Upcoming Holidays and Festivals in France

Market day, Sarlat-la-Canéda
Markets bring a festive feel to town squares across France, even on quotidian workdays.
  • Before planning a trip around a festival, verify the festival dates on the festival's website or with a local tourist information office. For more information about these and other events, visit the official tourism sites for France and Paris.
  • This list includes major festivals in major cities, plus national holidays observed throughout France. Many sights and banks close down on national holidays — keep it in mind when planning your itinerary. Note that this isn't a complete list; holidays can strike without warning.
  • See upcoming holidays and festivals across Europe

2023

October 11–15:  Fête des Vendanges, Montmartre neighborhood of Paris (grape harvest festival)

October 29:  Festival de La Pomme, Trévières (apple-harvest festival near Honfleur)

November 1:  All Saints' Day (La Toussaint; closures)

November 1–12:  Dijon International and Gastronomic Fair

November 11:  Armistice Day (closures)

November 17–19:  Les Trois Glorieuses, Beaune (wine auction and festival)

Late November–December 24:  Christmas markets (particularly fun in Strasbourg, Colmar, and Sarlat-la-Canéda)

December:  Christmas carousels, outdoor skating rinks, and avant-garde Christmas trees around town, Paris

December 6–10:  Les Rencontres Trans Musicales, Rennes (up-and-coming pop, rock, etc.)

December 9–16:  Rise Festival, Les Deux Alpes (dance music at ski resort)

December 25:  Christmas Day (Noël; closures)

December 26:  Second Christmas Day (closures in Alsace-Lorraine)

December 31:  New Year's Eve


2024

January 1:  New Year's Day (closures)

February 17–March 3:  Nice Carnival (Mardi Gras, parades and fireworks)

February 17–March 3:  Lemon Festival, Menton

February 18:  Le Corso Fleuri, Bormes-les-Mimosas (traditional flower parade in coastal Provence)

March 4–9 (likely):  La Route du Rock Winter, St-Malo and Rennes (rock and post-punk acts)

March 29:  Good Friday (Vendredi Saint, closures)

March 31 & April 1:  Easter Sunday and Monday (Pâques, closures)

May 1:  Labor Day (Fête due Travail or Fête du Premier Mai; closures)

May 3–5:  Roman Week, Nîmes

May 6–12 (likely):  Paris Beer Festival

May 8:  VE (Victory in Europe) Day (Fête de la Victoire 1945 or Jour de la Liberation; closures, parades)

May 8–12:  Nuits Sonores, Lyon (electronic music festival)

May 9:  Ascension (closures)

May 11 (likely):  Night of Museums, across France (museums stay open late and for free)

May 14–25:  Cannes Film Festival

May 16–18 (likely):  Joan of Arc Festival, Rouen (pageants)

May 17–26:  Fête de la Bretagne (cultural celebrations across Brittany, centered around St. Yves' Day on May 19)

May 19 & 20:  Pentecost and Whit Monday (closures)

May 23–26:  Monaco Grand Prix

Late May–mid-June:  D-Day Festival, across Normandy

May 31–June 2:  Rendez-vous aux Jardins (noteworthy gardens open to the public), Paris and elsewhere

June:  Festival of St. Denis, Paris (classical concerts by international artists)

June 1 (likely):  Paris Nuit Blanche (illuminated public art, concerts, all-night public transit)

June–July:  Nuits de Fourvière, Lyon (theater and music in a Roman theater)

June 6:  80th Anniversary of the Normandy D-Day Landing (Jour J)

June 15–16:  Le Mans auto race, near Loire Valley

June 17–July 22 (likely):  Chorégies d'Orange (performances in Roman theater)

June 21:  Fête de la Musique (concerts and dancing in the streets throughout France)

June 26–July 11 (likely):  Jazz à Vienne, south of Lyon

June 29–July 21:  Tour de France (culminates on the Champs-Elysées in Paris)

July:  Carcassonne Festival (theater, music, dance, plus jousting matches and medieval festivities)

July 2–22 (likely):  Aix Festival (classical music and opera)

July 3–12 (likely):  Colmar International Festival (classical music)

July 3–23 (likely):  Avignon Festival (theater, dance, music)

July 5–28 (likely):  Beaune International Festival of Baroque Opera

July 7–August 19 (likely):  Paris Plages (ersatz beaches along the Seine and several canals)

July 8–19 (likely):  Jazz à Juan, Antibes/Juan-les-Pins (international jazz festival)

July 8–28 (likely):  Festival Paris l'Été (theater, dance, concerts)

July 11–14 (likely):  Vieilles Charrues Festival, Carhaix (Brittany; France's biggest music festival)

July 14:  Bastille Day ("le 14 Juillet," closures, fireworks, revelry)

Six nights July 12–August 22 (likely):  International Fireworks Festival, Cannes

July 15–19 (likely):  Nice Jazz Festival

July 17–21 (likely):  Cornouaille Festival, Quimper (Breton music and cultural festivities)

July 18–August 4 (likely):  Jazz in Marciac, southwest France

August 2–4 (likely):  Jasmine Festival, Grasse (flower-themed parades)

August 2–6 (likely):  Corso de la Lavande (lavender festival with parades of lavender-covered floats, music, fireworks), Digne-les-Bains

August 15:  Assumption (closures)

August 14–17 (likely):  La Route du Rock Summer, St-Malo (rock acts)

August 15–20 (likely):  Fête de la Saint-Louis, Sète (near Montpellier; parades, fireworks, canal-boat "water-jousting")

August 23–31 (likely):  Silhouette Festival, Paris (short-film festival)

August 28–September 8 (likely):  Jazz at La Villette, Paris

September:  Wine harvest festivals across France

September–mid-February:  Festival d'Automne à Paris (arts festival)

September 3–4 (likely):  Braderie de Lille (world's largest flea market)

September 13–29 (likely):  Festival Musica, Strasbourg (contemporary classical music)

September 14–15 (likely):  Heritage days (Journée du patrimoine; special openings and tours of monuments and other historical sites across France)

September 21 (likely):  Technoparade, Paris (starts at Port Royal, ends at Place de la République)

September 25–28:  Monaco Yacht Show (pricey exhibition of mega-yachts)