Festivals in France
Festivals in France take all forms and shapes, dating from recent to ancient in origins. The music festival calendar is enormous. In 1982 the Minister for Culture founded the Fête de la Musique which now boasts approximately 10,000 free concerts across France on June 21 with both amateurs and professionals. Regardless of the type of festivals you enjoy, festival foods are always in abundance.
Searching for Chocolate Festivals in France? Midsummer should find you in Bayonne, capital of the French Basque country where the gift of chocolate was brought to France by refugees fleeing the Spanish Inquisition.
Christmas festivals in France are celebrated with the Marché de Noëls which can be found across the Alsace Lorraine Regions. Also, virtually every town has some sort of Bastille Day celebration on July 14, many of which include fireworks.
Some festivals in France are as old as France herself. The transhumance occurs during the spring and fall when shepherds take their flocks from winter to summer grazing grounds or vice versa. This is a time of thanksgiving, with a Mass, music and wine. Another one of the festivals in France that virtually every town has is some sort of Bastille Day celebration on July 14, many of which include fireworks.
Saint Gengoux-le-National, night market
Festivals in France by Region
The festivals in France you find below are alphabetically divided by locale. Many smaller festivals in France provide just as much fun but may not be publicized except in and around the village in which they take place. The night market I have listed for St-Gengoux-le-National falls under that category. You find it here because we have spent two summers in the village where it takes place. The St Gengoux link will take you to the village page.
- Strasbourg
- Summer Festival (Les Festiv’Étés) with fireworks, cathedral illumination and street fairs
- Marché de Noël (Christmas Market), last Saturday of November through December 24th.
- Mondial de la Bière (World of Beer) – October, www.mondialbierestrasbourg.com
- Riesling du Mondial (World of Riesling Wine) – March www.riesling-du-monde.com
- Colmar
- Soirées Folkloriques – traditional Alsatian music and dancing Tuesday evening mid-May through mid-September.
- Festival International de Colmar –www.festival-colmar.com
- Marché Noël (Christmas Market) runs from the last Saturday of November through December 31. www.festival-colmar.com
- Nancy
- Jazz Pulsations, October, www.nancyjazzpulsations.com
- Marché Noël (Christmas Market), December, See more at www.spectacles-publications.com
- Metz
- Fête de la Mirabelle (Mirabelle Plum Festival) – August
- Marché Noël (Christmas Market), December,www.noel-a-metz.com
Note: When it comes to festivals in France, you will find a multitude of Christmas Markets throughout the Alsace Lorraine Regions during December.
- Fête du vélo in Anjou-Europe-wide event that hosts more than 30,000 cyclists on the banks of the Loire, www.fete-du-velo.com
- Saumur
- Cadre Noir Musical- held the end of September, www.cadrenoir.fr
- International Horse Shows- Le Mondial du Lion 2011, is the annual FEI World Championship for Young Event Horses. In 2011, 23 nations were represented at this competition.www.mondialdulion.com
- Cholet – The Harlequin Festival is held mid April each year and is a competition for amateur theatre groups. www.ville-cholet.fr/arlequins
- Puy Notre Dame- The Retro Grand Prix is held at the last weekend of July with the rally route going through the ville of Puy Notre Dame, www.grandprixretro-puynotredame.com
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- Saint Malo–
- Carnaval of St Malo, mid April, a weekend of fun for the young and young at heart.
- Music Festival – There are several opportunities for Music Festivals in France. End of April, Mid-June
- Folklore du Monde (Folklore of the World Festival) – July 3 through July 10 with music and dancing
- Festival de Musique Sacrée (Festival of Sacred Music) – a month-long festival running from mid-July to mid-August.
- Quai des Bulles Festival de la Bande Desinée (Graphic Comic Festival) – held the end of October annually
- Carhaix – Les Vieilles Charrues de Carhaix, a music festival of Rock, song, electro, pop, soul, world, traditional music … in mid-July, www.vieillescharrues.asso.fr
- Brest – Astropolis, music festival late July/early August, www.astropolis.org
- Rennes – Les Trans-musicales de Rennes, a music festival held the first week of December, www.lestrans.com
- Dinan – Festival des Ramparts (Medieval Festival) – is held in even numbered years in late July
- Paimpol – Festival de Chant de Marin is a festival of traditional Breton dancing held in August of even numbered years, www.paimpol-festival.com
- Brest – Les Jeudis du Port, live music, street performers and children’s events mid-July to late-August.
- Presqu’île de Crozon (the scenic peninsula) – Festival du Bout du Monde (Festival of the End of the World) features world music, early to mid-August, www.festivalduboutdumonde.com
- Quimper – Festival de Cornouaille – traditional Celtic music, costumes and culture held between the third Saturday and fourth Sunday of July, www.festival-cornouaille.com
- Lorient – Festival Interceltique de Lorient includes Celtic communities from Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall and Northwest Spain and is held during early August, www.festival-interceltique.com
- Vannes –
- Festival of Jazz held late July – early August
- Les Musicales du Golfe – classical music concerts in early August; www.musicalesdugolfe.com
- Fêtes d’Arvor – celebrates Breton culture August 13-15, www.fetes-arvor.org
- Josselin – Medieval Festival, held mid-July in even numbered years
- Rennes –
- Les Mercredis du Thabor includes traditional Breton dancing and music late afternoon and evenings on Wednesday during July and August
- Tombées de la Nuit- first week of July, music and theatre festival
- Yaouank- night festival of singing, dancing and music with traditional instruments, third Saturday of November.
- Chalon sur Saône – Chalon dans la Rue Festival (Chalon in the Street, www.calondanslarue.com), a transnational street festival which is supposed to be France’s version of the Edinburgh Festival. This festival takes place around the 20th of July and lasts for four days.
- Beaune –
- Wine Festival (Trois Glorieuses Festival) third weekend of November
- International Festival of Baroque Music – features opera, Mozart, Baroque and Romantic music during July; www.festivalbeaune.com
- St-Gengoux-le-National – Night Market (Marché de Nuit), third Friday of July and August, food, music, crafts and fun
- Dijon-International and Gastronomic Faire (Foire Internationale et Gastronomique) with 500+ wine and food booths; www.dijon-expocongres.com
Centre
- Paris –
- Festival Chopin: June and July concerts held in the Orangerie de Bagatelle, Parc de Bagatelle, Bois de Boulogne
- Saint Denis Festival: a month of concerts in June at the Basilica of St Denis, www.festival-saint-denis.com
- Fête du Vélo: rent a bike at the Velib station and join the family fun: 31 May and 1 June 2014; www.comite-promotion-velo.fr/
- Jazz Festival Saint Germain de Près 15-25 May 2014 (mid-May generally)
- Jazz Festival Parc Floral, Bois de Vincennes: concerts every Saturday and Sunday through June and July
- Jazz at La Villette; late July to early August; www.villette.com
Grape Harvest Festival in Montmartre-Festival des Vendanges de Montmartre is held in early October; www.fetedesvendangesdemontmartre.com
- Bourges – a 6 day music festival that began in 1977 has become one of the major music events in Europe, third week of April, www.ville-bourges.fr
- Orleans – Joan of Arc Festival (Fête de Jeane d’Arc), late April – early May with street parties and medieval costume parades, www.fetesjeannedarc.com
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Champagne
- Äy – Chocolate Festival (Fête du Chocolat), late March or early April
- Reims – Joan of Arc Festival (Fête Johaniques) – medieval re-enactments celebrating Joan of Arc, first weekend of June
- Chaumont – International Garden Festival (Festival International des Jardins), May through mid October, www.chaumont-jardins.com
Fête du Citron
Cote d’Azur
Photo courtesy of Office de tourisme de Menton
- Menton – Lemon Festival (Fête du Citron) – celebrating Menton as a major citrus producer since the 15th century, this festival runs mid February through mid March and features giant arrangements made up of citrus fruits (this festival in France compares to the Rose Bowl Parade in California in my opinion); www.fete-du-citron.com
- Cannes – Cannes Film Festival, mid-May; www.festival-cannes.com
- Nice- Nice Jazz Festival, early July; www.nicejazzfestival.fr
French Alps
- Annecy
- Venetian Carnival, February
- Fête du Lac – fireworks over the lake, August
- Le Retour des Alpages – this occurs in October when the cattle come come from the Alps. The cows are wreathed in flowers and bells.
- Les Noctibules – this festival is in July and has street performers.
- Méribel – Altitude Festival, for 6 days in March there are concerts and standup comedy, www.altitudefestival.com
- Les Trois Vallees – an open slope rally in April, www.les3vallee.com/xwing
- Val Thorens – Boarder Week is a freestyle gliding competition, www.boarderweek.com
- Grenoble –
- Grenobel Jazz Festival features jazz greats, March, www.jazzgrenoble.com
- Vues d’en Face – gay and lesbian film festival, April
- Cabaret Frappé – music festival, July
- Festival des 38e Rugissants is a nomadic music festival in November, www.38rugissants.com
Jura Mountains
- Besançon –
- Music Festival (Festival de Musique Besançon) of classical music in September
- Marché de Noel (Christmas Market) in December
- Belfort –
- Rock Festival (Les Eurockéennes), a three day open air music festival in July, www.eurockeennes.fr
- Entre Vues – International Film Festival in France during late November, www.festival-entrevues.com
- Clermont-Ferrand –
- Short-Film Festival, February
- Assumption Day Parade, August 15
- Le Puy-en-Velay –
- Fête du Roi de l’Oiseau – a 4-day street festival held in mid-September that dates back to 1524. Historically, at this festival in France, the first archer to shoot a straw bird was crowned king and got exempt from a year’s worth of taxes.
- Latin Music Festival – mid July
- Folk Festival – week-long folk festival held in late July
- Rouen – Tombée de la Nuit is a street festival in France held during the first week of July.
- Deauville – The American Film Festival is held in September
- Lille – The world’s largest flea market is held the first weekend in September.
Provence
- Avignon- Festival d’Avignon, theatre, dance and music during July; www.festival-avignon.com
- Orange – the Chorégies d’Orange Music and Opera Festival is performed in Roman theater, www.choregies.asso.fr
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Rhone
- Lyon –
- Les Nuits de Fourvière – early June through late July in the Fourvière Roman amphitheatre, www.nuitsdefourviere.fr
- Biannual Dance Festival (Biennale de la Danse) – this month long festival runs mid September to October in even numbered years, www.biennale-de-lyon.org
- Biannual Contemporary Art Festival (Biennale d’Art Contemporain) – month long festival runs mid September to October in even numbered years
- Festival of Lights (Fêtes des Lumières) – this sound and light show is projected on key buildings around Lyon around the time of the Feast of Immaculate Conception, December 8, www.lumieres.lyon.fr
- Festivals in Rhône Alps – for a complete listing of festivals in the Rhône Alps go to www.festivals-ra.com>
Festivals in France take all forms and shapes, and I hope you have found something that fits in your travel plans.