France is famous for a huge number of all kinds of festive events, and the traditions of ancient folk holidays, religious events and many secular events that have long been elevated to the rank of national ones are intricately intertwined here.

In January, the Nantes festival La Folle Journe, the car exhibition in Monte Carlo, the International Circus Festival in Monaco (late January - early February) and the carnival in Nice deserve attention. In the period from February to April, it is worth visiting the Lemon Festival in Menton (starts two weeks after the Mardi Gras carnival, forty days before Easter), the International Record and Music Fair at the Palais des Festivals of Cannes (January 18-22), a rugby tournament to the Six Nations Cup (Paris), the Nimes Festival (seven weeks after Easter) with colorful bullfights, the religious procession of Notre Dame d'Orcival on the eve of the Ascension Day (forty days after Easter) and the Paris Marathon.

In May, thousands of people flock to the Côte d'Azur, where the prestigious international Cannes Film Festival opens www.festival-cannes.com. Equally famous is the colorful gypsy festival in honor of St. Sarah (May 24-25) in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer (Camargue), where representatives of folklore groups from literally all over Eurasia gather. Around the same days, the doors open for the Spring Carnival in Nice (May 1-27), the International University Music Festival in Belfort, the Flower Festival with a beautiful rose exhibition in Grasse, the Saint-Denis Classical Music Festival in Paris (May-June), the famous tournament Roland Garros tennis tournament, the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Monaco and the Afro-Caribbean and Latin American Music-Metisse festival in Angouleme.

June and July are perhaps the busiest months for cultural events in France. In early June, Chalons (Champagne) hosts the Furis Festival of Artistic Arts and Street Theaters, from early June to early August, Lyon hosts the performance festival Les Neutes-de-Fourviers, and Paris hosts the Django-Reinhart Jazz Festival. Also of interest are the Strasbourg classical music festival Music de Strasbourg, the famous 24-hour car race in Le Mans, the Usedans modern dance festival in the town of Uzès (Gard), the European festival of the modern Recontre-du-Gene theater in Grenoble, the Tour- de France", Wine Festival in Bordeaux (end of June), Le Marche Paris Festival of Sexual Minorities, Vivat Cité Street Theater Festival in Sotteville-les-Rouen (a suburb of Rouen, end of June), dance festival www.montpellierdanse.com in Montpellier (late June - early July) and representative Jazz-a-Vienne www.jazzavienne.com in the city of Vienne south of Lyon. On Midsummer Eve (June 21), the colorful national festival La Fete de la Musique is held, and Avignon hosts the famous Festival of Dramatic Arts.

One of the most colorful holidays of the summer are the traditional Breton festivals in Lorient and Nantes (June-July), held with a clear focus on the revival of Celtic culture. The Lorient Interceltic Festival www.festival-interceltique.com (ten days from the first Friday to the second Sunday of August) is generally considered the largest Celtic holiday in mainland Europe and gathers the best bands from Brittany, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, the Isle of Man , Asturias and Galicia. Every year on July 13, on the eve of Bastille Day, a grandiose festive concert takes place on the square of the same name in Paris.

In July, it is worth visiting the Les Craters street theater festival www.lecratere.fr, the Belfort-Huroquinis contemporary music festival www.eurockeennes.fr and the flamenco festival in Mont-de-Marsan (all at the beginning of the month), musical evenings d "Ete in Reims (beginning of July - beginning of August), Beaune International Festival of Baroque Opera (beginning of July - beginning of August), Festival of Breton Culture Cornual in Quimper (Finistère), International Film Festival www.festival-larochelle.org in La Rochelle (beginning of July), Les Tombes de la Nuits Festival in Rennes, Nice Jazz Festival, Aix-en-Provence, the famous international festival of lyrical arts, Avignon Contemporary Dance and Theater Festival, two festivals of artistic pyrotechnics - in Cannes (July 14) and Monaco (July 21-25 and August 4-11), Colmar International Festival of Classical Music, Festival of Contemporary Music in Caret Plouguerre (Finistère), musical evenings of classical music at the Sainte Festival in Saintes (Charente-Maritime), a festival of modern French music festival in La Rochelle, La Roque International Piano Festival (mid-July - mid-August), Côte d'Azur Jazz Festival in Juan-les-Pins (mid-July), contemporary dance festival www.vaison-festival.com in Vaisons-la-Romaine (mid-July) and Châlons-sur-Saone (third week of July), the Festival of World Culture in Gann (near Vichy, end of July) and the Pablo Casals Chamber Music Festival www.prades-festival-casals.com in Prada (end of July - mid-August).

The annual festival of Celtic music Interceltic takes place in Lorient (Morbihan) in early August. Also noteworthy during this period are the chamber music festival in the church of Saint-Michel (Menton, August 1-31), the Jasmine Festival in Grasse, the international festival Theater de Rue in Aurillac, the bell-ringing competition in Pogjali (Corsica, August 12), jazz -Marciac Festival (Gers), International Pantomime Festival in Perigueux (Dordogne), Quadrille Festival with violin competitions in Sermano (Corsica, 25 August), Chamber Music Festival in Menton, Mulhouse Jazz Festival (mid-end of August) and Parisian rock - festival "Rock on the Seine" (end of August). Corsica in August is generally very attractive in terms of all kinds of holidays - a costumed parade is held here in honor of the folk hero Sampiero (considered the prototype of Othello) in Bastelica (August 12), the Festa Antica festival in Aleria (August 8-9) with a noisy craft fair and numerous costumed processions, as well as the Days of Napoleon (August 15) in Ajaccio. And colorful olive oil fairs are held in Saint Lucie de Tallano in March and Montegrosso in July.

In September, the Lyon Dance Biennale (takes place every two years), the International Paris Antique Fair (every 2 years), the Autumn Festival (mid-September - mid-December) and the Paris International Exhibition of Contemporary Painting, historical theatrical performances, fireworks and reconstructions in as part of the Renaissance Festival in the tiny town of Puy-en-Velay (Puy-en-Velay, Upper Loire), the International Folk Festival in Dijon (August - September), fairs and poetry competitions in the Niolo region (Corsica, early September). In the middle of the month, in the town of Rueil-Malmaison near Paris, a celebration is held dedicated to the legendary imperial couple - Napoleon and Josephine. A little later, the Amiens Festival of Baroque and Renaissance Music (September - October), the International Exhibition of Photojournalism Visa-pur-Image in Perpignan, the Strasbourg Festival of Contemporary Music (September - October), the famous Grand Prix de l "Arc de Triomphe (Paris) and festival of contemporary theatrical art in Limoges (end of September - mid-October).

In October, it is worth visiting the jazz festival in Nancy, musical evenings in Bastia and the International Mediterranean Film Festival in Montpellier. In November - Strasbourg Jazz Festival, Autumn Art Salon in Paris, bullfighting festival in La Saint-sur-Mer and Mansa Music Festival in Nice. The famous Feast of Beaujolais Nouveau www.beaujolais.fr/ also deserves close attention - the first bottles of young wine are usually uncorked on November 20, at 00.00. The new harvest is celebrated in many wine regions and cities in France, but the traditional center of celebrations is the town of Beaujeu, north of Lyon. And in early December, the Rencontre-Transmusicales music festival in Rennes and the Wine Festival in Bandol take place.

Tourist offices in France annually and monthly publish special free booklets describing all planned events. Many guides describing places of entertainment, attractions, film premieres, festivals, museums and exhibitions are available at all information kiosks (Pariscope, L "official des Spectacles and Zurban). From them you can also get all the information about the cultural life of the country and the area. More detailed information about the cultural life of the country can be found on the website

Festivals in France are very popular and varied. We will tell you about winter events. . French festivals are an amazing interweaving of ancient folk traditions, religious events and secular trends. Therefore, the audience of any of them is diverse and wide.


Winter festivals in France start in January. Lovers of beauty will never miss La Folle Journée, which means “crazy day”. This academic music festival is an international event. It has been leading its history since 1995. At first, La Folle Journée was held for 2 days and only in Nantes, but every year its geography expanded. Now the festival takes place simultaneously in more than 11 cities of the Loire region for 3 days in the last days of January and ends in early February in Nantes. Each year the festival is dedicated to one composer. Festival website: follejournee.fr


In February, motor racing fans from all over the world come to Monaco to see the Monte Carlo rally with their own eyes. It was first held in 1911 and has been held every year since then, except for interruptions due to world wars. Since 1973, the race has been held as the first round of the WRC World Rally Championship. One of the features of the Monte Carlo Rally is that most of the sections are laid along the mountainous roads of France, which are often covered with snow in winter, and therefore the conditions for racing are very difficult. Only the last part of the way passes along the roads of the Principality. In 2011, the rally celebrated its 100th anniversary. Racing website: acm.mc


The International Circus Festival in Monaco is no less prestigious event. Every circus performer dreams of getting on it. There is also no end to the audience, because this spectacle is really worthwhile. By the way, in 2014, according to the results of the competition programs of the festival, two gold, one silver and two bronze clowns were awarded to Russian artists. For the first time in the history of this festival, all the gold went to Russian numbers. For the last time, our artists
won this major award in 2005. Festival website: montecarlofestival.mc/ru/


The most enchanting winter festival in France is the carnival in Nice. This is an incredibly beautiful and very noisy holiday on the Cote d'Azur, coming to Nice in the second half of February. In some way, it resembles Shrovetide. Mass festivities, the burning of the King of papier-mâché ... Why not see off the winter? This two-week performance requires enormous preparation. The papier-mâché used in the design of the platforms takes about a ton of paper and 317 kg of flour. Costumed processions and balls alternate with battles; participants use flowers and confetti as weapons. Carnival website: nicecarnaval.com


Between February and early March, it is worth visiting the Lemon Festival in Menton. It traditionally begins forty days before Easter. Of all the winter holidays on the Cote d'Azur, it is second in popularity only to the carnival in Nice. This unique event attracts more than 230 thousand spectators, and their number is growing year by year. The city is immersed in yellow-orange tones. Bright wagons and fantastic citrus sculptural compositions are being built. All this beauty takes about 150 tons of lemons and oranges. Every year this luxurious and "delicious" show is visited by 200 to 230 thousand tourists.

Holidays and events in France 2020: the most important festivals and highlights, national holidays and events in France. Photos and videos, descriptions, reviews and times.

• Tours for May To France
• Hot tours To France

• February 16 — March 3, 2020Lemon Festival in Menton
• February 16 — March 3, 2020Lemon Festival in Menton

  Just imagine: dozens of giant sculptures (from the Indian Taj Mahal to the Italian Colosseum, dinosaurs come to life and everyone's favorite Disney characters) are made from citrus fruits alone! Every year the theme of the Menton Lemon Festival is different and never repeats itself.

• May 16, 2020 Night of Museums in Paris
• June 19, 2020 hellfest
• July 3, 2020 Gay Pride in Paris
• July 14, 2020 Bastille Day
• September 28 — October 5, 2020Paris Fashion Week
• October 31, 2020 halloween
• November 19, 2020 New Wine Festival
• December 25, 2020 Christmas in Paris
• December 25, 2020 Christmas in France
• December 31, 2020 New Year in Paris
• December 31, 2020 New Year in France

No one needs to prove that France is a unique country. And the holidays in this state are special: a lot of gastronomic festivals are held here (the French are famous gourmets), the inhabitants of France have their own historical dates, such as Bastille Day, they celebrate here such holidays that they have not heard of in other countries .

Every year in the capital of Normandy, the most beautiful sailboats gather for a grand parade, and an international air show is held in Paris.

Here, for example, is a holiday that for some reason does not exist in Russia - the National Day of Grandmothers. Of course, Russian women - both small and adults - “get their own” on March 8, but for some reason our Arina Rodionovnas were not awarded separate honors. The French honor their grandmothers every year on the first Sunday of March. Elegant old women drink liquor on this day, snack on almond cakes, and receive flowers and presents from their grandchildren.

This holiday is so popular in the country that shops organize promotions on this day only for grandmothers, and restaurants offer them a special menu, and even travel agencies are ready to take elderly clients on a short trip for free.

It should be noted that the day of grandfathers - and he somehow suggests himself, agree ?! - Not in France. The local men come off at various championships: every year the most beautiful sailboats gather for a grand parade in the capital of Normandy, an international air show is held in Paris, and at the end of October the French Alps gather the most notorious snowboarders from all over the world.

The French, unlike the Russians, celebrate the New Year not at home, but in a restaurant or a nightclub. It is customary to play the lottery - you can get a pig!

France, without exaggeration, can be called the country of festivals. There are a great many of them here! The festival of violets will amaze you with a riot of colors, even avid breeders have no idea what unusual varieties of these capricious beautiful flowers exist in nature! Toulouse during the days of the festival gathers botanists and manufacturers from Japan, Australia, America, Italy, Hungary, China.

The Lemon Festival in Menton is also amazing. It is held at the end of February (before the biggest harvest) and lasts more than two weeks. Photo albums of guests are sure to be replenished with pictures of incredible castles, fairy-tale characters made from citrus fruits, and the visitors themselves are “filled” with lemonades and sweets made from the “king of the holiday”.

Gourmets should visit France on May 1, and more specifically, come to Cluis for the snail carnival. According to the organizers, their guests eat 600,000 gastropods and drink 12,000 liters of wine.

There are also many holidays dedicated to French wine: the largest is held in even years in Bordeaux. Hundreds of thousands of tourists come to the country in February - to the carnival in Nice, in May - to the Cannes Film Festival and the famous motor race in Monaco, and at the end of October - to the annual Salon of Chocolate.

Review of tourist activities in France for 2018.

June 16-17 - Motor race in Le Mans, near the Loire Valley. It is the oldest 24-hour endurance race in the world, held annually since 1923. The race starts in the middle of the day and ends the next day at the same hour. More than 60 cars take part in this exciting competition.

June 20-August 4 - Chorégies d "Orange. This is a significant event in the art world, a summer opera festival, which is held in a real ancient Roman theater that has survived to this day. It is located about 21 km north of Avignon in southern France and accommodates an audience at 9,000 people.

June 21 - Music Day. The annual musical festival, which has been celebrated since 1982 with performances of artists in the halls and on the street - in parks and public places. Free concerts are organized in which musicians play for pleasure, and not for payment. Now Music Day has become popular in more than 120 countries around the world.

June 28-July 13 - Jazz à Vienne, south of Lyon. The festival has been held since 1981 for two weeks in the ancient Roman theater of Vienna. Every evening during the festival there are concerts of world-famous stars. In addition to the main performances, small concerts are held in other cities, as well as concerts in pubs and music halls.

July-August - Pyrotechnic Art Festival, Cannes. An annual international fireworks festival held in the Bay of Cannes. Competitions take place for prizes in two categories "Vestale d "Argent" and "Vestale d" Or. This is a multi-day extravaganza of aesthetics, staging, synchronization, rhythm, in which the most eminent artists take part, representing the latest developments in the field of pyrotechnics.

July 3-31 – Carcassonne Festival. A unique festival that brings together world-class artists. In just 10 years, the festival has become a cultural event with over 200,000 spectators. It is held in the medieval city in the ancient theater and over 120 different shows, 2/3 of which are free. The theme of the festival is theatrical performances, musical concerts, dances, as well as knightly matches and medieval holidays.

July 6-29 - Beaune International Festival of Baroque Opera. It is an international baroque opera festival founded in 1982. As part of its program, works by Mozart are played on original instruments, as well as more than 80 other operas, and more than 100 concerts of sacred music are given. In addition to this, the festival also hosts various music classes and workshops.

July 4-14 - Colmar International Festival. It is a popular annual summer classical music festival founded in 1979. Each year the festival is dedicated to the work and achievements of a musician, composer, soloist or conductor who has made a significant personal contribution to the history of music.

July 4-24 - Aix Festival. It is an annual international music festival founded in 1948. It is dedicated mainly to opera music, but also includes concerts of orchestral, chamber, vocal and solo instrumental music. Performances are held at several venues, including the Archbishop's Theatre, the courtyard of the Archbishop's Palace, the Grand Theater of Provence, the Jeu de Palumes, a restored 18th-century theater, the courtyard of the Maynier d "Oppède hotel, the Theater du Saint-Jean and the territory castle near Aix.

July 6-24 - Avignon Festival. An annual arts festival founded in 1947, held in Avignon in the courtyard of the Palais des Papes and other city venues. The festival is the oldest surviving festival in France and one of the largest in the world with around 1,000 screenings over three weeks. Along with the official festival, a number of shows are held at the same time, which are called "Off".

July 7-29 - Tour de France. Popular annual men's cycling race, first organized in 1903, taking place mainly in France, as well as in neighboring countries. The competition consists of 21 stages, lasts 23 days and covers about 3,500 kilometers. The Tour de France ends on the Champs Elysees in Paris with awards and celebrations.

July 8 - September 3 - Paris Plage. During this period, temporary beaches artificially created by the mayor's office along the Seine River and in the north-east of the city operate in Paris. Every July and August, the roads on the banks of the Seine are closed and become a place for various events on the sandy beaches with palm trees. There is a ferry linking the two banks of the river, as well as a swimming pool. The number of visitors exceeds 4 million people.

July 14 - Bastille Day. A national holiday marking the unity of the French people. On this day, the largest military parade in Europe is held in the capital of the state on the Champs Elysees. The guests of the parade are the President of the Republic, state officials and numerous foreign guests. The celebration is accompanied by mass folk festivals and large-scale fireworks.

July 14-22 - Jazz à Juan, in Antibes and Juan-les-Pins. An annual jazz festival, which is accompanied by colorful street carnival processions and celebrations, as well as performances of both local and foreign jazz orchestras. Along the street where the festival takes place, there is a gallery of ceramic tiles laid in the pavement with handprints of more than 50 world-class musicians who took part in it.

July 17-21 - Nice Jazz Festival. It has been held annually since 1948 on the French Riviera and is a European festival of jazz music of international importance. It is a large, colorful and prestigious event held in the large garden of the Jardins de Cimiez and includes several stages where bands perform at the same time every evening.

July 17-August 5 - Paris Neighborhoods Festival. It is a celebration of culture, theatre, dance and music. The festival includes numerous performances, incredible shows and exhibitions - the Museum of the Moon, Japanese dances and martial arts, aerial gymnasts and much more.

July 27-August 15 - Jazz in Marciac. The jazz festival in the southwest of France, held since 1978, was originally dedicated to traditional jazz, but later diversified, its program was enriched and the festival became one of the most important in Europe. It has a budget of 3.3 million euros and is visited annually by about 230,000 spectators. Concerts are free and take place at night on the main square, which has preserved medieval arcades, under a giant tent with 5-6 thousand seats. Local restaurants and taverns offer their festive dishes to visitors.

August 3-5 - Jasmine Festival in Grasse. A flower festival in which white jasmine flowers play the main role - for example, they give gifts to those who come in white. The program includes various entertainments and games, animation, processions, pouring jasmine water from a fire hose, music shows, a parade of sailing yachts and much more.

August 3-7 - Lavender parade in Digne-les-Bains. This is an open-air festival dedicated to the main symbol and economic base of the Provence region - lavender. First held in 1929, today it is a large free-access festival open to all. As part of the festival, day and night parades, processions, fireworks, music, a ball, a grandiose concert of world performers. Spectators are presented with thousands of bags filled with dried lavender flowers.

August 15 - Assumption of the Blessed Virgin. A big Catholic holiday, in France it is considered the second most important religious holiday after Christmas. On this day, the French attend church services, participate in Christian celebrations, street processions. For the French, this holiday is joyful, and is perceived not as the death of the Virgin Mary, but as her bodily ascension to heaven.

August 23-28 - Fête de la Saint-Louis, Sète near Montpellier. This is a large-scale maritime competition, dating back to 1666. The tournament is the most important competition in its discipline, a kind of unofficial world championship. It is held along the Royal Canal for six days. This is a big celebration and colorful show, including parades, fireworks and other entertainment.

August 31-September 13 - Jazz at La Villette, Paris. It is a jazz festival created in 2002 and is a continuation of the Halle That Jazz festival, which has been held since 1986. Concerts take place at several venues, including the Philharmonic de Paris, Grande Al, Cabaret Sauvage, Trabendo, Dynamo de Pantin and Atelier du Plateau. The festival is distinguished by a wide musical program and consists of performances by the most prestigious names of jazz, soul, hip-hop, funk and other similar trends.

September - Festivals of wine and viticulture in France. These are large-scale events and celebrations that are held throughout the country - fairs, tastings, entertainment and master classes for children and adults, concerts and performances by artists of various genres. Celebrations in the villages are very colorful, they involve costume parties in the old tradition, with treats, games and shows that recreate the historical atmosphere of the past.

September 1-2 - Braderie de Lille. These days, Lille hosts the largest flea market in Europe and the world, where you can buy antiques, the rarest surviving rarities and antiques. The tradition of holding it dates back to the 12th century. Nowadays, more than 10,000 sellers and several million visitors take part in it.

Mid-September-December 31 - Autumn Festival in Paris. It is a modern multidisciplinary arts festival, held annually in Paris since 1972. This is a series of great art exhibitions, theatrical performances, dance shows, music concerts and film screenings.

September 15-16 - Heritage days. Joint action of the Council of Europe and the European Commission with the participation of all 50 states that have signed the European Cultural Convention under the motto "Europe: a common heritage". In France, the program offers visits to monuments and sites of culture and art, many of which are not normally accessible to the public. It is also a series of excursions to industrial sites and other special sites and historical sites throughout the country.

September 21-October 6 - Strasbourg Music Festival. This is an international festival of contemporary classical music that has been held since 1983. More than 30 large-scale concerts are held within the framework of the festival, the number of spectators reaches 17,000 people, and the budget of the festival exceeds 2 million euros.

September 22 - Technoparade in Paris. This is an annual celebration of rave and hardcore played by DJs on trucks converted to music platforms. The deafening sounds of electronic music attract up to 400,000 visitors. In 2018, the parade will begin in Port Royal and end at Republic Square.

September 26-29 - Yacht show in Monaco. Europe's largest exhibition of large expensive yachts on the water. The event was first organized in 1991 and is focused on superyachts over 20m in length. The exhibition features more than 120 yachts, as well as almost 600 representative offices of other companies, including brokerage companies, yacht designers, luxury car companies. More than 150 private events are held over 4 days, including press conferences and presentations.

October 4-13 - Oktoberfest, Paris. This is an analogue of the famous beer festival, which involves mass festivities and entertainment, as well as tasting and drinking beer in huge tents for several thousand people.

October 6 - White Night in Paris. This is a night marathon of entertainment and unforgettable shows, an arts festival. On this night, museums, private and public art galleries and other cultural institutions are open to the public, and the center of Paris is transformed into an art gallery, providing space for art installations, performances, concerts, thematic social gatherings and other events.

October 10-14 – Harvest Festival. This holiday dedicated to the harvest of grapes has been celebrated annually since 1934. About 200,000 people take part in the parade, a children's day is held, numerous restaurants and cafes operate, various cultural events await guests, and at the end of the day the night sky blooms with fiery colors of fireworks.

October 28 - Feast of the Apple, Trevier. This is an apple harvest festival near Honfleur, where a large fair is held where you can buy all varieties of apples, as well as apple products. You can see with your own eyes the process of processing apples and making juice, apple cider and apple vodka - Calvados. Numerous cafes offer apple dishes and desserts.

November 1-11 - Dijon International Gastronomy Fair. The fair is held for the 87th year in a row and attracts more than 200,000 visitors. It presents about 580 stands and tents offering a wide range of products for professionals and amateurs of the culinary arts. The fair presents new food and wine products, as well as new trends in the restaurant and hotel business. Chefs arrange culinary demonstrations, various competitions among chefs and wine conferences are held.

November 1 - All Saints' Day. In France, this day is called Toussaint and is a public holiday. Family members usually get together to go to the cemetery to put flowers on the graves of the dead, light candles, attend special church services.

November 11 - Armistice Day. This is a day of honoring the memory of those who died in the First World War and other wars. In France, this is a public holiday, so official institutions, as well as some commercial facilities, may be closed. The leadership of the state lays flowers on the grave of the unknown soldier near the Arc de Triomphe, solemn services are held in churches.

November 17-19 - The Three Glorious. Annual festival of Saint Vincent, patron saint of wine growers in Burgundy. It starts with a morning procession in which about 100 Burgundian wine companies take part. A festive mass is held in the local church. Cellars are open all Saturday and Sunday, where artisans demonstrate their art, as well as cafes representing local cuisine. The village is adorned with many handmade paper flowers, and if the sun is shining you might think it's June instead of January.

Late November-24 December - Christmas markets. The most significant are organized in Strasbourg, Colmar and Sarlat-la-Caneda. Here you can buy gifts and souvenirs for your family and friends for the upcoming holidays, as well as get a lot of positive emotions from the performances of street artists, food and drinks.

December - Christmas carousels, outdoor skating rinks and Christmas trees. Throughout December, France is in anticipation of the New Year holidays and has fun in the winter squares of its cities.

December 5-9 - Les Rencontres Trans Musicales. This is an annual pop and rock music festival in Rennes, Brittany. It is one of the most significant music events in Europe with over 62,000 people, over 80 bands and music industry professionals from over 26 countries on all continents.

December 6-9 - Fête des Lumières. This is the festival of lights in Lyon, expressing gratitude to the Virgin Mary. According to this unique tradition, candles are lit along the outside of the windows in every house, which has a very impressive effect. The facades and streets are colorfully illuminated, the Fourvière Basilica is illuminated with multi-colored lights, and Terro Square hosts a variety of light shows.

December 15-22 - Rise Festival. This is a music festival in the Alpine ski resort of Les de Alpes, at an altitude of 1,650 meters. Here you can have a great time skiing or spending time at noisy day and night parties in clubs with grunge, house, dance and techno music.

December 25 - Christmas. This is the most important holiday of the year for the French, they prepare for it for a long time and celebrate with great scope and fun. Numerous street fairs are organized with nativity scenes depicting scenes of the birth of Jesus Christ, tents with refreshments are set up on the streets, and festive concerts are held.

December 26 - Second Christmas Day. On this day, grandiose fireworks, parades and numerous entertainment shows are held in the central squares of French cities, which create a unique magical festive atmosphere.

December 31 New Year. On December 31 almost all of France celebrate Saint Sylvester's Day. On this holiday, the French walk very noisily, eat a lot, have fun and wait for the arrival of the New Year, which is customary to meet in a large company of friends in restaurants and cafes in the city.

Summer has officially arrived, which means it's time for vacations, long walks and new discoveries! It's time to make plans for the upcoming season. And to make it easier for you to choose, we have compiled a selection of the most striking events in France, which will be held in various parts of France during the summer of 2017.

Le Bourget (12 km from Paris)

The oldest and largest aviation exhibition in the world! It was first held in 1909 and has been held every two years since then. The event brings together leading researchers, manufacturers and distributors of aviation and space transport, as well as connoisseurs of modern aviation technologies. You will be among the first to see the latest innovations and achievements of the industry, get to know the participants and just get a lot of impressions from such a large-scale event.

Any city

Every year, on the longest day of the day, the whole of France celebrates Music Day. It sounds literally everywhere - on the streets, in parks, restaurants, apartments. Hundreds of musicians (including those from other countries) come to the city's music venues to play their hits for guests and residents completely free of charge, and orchestra parades pass through the streets. All activities usually continue until late at night.

Calvi (Island of Corsica)

Calvi On The Rocks - these are concerts on a snow-white beach, in restaurants, bars and clubs with the best DJs and the most fashionable audience. This is one of the most beloved and popular music festivals in France! Popular musicians from all over the world come to perform on the stages of the picturesque island, and lovers of modern music plan long-awaited trips months in advance.

Paris (or any city)

Bastille Day is the main national holiday of France, which has been traditionally celebrated since 1880 and, perhaps, even surpasses the New Year in terms of the scale of the celebration. This is the most important date in the life of the French, which marks the overthrow of royal despotism and absolutism and is an invariable symbol of the country's patriotism. Going to this holiday in France means seeing impressive parades, luxurious balls, famous fireworks and just becoming a part of such a grandiose event. In addition to the official program, numerous parties and concerts will be held in all cities.

Nice

If Dizzy Gillespie, Diana Krall, Yubi Blake, Dee Dee Bridgewater or Charlie Mingus are not a bunch of unfamiliar names for you, hurry up to get tickets to Nice this summer! From July 16 to July 20, one of the largest jazz festivals in Europe will traditionally be held on the Cote d'Azur. 5 days, 3 stages and about 30 concerts and tens of thousands of connoisseurs of this great music from all over the world! In between performances of idols, you can visit master classes and various thematic performances and performances and enjoy the festive atmosphere.

Paris

The Tour de France or the "Great Loop" is a legendary cycling race that has been held in France for 104 years and attracts the attention of the whole world. This year the race starts on July 1 in the German city of Düsseldorf and will stretch for 3516 km through the picturesque mountain ranges of four states - Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and France. The ceremonial finish of the race and congratulations to the winners will take place on the Champs Elysees in Paris on July 23. Don't miss out!

Lavender holidays in Provence (July-August)

Ferrasier, So, Valensole, Digne-les-Bains, Valrea and others

Lavender fields are the visiting card of Provence! In July and August, when the whole region is literally immersed in bright purple flowers and fragrant with the scent of flowers, holidays and festivals are held in the cities and villages of the region. At this time, lavender surrounds you everywhere - locals sell the cutest bouquets, confectioneries bake sweets from flowers, someone creates handmade cosmetics and household chemicals, noisy markets and fairs open, music, loud conversations and laughter sound everywhere! It is these events that form the unique flavor of the country.

Lacano (Aquitaine)

The competitions of the world's leading surfers have been held in Lakano since 1979. After all, it is here, on the Atlantic coast, that you can catch the best waves in France. Soöruz Lacanau Pro will be of interest not only to those who are professional surfers, but also to those who still dream of conquering their first wave. After all, nothing is more inspiring than an example of what we can achieve and what we can strive for. All connoisseurs of one of the most exciting sports - a must visit!