Narrowing the list of best festivals & events in France down to just 20 was always going to be a challenge. With its rich tapestry of landscapes, history, traditions and gastronomy, France offers plenty of opportunities for good days out. Add to this a national passion for celebrations and you come up with an excellent calendar of events across the length and breadth of the country.
So we’ve gone with the premise of including something for everyone and to cover just about everywhere in France. That means that wherever you’re planning to spend your next holidays in France there’ll be an amazing event nearby!
Scroll down for some truly exceptional festivals and events in France, listed in calendar order.
Best snowy event in France – La Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc
Month: January
Combine this event with: a turn on the slopes and enjoy some of the best skiing in Europe.
One of our choices starts the year at minimum temperatures and maximum altitudes. The annual Grande Odyssée challenges the world’s best mushers and their sled dog teams to a tough 10 stage competition. Taking place at 22 ski resorts in Savoie and Haute Savoie, the snowy Odyssey covers 384km with each stage including a big variation in altitude. Mushers can choose to race with 6 to 10 dogs as they compete for the big prize of €10,000 and the prizes and the honour of being crowned one of the best in the world.
When you’re not cheering on the mushers and their hounds, peripheral activities include firework displays, igloo building and snowshoe treks plus you can try your hand at guiding huskies across the snow.
Best classical music events in France – La Folle Journée
Month: January/February
Combine this event with: the breathtaking thrill of exploring Brittany in winter. A 2-hour flight from the UK will land you on the Loire just in time for a Beethoven concert (or 250).
France is famous for its music festivals and La Folle Journée held every year in Nantes ranks among the best. The 5-day event seeks to bring classical music to everyone so the 250 or so concerts have wallet-friendly prices or, even better, are free of charge. Each year has a different theme: in 2023, it was Ode to the Night.
Best fruity festivals & event in France – Fête du Citron
Month: February/March
Combine this event with: typical local gastronomy where citrus fruits feature on the menu. Discover 18 delicious things to eat in Provence.
Winter is anything but dull in Menton on the Mediterranean coast near the Italian border. For two weeks from mid-February the town celebrates one of the zestiest events in France with its Lemon Festival. Some 145 tonnes of citrus fruits (oranges as well as lemons) form part of sculptures in the Blovès Garden while the Corsos des Fruits d’Or parades on Sundays offer a lemony spectacle of dance, music and acrobatics.
Best let-your-hair-down event in France – Mulhouse Carnival
Month: March
Combine this event with: a visit to Strasbourg, one of the top places to visit in France. Our Rhine river cruises include a stop-off at the city as they make their way north to Amsterdam.
While Carnival in France doesn’t quite rank up there with Brazil, it’s still a great opportunity to experience a bit of winter joie de vivre. The picturesque town of Mulhouse in Alsace-Lorraine celebrates Carnival in style with a long weekend of fun festivities. The weekend after Shrove Tuesday includes a colorful parade with floats, music and dance with the Carnival King and Queen as guests of honor.
Best artistic festivals & events in France – Normandy Impressionist Festival
When: April to September
Combine this event with: front seat views of the scenic countryside in Normandy as you cruise along the River Seine. Take the river cruise between Paris and the English Channel and see for yourself why Impressionists loved the area so much.
Normandy boasts more than its fair share of Impressionist connections. Some of the movement’s greatest names such as Boudin, Degas and Monet were born and brought up in the region.
The Normandy Impressionist Festival pays homage to one of the world’s favorite art genre with five months of festivities. Many of the events take place in Caen and Rouen with Monet’s home at Giverny also a main stage. Expect exhibitions, dance and literature performances and son et lumière shows. The event is now held every 4 years, with the next taking place in 2024.
Best breezy event in France – kite festivals
When: April to September
Combine this event with: some messing about on the river on a self-hire boat. Easy to drive and with endless possibilities. Find out what’s available where.
One of the best events in France for families, the Festival de Cerf Volant takes to the skies on the lovely sandy beach at Châtelaillon-Plage. The 3-day event celebrates the art of kite making and flying and showcases the flyers’ skills and prowess. Up in the air making the most of the area’s strong breezes will also be kite and windsurfers as well as the French Air Force with aerial displays.
Kite festivals in France are more commonplace than you might think though. The Dieppe International Kite Festival takes place in September every even-numbered year, so the next one is in 2024.
Best historic event in France – Great Roman Games
When: April-October (variable)
Combine this event with: a look at the Nîmes aqueduct that includes the Pont du Gard, one of the greatest UNESCO world heritage sites in France.
As fans of Asterix know, the Romans occupied most of France. One of their main centers was Nîmes, home to one of Europe’s best-preserved amphitheatres (still with a capacity of 24,000) and host to the annual Great Roman Games. Each edition celebrates Julius Caesar and his conquest of Rome with two days of Roman-themed entertainment in the arena. The actors’ attention to detail in costume and the enactment of gladiator fights, chariot races and games is legendary and you’ll truly believe you’re in Roman Nîmes 2,000 years ago.
Best horticultural event in France – Chaumont International Garden Festival
When: May-November (variable)
Combine this event with: a Loire river cruise as you admire some of the over 1,000 châteaux that grace this very scenic river. Pick your cabin and dates here.
Gardeners simply cannot miss this annual event that showcases the very best in contemporary garden design. Artists and landscape gardeners come together to create spaces that must look their best at the end of the event in late October but bloom bright and beautiful for the whole six months. Non-horticultural fans will enjoy the art exhibitions plus a tour around Chaumont Château with its fairy tale turrets and towers.
Best re-enactment event in France – Joan of Arc Festivities
When: June
Combine this event with: the Fêtes Johanniques aren’t the only reason to visit Reims
A list of the must-see festivals and events in France has to include the country’s greatest heroine, Jeanne d’Arc and perhaps the best festivities in her name take place in Reims. The medieval city commemorates the coronation of Charles VII in 1429 when he arrived in the city accompanied by Joan of Arc. The Notre Dame Cathedral takes centre stage and a re-enactment of the coronation procession takes place against a backdrop of medieval minstrels, jugglers, falconry and fair.
Best performing arts festival in France – Festival d’Avignon
When: July
Combine this event with: the getaway of a lifetime on board a luxury barge hotel as you meander gently down the Rhone to the Mediterranean.
Along with Picasso’s Demoiselles and Le Pont, Avignon is also famous for its Festival. The largest international festival of live performances takes place over three weeks in July at 40 locations in the town. Some 30 companies from all over the world descend on this picturesque corner of Provence bringing spectators the very best in live theatre, dance, music and the visual arts.
Best cycling event in France – Tour de France
When: July
Combine this event with: cheering on the cyclists while on a luxury hotel barge. Several of our routes coincide with the Tour de France so check out the map and then choose your river holiday!
And probably the world too since the Tour de France is the highlight of the cycling calendar for participants and spectators. The 21 stages over the 3-week event always provide a fascinating spectacle for those watching and some seriously gruelling exercise for the cyclists.
Best national event in France – Bastille Day in Paris
When: 14 July 2020
Combine this event with: a river cruise taking in the City of Lights (perfect for watching the fireworks) as you explore the capital’s finest monuments and attractions.
No list of festivals and events in France would be complete without a nod to French National Day. The country celebrates 14 July with gusto nationwide, but some of the best festivities take place in Paris.
Start your day at the Military Parade on the Champs-Elysées and then grab the best spot to watch one of the world’s best firework displays. The 30-minute show takes place on the Eiffel Tower and the Champs de Mars after a classical music concert at the foot of the tower. Vive la France!
Best blooming event in France – Rose Days
When: June/July
Combine this event with: trying some of the area’s delicious sparkling Saumur wine that at its best, ranks alongside champagne.
If roses are your thing then Doué-en Anjou is your destination in early summer. The town cultivates roses like nowhere else – it’s home to some 7 million bushes – and celebrates this queen of flowers every year for four days in mid-July.
During Les Journées de la Rose, some 100,000 blooms go on display in the town’s cave galleries where arrangements take center stage among fountains and lights. Meanwhile, local aficionados compete for the best garden rose in what must be one of the world’s toughest competitions.
Best festival event in France – Festival de Carcassonne
When: July 2020
Combine this event with: a tour of the most famous canal in France, the Canal du Midi on board a luxury hotel barge. As well as Carcassonne you’ll discover all the other gems on this stunning waterway. Take a look
If the picture perfect medieval castle wasn’t enough, Carcassonne takes things up another notch in July with its annual festival. Over 100 performances take place including opera, dance, rock and pop, and theatre at two venues in the walled town, both equally atmospheric. When each year’s programme is released expect plenty of big names – just about anyone who’s anyone in rock and pop has performed at Carcassonne.
Best bang event in France – Festival of Fireworks
When: July/August
Combine this event with: exploring the natural beauty of the Camargue on board your very own self-hire boat. Navigate the tranquil waterways and discover authentic France, a world away from the noise, glitz and glamour of Cannes!
The best festivals and events in France go off with a bang and this festival takes bangs to another level. The Cannes Festival Pyrotechnique brings together the world’s greatest firework show designers at an annual ‘battle’ in July and August.
Every Sunday night for six weeks, Cannes Bay lights up with a seafront show as competitors vie to produce the best lights, rhythm and synchronisation.
Best fragrant event in France – Corso de la Lavande
When: August
Combine this event with: a visit to the lavender fields of France, a real treat for all the senses. Find out where to see the best blooms here.
July and August smell very sweet in Provence, home to some of the largest lavender fields in the world. The historic capital of lavender, Dignes-les-Bains in Haute Provence, celebrates this very fragrant bloom during the 5-day Lavender Parade in early August.
The floral floats parade down the streets while passers-by receive lavender bags before the funfair and fireworks begin every evening.
Best dance event in France – Biennial de la Danse
When: September/October
Combine this event with: discovering the wonderful city of Lyon, the gastronomic capital of France and home to some simply stunning things to see. Find out more
If you’re a fan of dance in any genre, you’re in luck when Lyon celebrates the next edition of the Biennial de la Danse. For five weeks in September and October, the city comes alive with performances from dancers showcasing ballet, hip-hop, contemporary dance, circus… The event includes around 40 shows as well as street performances.
Best running events in France – Châteaux du Médoc Marathon
When: October
Combine this event with: a well-deserved rest after your epic run as you cruise the Garonne Canal and discover the delights of this very pretty part of France.
Well, it perhaps isn’t the best but the Châteaux du Médoc Marathon is definitely one of the most unusual running events in France. Contestants dress up according to the chosen theme (gastronomy in 2023) and side-events include vineyard tours and a pasta party.
The route for the full, half and relay marathons includes the stunning town of Pauillac before heading for the nearby vineyards. Scenic with a capital S.
Best wine events in France – Hospice de Beaune wine auction
When: November
Combine this event with: a few days in Dijon where stunning architecture and the finest mustard mingle amongst fine Burgundy wines.
As you’d expect, wine festivals and events in France run in hundreds, but one of the most iconic is the Burgundy wine auction that takes place on the third Sunday in November. Wine producers, buyers and spectators gather at the Hôtel Dieu, built for the poor in 1443 whose roof sports some of the most impressive multi-colored tiles in Burgundy. The prices set at the auction mark those for Burgundy wine over the next year.
Best bubbly festivals & events in France – Habits de Lumière Epernay
When: December
Combine this event with: the sparkle of Champagne from the decks of a Christmas river cruise
With the festive season on the horizon, champagne makes an ideal region to visit just before Christmas. The capital of bubbles, Epernay celebrates in style with Les Habits de Lumière, a 3-day festival of light in mid-December. Highlights include the parades up and down l’avenue de Champagne, the lit-up façades of the champagne houses with bars serving their house fizz, and the son et lumière shows with fireworks in the evenings.
And if we haven’t exhausted you with this list of events in France, we’re on hand to help you find the best boating holiday for your budget.
Get in touch and we’ll happily assist.
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