Festivals Of France

13 festivals of france that you should not miss.

Festivals are larger than life celebrations of various things. They occur at regular intervals and helping in breaking the monotony of life. Furthermore, they give you the chance to celebrate the little and big things in life. Festivals are the carriers of peace and joy in the communities. All nations of the world have certain religious and cultural festivals.

From history to fantasy, and everything in between, there are plenty of French festivals to help you experience the country’s vibrant culture.

Whether you call France home or are just visiting, going to festivals is a great way to immerse yourself in French culture. Luckily, there are plenty of spectacular French festivals to choose from throughout the year. These celebrate everything from kites and lemons to dragons and opera.

Lets have a look

Nice Carnival

The main annal winter event on the Riviera is one of the largest carnivals (Carnaval in French) in the world, offering a programme of unforgettable entertainment lasting more than two weeks and proving that no one can put on a stylish party quite like the French.
These giant, colourful parades take place day and night, dazzling colours, street theatre and music groups from all over the world, huge paper mache models which tower over the crowds, this is a world class carnival. The vibrant carnival atmosphere means the city is humming to the rhythm as more than a million people arrive to enjoy the magic, forget the dull days of winter and take in the sun on the French Riviera. By night the illuminated floats – the Corso Illuminé – and evening parades light up the heart of Nice (Tuesday and Saturday nights) – always a spectacular sight.

Location: Nice, France
Nice Carnival 2022 Dates: 11 February to 27 February

Les Choregies d’Orange

Chorégies d’Orange is the oldest French festival, dating back to 1869. From June 20 to August 4, 2018, a programme of operas, ballets and recitals will take place in one of the most beautiful and ancient theatres of Europe.
Today, the theatre in Orange must compete against the other regional centres (Avignon, Marseille, Aix en Provence) to attract spectators. Every summer Les Chorégies d’Orange hosts a short program of opera and classical music.

Location: Théâtre antique d’Orange, Provence, France
Les Choregies d’Orange 2022 Dates: From 20th June to 6th August 2022

Festival Of Avignon

Every year in July, Avignon becomes a city-theater, transforming its architectural heritage into various majestic and surprising performance venues, welcoming tens of thousands of theater-lovers of all ages. The Festival manages to bring together a popular audience and cutting-edge international creation. Avignon is also a state of mind: the city is an open-air forum where festival-goers discuss the shows and share their experiences as spectators. For a month, everyone can have access to a contemporary and living culture.

The programme includes shows, but also readings, exhibitions, films, and debates, which are so many gateways into the worlds of the artists and intellectuals invited to the Festival. Every evening, there is at least one show première, making Avignon a place of true creation and adventure for artists and spectators alike.

Location: Avignon, Provence, France
Festival of Avignon 2022 Dates: 7th – 26th July

Tour De France

The Tour de France is an annual men’s multiple-stage bicycle race primarily held in France,[1] while also occasionally passing through nearby countries. It consists of 21 stages, each a day long, over the course of 23 days.
The race was first organized in 1903 to increase sales for the newspaper and is currently run by the Amaury Sport Organisation. The race has been held annually since its first edition in 1903 except when it was stopped for the two World Wars. As the Tour gained prominence and popularity, the race was lengthened and its reach began to extend around the globe.

Location: Starting from Brussels, covering different French villages like Colmar, Pau, Gap to Versailles, ending in Paris.
Tour de France 2022 Dates: 1st July – 24th July

Mardi Gras

Mardi-Gras and Carnival refer to eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of Lent. In France, this festive season comes with sumptuous public celebrations or parades (‘les carnavals‘) which take place in many French towns and schools.

Location: Northern France
Mardi Gras 2022 Dates: 1st March

La Fête De La Musique

The Fête de la Musique is open to any participant be they amateur or professional musicians who wish to perform in this joyful event.
All the participating musicians are asked to perform for free, and all of the concerts are free to the public. The vast majority of performances are open air – in streets and parks and in public buildings – museums, train stations, shops and chateaus. There is music of every kind and genre, from individuals, bands to major music institutions such as orchestra, operas and choirs.

Location: Paris, France
La Fête de la Musique 2022 Dates: 21st June

Cannes Film Festival

Cannes film festival, official name Festival de Cannes, film festival held annually in Cannes, France. First held in 1946 for the recognition of artistic achievement, the festival came to provide a rendezvous for those interested in the art and influence of the movies. Like other film festivals, it became an international marketplace where producers and distributors could exchange ideas, view films, and sign contracts.

Location: Cannes, France
Cannes Film Festival 2022 Dates: 17th May – 28th May

International Kite Festival

Imagine the sky of Dieppe filled with colourful kites of all shapes and sizes, from giant animals and hand-painted designs to kites taking part in the competition, all dancing together in the sky, filling the crowds below with awe. The Dieppe International Kite Festival takes place every two years right on the seafront in Dieppe, both across its beautiful eight acres of lawn and on the shingle beach. Welcoming around 500,000 kite enthusiasts and spectators from all over the world, this year’s festival will showcase some of the world’s most incredible kites and promises to be a fun-filled event for the whole family.

Location: Berck-Sur-Mer, France
International Kite Festival 2022 Dates: 14th January

Bastille Day

The National Day of France, more commonly known as Bastille Day in English, is a national holiday in the country celebrated on July 14 every year with fireworks and parades. It marks the fall of Bastille, a military fortress and prison, on July 14, 1789, when an angry mob stormed into it, signalling the beginning of the French Revolution.

Location: Paris, France
Bastille Day 2022 Dates: 14th July

Paris L’été

The annual Paris l’Été Festival (Paris SummerFestival) offers free or inexpensive outdoor music, dance, circus, and performances in all parts of the city, often in unusual places – usually more than 70 events in 30 different locations – and celebrates the city’s cultural diversity while mixing avant-garde/off-beat events with more mainstream traditions.

Location: Paris, France
Paris L’été 2022 Dates: 21st June to 23rd September

Menton Lemon Festival

La Fète du Citron, or the Lemon Festival, is one of the most anticipated annual events in the French town of Menton. It is the second most popular event of the French Riviera, just after Nice Carnival. The festival attracts 240,000 visitors from all over the world and is a spectacular event which uses over 140 tons of citrus fruit, including lemons and oranges. The citrus fruits are used for the creation of beautiful wagons and colorful displays arranged all throughout the city.

Location: Bioves Garden
Menton Lemon Festival 2022 Dates: 12th Feb to 27th Feb

International Garden Festival

The garden festival began in 1992 and has become a key part of the gardening calender. Garden designers from around the world compete to design one of the 30 or so show gardens in the grounds of the castle. Each year a different theme is chosen and the gardens are planted up ready for opening in mid April.
The style of the gardens tends to be more contemporary than those exhibited at the Chelsea Flower Show. One great advantage of the International Garden Festival at Chaumont is that it is open from April to October and so can easily be slotted into a tour of the Gardens of the Loire Valley.

Location: Château Chaumont-sur-Loire, France
International Garden Festival 2022 Dates: 25th June to 2nd October

Festival Medieval De Sedan

During this festival, you will be brought back to medieval times in France. Gather around to see a medieval wrestling match, taste some old-world cuisine, and learn about medieval weapons. But that’s not all, do you want to see fire-eaters? You will find them at this festival.
During the two-day festival, you can explore several camps where you can experience everyday life. There will be more than 30 tents where you can see demonstrations and learn about archery, medieval medicine and cooking.

Location: Sedan Castle
Festival Medieval De Sedan 2022 Dates: 14th May to 15th May