Festivals in France: 2012
- Here's a list of the most important events in France for 2012. For more information about these and other events, please visit http://us.franceguide.com, www.parisinfo.com, and www.whatsonwhen.com.
- NOTE: Before planning a trip around a festival, make sure that you verify the festival dates at the festival or local TI's website.
- Related travel information in France.
| Jan 1 | New Year's Day | France |
| Jan 6 | Epiphany | France |
|
Feb 17- March 4 |
Nice Carnival (Mardi Gras, parades, flower processions, fireworks; www.nicecarnaval.com) | Nice (Riviera) |
| March | Grenoble Jazz Festival (www.jazzgrenoble.com) | Grenoble (near Lyon) |
| April 8 & 9 | Easter Sunday & Easter Monday | France |
| May-mid-Oct | Festival of Gardens (www.domaine-chaumont.fr) | Chaumont-sur-Loire |
| May | Versailles Festival (arts) | Versailles |
| May | Festival Jeanne d'Arc (pageants) | Rouen |
| May 1 | Labor Day (parades, closures) | France |
| May 8 | World War II Victory in Europe (VE) Day (ceremonies, closures) | France |
| May 16-27 | Cannes Film Festival (www.festival-cannes.com) | Cannes (Riviera) |
| May 17 | Ascension Day (religious festival) | France |
| May 24-27 | Monaco Grand Prix (auto race; www.yourmonaco.com/grand_prix) | Monaco (Riviera) |
| May 27 | Pentecost | France |
| June | Marais Festival (arts) | Paris |
| June 6 | Anniversary of D-Day Landing | Normandy |
| June 16-17 | Le Mans Auto Race (24-hour race, www.lemans.org) | Le Mans (near Loire Valley) |
| June 21 | Music Festival ("Fête de la Musique," concerts and dancing in the streets; www.fetedelamusique.culture.fr) | France (in mid-size to large cities) |
| June 30-July 22 | France | |
| July | International Festival of Baroque Music (www.festivalbeaune.com) | Beaune (Burgundy) |
| July | Jousting matches (spectacle équestre) and other medieval festivities | Carcassonne |
| July | Nights of Fourvière (theater and music in a Roman ampitheater, www.nuitsdefourviere.com) | Lyon (near French Alps) |
| July | Nice Jazz Festival (www.nicejazzfestival.fr) | Nice (Riviera) |
| July | International Music and Opera Festival (www.festival-aix.com) | Aix-en-Provence (Provence) |
| July 3-14 | International Music Festival (Festival International de Colmar, classical music; www.festival-colmar.com) | Colmar (Alsace) |
| July 7-28 | Avignon Festival (theater, dance, music; www.festival-avignon.com) | Avignon (Provence) |
| July 7-31 | Chorégies d'Orange Music and Opera Festival (performed in Roman theater, www.choregies.asso.fr) | Orange (Provence) |
| July 12-22 | "Jazz at Juan" International Jazz Festival (www.jazzajuan.fr) | Antibes/Juan-les-Pins (Riviera) |
| July 14 | Bastille Day (parades, fireworks, closures) | France |
| late July-early Aug | International Fireworks Festival (www.festival-pyrotechnique-cannes.com) | Cannes |
| Aug 15 | Feast of the Assumption (religious festival, closures) | France |
| Aug 29-Sept 9 | Jazz at La Villette Festival (www.villette.com) | Paris |
| Sept | Fall Arts Festival (Fête d'Automne); Wine harvest festivals in many towns | Paris |
| Early Oct | Grape Harvest Festival (in Montmartre, food, music, parade; www.fetedesvendangesdemontmartre.com) | Paris |
| Oct 31-Nov 11 | Dijon International and Gastronomic Fair ("Foire Internationale et Gastronomique"; 500 food and wine stands; www.dijon-expocongres.com) | Dijon (Burgundy) |
| Nov 1 | All Saints' Day (religious festival, closures) | France |
| Nov 11 | Armistice Day (ceremonies, closures) | France |
| Late Nov | Wine Auction and Festival ("Les Trois Glorieuses") | Beaune (Burgundy) |
| Late Nov- Dec 24 | Christmas Markets | Colmar & Strasbourg (Alsace) |
| Dec 8-11 | Festival of Lights (celebration of Virgin Mary, candlelit windows; www.fetedeslumieres.lyon.fr) | Lyon (near French Alps) |
| Dec 16-Jan 1 | Winter Holidays | France |
Dec 25 |
Christmas | France |
|
Dec 31 |
New Year's Eve | France |
Updated in 2012. For lots more information, check out our best-selling Rick Steves' France guidebook — or join us on one of our free-spirited tours in France.