Festivals & events

43 celebrations through the year — pick a day to see what's on.

• New Year's Day (1 January · All regions · National) — National public holiday marking the start of the new year celebrated across France.
• Monte-Carlo Tennis Masters (All April · Roquebrune-Cap-Martin · Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur) — Premier tennis tournament held on the French Riviera attracting top players worldwide.
• Easter Monday (All April · All regions · National) — National public holiday following Easter Sunday, observed throughout France.
• Cannes Film Festival (All May · Cannes · Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur) — World's most prestigious film festival showcasing new films from all genres and countries.
• May Day (1 May · All regions · National) — National public holiday celebrating international workers' day with parades and festivities.
• Ascension Day (All May · All regions · National) — National public holiday marking the ascension of Jesus Christ celebrated throughout France.
• Whit Monday (All May · All regions · National) — National public holiday following Whitsunday, marking the descent of the Holy Spirit.
• Les Vieilles Charrues (All July · Carhaix-Plouguer · Brittany) — One of France's largest music festivals featuring rock, pop, and world music performances.
• Tour de France (All July · All regions · Île-de-France) — World's most famous cycling race covering approximately 3,500 km across France.
• Bastille Day (14 July · All regions · National) — National public holiday celebrating the storming of the Bastille with fireworks and parades.
• Festival d'Avignon (All July · Avignon · Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur) — Prestigious theatre and performing arts festival held in the historic Papal Palace.
• Montreux Jazz Festival (proximity) (All July · Lyon area · Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes) — Iconic jazz festival held just across the border, attracting international artists and music lovers.
• Paléo Festival (All July · Nyon (near border) · Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes) — Multi-genre Swiss festival near French Alps featuring rock, pop, and world music acts.
• Festival Interceltique de Lorient (All August · Lorient · Brittany) — Unique Celtic music and culture festival celebrating Breton, Irish, and Scottish traditions.
• Assumption of Mary (15 August · All regions · National) — National public holiday celebrating the Assumption, one of France's most important religious observances.
• Jazz à Juan (All July · Juan-les-Pins · Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur) — Glamorous jazz festival on the French Riviera featuring world-class musicians and coastal ambiance.
• Nice Jazz Festival (All July · Nice · Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur) — Major jazz festival held in the Côte d'Azur with performances in historic outdoor venues.
• Francofolies de La Rochelle (All July · La Rochelle · New Aquitaine) — Major French music festival celebrating francophone music from around the world.
• All Hallows' Day (1 November · All regions · National) — National public holiday honoring the deceased and visiting cemeteries across France.
• Armistice Day (11 November · All regions · National) — National public holiday commemorating the end of World War I with ceremonies and tributes.
• Christmas Day (25 December · All regions · National) — National public holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ with family gatherings and festivities.
• Marché de Noël des Champs-Élysées (All December · Paris · Île-de-France) — Iconic Christmas market on Paris's most famous avenue with crafts, food, and holiday cheer.
• Strasbourg Christmas Market (All November · Strasbourg · Grand East) — One of Europe's most beautiful and famous Christmas markets with traditional Alsatian crafts.
• Fête de la Musique (21 June · All regions · Île-de-France) — National music celebration on summer solstice with free performances in streets and venues across France.
• Carnaval de Nice (All February · Nice · Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur) — World-famous carnival with elaborate floats, parades, and masked balls along the Côte d'Azur.
• Carnaval de Dunkerque (All February · Dunkerque · Hauts-de-France) — Historic carnival with traditional parades, music, and Northern French traditions.
• Fêtes de Bayonne (All August · Bayonne · New Aquitaine) — Week-long festival of running with bulls, music, and Basque traditions.
• Puy du Fou Festival (All June · Les Epesses · Pays de la Loire) — Spectacular historical pageant featuring pyrotechnics and reenactments set in a 55-hectare venue.
• Festival de Deauville (All September · Deauville · Normandy) — Prestigious film festival on the Normandy coast celebrating cinema and American films.
• Festival de Trouville (All September · Trouville-sur-Mer · Normandy) — Companion festival to Deauville featuring classic films and cinema heritage events.
• Fête des Vendanges de Montmartre (All October · Paris · Île-de-France) — Charming harvest festival celebrating the grape harvest in Paris's historic Montmartre vineyard.
• Festival des Vins du Chablis (All November · Chablis · Burgundy-Franche-Comté) — Wine festival celebrating the prestigious Chablis whites in the heart of Burgundy wine country.
• Gastronomie Lyonnaise (All September · Lyon · Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes) — Celebration of Lyon's renowned culinary traditions featuring local restaurants and food demonstrations.
• Festival du Cirque de Toulouse (All April · Toulouse · Occitania) — International circus festival showcasing acrobatics, performances, and contemporary circus arts.
• Roquefort Festival (All May · Roquefort-sur-Soulzon · Occitania) — Celebration of the famous blue cheese with tastings, exhibitions, and traditional craftsmanship demonstrations.
• Les Eurockéennes de Belfort (All July · Belfort · Burgundy-Franche-Comté) — Major rock and pop festival in eastern France featuring international and French artists.
• Festival du Film d'Amiens (All November · Amiens · Hauts-de-France) — Respected film festival showcasing independent and artistic cinema from around the world.
• Festival de Loire (All September · Orléans · Centre-Val de Loire) — Biennial performing arts festival along the Loire Valley celebrating theatre, music, and dance.
• Festa di a Citadella (All May · Corte · Corsica) — Historic reenactment festival celebrating Corsican heritage and traditions in the Citadel.
• Festival des Hasards Burlesque (All May · Marseille · Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur) — Contemporary circus and physical theatre festival blending comedy, acrobatics, and avant-garde performance.
• FIAC - Foire Internationale d'Art Contemporain (All October · Paris · Île-de-France) — International contemporary art fair in Paris featuring galleries and artists from around the world.
• Paris Fashion Week (All March · Paris · Île-de-France) — One of the world's most prestigious fashion weeks showcasing haute couture and ready-to-wear collections.
• Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (All October · Paris · Île-de-France) — Europe's most valuable horse race held in Paris, attracting high society and racing enthusiasts.