World Travel Guide Search for a City   Destination Guides > Europe & Russia > Europe > France France •  France •  Where To Go And When •  Getting There •  Red Tape And Visas •  Costs, Money And Banks •  Health And Insurance •  Disabled Visitors •  The People •  Getting Around •  Eating And Drinking •  Communications And The Media •  Music, Cinema, Theater And Dance •  Trouble And The Police •  Gay And Lesbian France •  Work And Study •  History •  Language •  Best Of •  Information And Maps •  Opening Hours And Public Holidays •  Festivals •  Sport And Outdoor Activities •  Directory •  Books •  Art •  Architecture •  Explore France FRANCE - FESTIVALS France    view all cities Top travel cities in France •  Aix-en-Provence •  Angers •  Avignon •  Dijon •  Lille •  Lyon •  Marseille •  Nice •  Paris •  Strasbourg •  Toulouse •  Tours It's hard to beat the experience of arriving in a small French village, expecting no more than a bed for the night, to discover the streets decked out with flags and streamers, a band playing in the square and the entire population out celebrating the feast of their patron saint. Apart from Bastille Day (July 14) and the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (August 15), there are traditional folk festivals still thriving in Brittany and the remote rural regions of the south, as well as a full calendar of festivals devoted to films and to music from jazz and folk to rock and classical. Catholicism is deeply ingrained in the culture of French rural areas, and as a result religious feast days still bring people out in all their finery, ready to indulge once Mass has been said. Most of these occasions, along with the celebrations around wine and food production, are very genuine affairs. Other festivals, based for example on historical events, folklore or literature, are often obviously money-spinners and shows for municipal prestige - not something to go out of your way for. One folk festival that is definitely worth attending is the Inter-Celtic event held at Lorient in Brittany every August. Another annual event with deep historical roots is the great gypsy gathering at Les-Stes-Maries-de-la-Mer in the Camargue. Though exploited for every last centime and, in recent years, given a heavy police presence, it is a unique and exhilarating spectacle to be part of. Bonfires are lit and fireworks set off for Bastille Day , for the Fête de St-Jean on June 24, three days from the summer solstice, and for the Assumption of the Virgin Mary on August 15. Mardi Gras - the last blowout before Lent - is far less of an occasion than in other Catholic countries, although the towns on the Côte d'Azur put on a show at great expense and in questionable taste. Festivals calendar AIX Aix en Musique (mid-June to early July); International Dance Festival (mid-July). ALÈS Festival du Jeune Théâtre (second to third week July). ANNECY Festival de la Vieille Ville (second week July). ARLES Gypsy and World Music Festival (mid-July). AURILLAC International Street Theatre Festival (last week Aug). AVIGNON Dance and Drama Festival (last two weeks July). BASTIA (Corsica) Mediterranean Film Festival (Oct). BELFORT Eurockénnes Rock Festival (first week July). BORDEAUX Doc Martens Rock Festival (last week July). CALVI (Corsica) Jazz Festival (third week June). CANNES International Film Festival (May). CHALON-SUR-SAÔNE National Festival of Street Artists (third week July). CHARLEVILLE-MÉZIÈRES Triennial World Festival of Puppet Theatre (last ten days Sept). CLERMONT-FERRAND Festival of Short Films (end Jan to early Feb). COLMAR Colmar International Festival/Elassical music (end Aug to early Sept). CRÉTEIL (outskirts of Paris) International Festival of Women's Films (end March/Early April). DIJON International Folk and Wine Festival (first week Sept). DINARD Chamber Music (late July to early Aug). DOUAI International Festival of the French Language (May) - drama, dance, music and cinema from Francophone countries. FORT-LOUIS (nr Strasbourg) Rock Festival (end Aug). GANNAT (nr Vichy) World Folk Festival (last ten days July). GRENOBLE Festival of European Theatre (first week July). JUAN-LES-PINS International Jazz Festival (last two weeks July). LA ROCHELLE Contemporary Arts Festival (June & July); International Film Festival (end June/first week July). LES ARCS Chamber Music (late July to early Aug). LES-STES-MARIES-DE-LA-MER Gypsy Festival (May 24). LIMOGES International Festival of French-Speaking Communities (end Sept to mid-Oct). LOCRONAN Breton Troménie Pardon (second Sun July). LORIENT Inter-Celtic Festival (first full week Aug). MARCIAC Jazz in Marciac (second to third week Aug). MENTON Chamber Music Festival (Aug). METZ International Contemporary Music Festival (mid-Nov). MONT-DE-MARSAN Flamenco Festival (mid-July). MONTPELLIER International Dance Festival (end June to mid-July). MONTPELLIER Festival de Radion France et Montpellier (mid-July to early Aug) - classical music, early music and jazz. MURAT International Folklore Festival (first full week Aug). NICE Mardi Gras (Feb, week before Lent); Festival of Contemporary Music (Nov) - electro-acoustic music. NÎMES La Féria du Carnaval (Feb, week before Lent). ORCIVAL Pilgrimage to Notre-Dame d'Orcival (May 24). PARIS Gay Pride (June 21); New Morning All Stars Jazz Festival (July); La Villette Jazz Festival (first week July); Fête de l'Humanité (early Sept) - cultural festival sponsored by the Communist Party; Festival d'Automne (mid-Sept to Dec) - international theatre, dance and music; JVC Jazz Festival (Oct); Montmartre Vintage Festival (early Oct). PARTHENAY Jazz Festival (first to second week July); Festival of Traditional Music (Aug). PÉRIGUEUX International Mime Festival (first full week Aug). PRADES Festival Pablo Casals (late July to early Aug) - classical music. PUY-EN-VELAY Festival of the Roi de l'Oiseau (mid-Sept). QUIMPER Semaines Musicales (Aug) - classical music. RENNES Tombées de la Nuit (first ten days July) - theatre and music festival; Les Transmusicales (second week Dec) - international rock festival. ROQUE D'ANTHÉRO International Piano Festival (first three weeks Aug). ST-LIZIER Chamber Music (late July to early Aug). ST-MALO La Route du Rock (third week Aug) - rock festival. STRASBOURG Film Festival (March); International Mime and Clown Festival (Nov). UZÈS Festival de la Nouvelle Danse (mid-June). VAISON-LA-ROMAINE L'Été de Vaison Dance Festival (mid-July to early Aug). VIENNE Jazz à Vienne (first fortnight July).