
August
- Mimos (1st week Aug), Périgueux, Dordogne
World famous international mime festival - Feria-Bullfight (mid Aug), Dax
Brittany
July
- Tombées de la Nuit (first week July) Rennes
Arts festival - Troménie (2nd Sun July), Locronan
Procession of penitents
October
- Dinard British film Festival (1st week Oct)
August
- Interceltic Festival (2nd week Aug) Lorient
- Malguénac Jazz Festival (end Aug)
World renowned jazz artists perform in beautiful rural setting. Indoor and outdoor performances.
Burgundy
November
- Dijon International Food and Wine Festival (1st 2 weeks Nov)
Traditional food festival - Wine Auctions and Les Trois Glorieuses (3rd weekend) Beaune
Champagne-Ardeche
March
- Tinta' Mars (2 weeks March), Langres
evening cabaret and music festival
Languedoc-Roussillon
January
- Limoux Carnaval (through Mar) weekends
Street festival held since the middle ages.
July
- Pablo Casals Festival (end July – mid Aug) Prades
Music
August
- Pablo Casals Festival (continues through mid Aug) Prades
Music - Fête de St-Louis (around Aug 25) Sete
December
- Limoux Carnaval (Dec – Mar) weekends
Street festival held since the middle ages.
Loire
April/May
- Bourges Spring Festival (end April – early May)
Modern music festival - Europa Jazz Festival (April), Le Mans
Jazz musicians from all around the world - Joan of Arc Festival (end April – early May), Orleans
Pageant and cathedral service - Asparagus harvest (May), mostly in the Loire
- International Garden Festival (mid May – mid Oct), Chaumont sur Loire
http://www.domaine-chaumont.fr - Puys-du-Fou Pageant (May-Sept)
Audio-guides and horse stunts evoke local life through the ages. - Le Printemps des Arts (mid May – June) Nantes area
Baroque dance and music
August
- Foire aux Sorciers (1st Sunday Aug), Bué (near Bourges)
Costumed witch and wizard festival and folk groups - Les Rendezvous de l’Endre (last weekend Aug), Nantes
Jazz and riverboats
October
- Abbey de Fontevraus Music Festival (Oct – Spring)
- International Garden Festival (mid May – mid Oct), Chaumont sur Loire
Massif Central
September
- Le Puy “Roi de l’Oiseau” (2nd week Sept)
Renaissance festival
Normandy
March/April
- Festival de Pâques (Easter week April/March) Deauville
Chamber music festival
September
- Deauville American Film Festival (1st 2 weeks Sept)
November
- Apple Festival (mid Nov), Le Havre
Paris & Vicinity
March
- Banlieues Blues Jazz Festival, St. Denis, N Paris suburbs
April
- Grandes Eaux Musicales (April – Oct), Versailles
Classical music in the grounds of the chateau.
June
- Gay Pride March (June 23), Paris
July
- Grandes Eaux Musicales (continues through Oct), Versailles
Classical music in the grounds of the chateau
- Paris Plage (mid Jul – mid Aug)
Paris and other cities ship in sand for a temporary beach
September
- Grandes Eaux Musicales (Sept - Oct), Versailles
Classical music in the grounds of the chateau
February
- Paris Carnaval (various dates pre Lent), Quartier St-Fargeau, Paris
Picardy
September
- Picardy Cathedral Festival (mid-Sept)
Classical concerts in the region’s cathedrals
Provence
March/April
- Feria Pascale (Easter week March/April) Arles
Town parties celebrating the beginning of the bull fighting season
May
- Gypsy Pilgrimage (late May), Stes-Maries-de-la-Mer
- Nîmes Feria (Pentacost) (May) bullfights and street music festival
June
- Tarasque Festival (last weekend June) Tarascon
An effigy of the Tarasque (half-animal half-witch) which by legend the town is named after, is paraded through the streets. - Festival d’Art Lyrique (Jun-Jul), Aix-en-Provence
July
- Avignon Theatre Festival (month of July)
- Nice Jazz Festival (late Jul)
August
- Fête de la Véraison (1st or 2nd weekend Aug), Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Medieval celebration of thanksgiving for the bounty of the fruit harvest.
November
- Truffle Season (Nov – March), Périgord, Quercy and Provence
Pyrénées
March/April
- Lourdes Pilgrimage (Palm Sunday – October)
July/August
- Comminges Music Festival (Jul – end Aug)
- St-Jean-Pied-de-Port-Basques- Fête (mid Aug)
October
- Espelette Red Pepper Festival (last weekend Oct), Basque region
Rhône-Alps
March
- Grenoble Jazz Festival (2 weeks March)
July
- Jazz Vienne (1st 2 weeks July), Vienne
September
- “Musicades” (1st 2 weeks Sept), Lyon
classical music concert
December
- Criterium International de la Première Neige (early Dec), Val d’Isère
First competition of the season
French Riviera (Côte d'Azur)
January
- Festival du Cirque (end Jan), Monaco
International Circus Festival with circus acts from around the world. Ok, not France but definitely the Riviera and it looks like so much fun.
February/March
- Lemon Festival (mid Feb – Mar), Menton
Fête de Mimosa (3rd Sun Feb), Bormes-les-Mimosas - Nice Carnival and the Battle of Flowers (late Feb – early Mar)
http://www.nicecarnaval.com
May
- La Bavade (May), St Tropez
- Cannes Film Festival (2nd and 3rd week May)
July
- International Jazz Festival (2nd half July), Antibes and Juan-les-Pins
August
- Fête du Jasmin (1st weekend Aug), Grasse
Floats, music, dancing in town
- Parade of Lavender Floats (1st or 2nd weekend Aug), Digne
I hope this list helps you find the festivals in France that suit your interest so you can attend and have a fun time.
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