Mary AnneEvents in France in February 2025 has so much more than Valentine’s Day (important though that is…). Check out these events to see how inventive the French are with their celebrations of the arts, culture, mad and serious festivals.
To Feb 2, 2025: The International Comic Strip Festival in Angoulême is a great event where professionals from all over the world meet around 200,000 fans. Giant tents are full of stands taken by different publishers. There are signings, exhibitions, screenings, debates, conferences, meetings, concerts and competitions. For younger people, the youth area has a range of activities, games and all sorts of workshops.
To Feb 2, 2025: More film talent at the Fantasy Film Festival in the Gérardmer ski resort in the Vosges, Grand Est. Since 1994 the festival offers 100 screenings of 50 films. It includes around 40 new films plus retrospectives of different directors shown on 4 cinema screens.
Plus exhibitions, theatre and street performances, make-up stands, video games and window display competitions.
To Feb 2, 2025: Nantes’ classical music festival La Folle Journée has been held annually since 1995. For five days there are around 250 concerts of fairly short duration (45 minutes) at an affordable price, encouraging those new to classic music.
To Feb 4, 2025: Les Soldes d’Hiver. This is the French sale season and the chance for some great bargains. And they are genuine as the January Sales dates are subject to strict law. However, Meurthe-et-Moselle, Meuse, Moselle and Vosges have different dates: Jan 2-29, 2025. More information on the government website.
More about Sales and Discount Shopping in France.
To Feb 5, 2025: Rallye de Monte-Carlo Historique is a great international event, officially starting and ending in Monaco. Legendary cars start the race to Monaco and go through different cities on different dates. Like the Tour de France cycle race, it consists of different stages testing different skills.
The whole event ends with the Prize Ceremony and Gala Night in the Salles des Etoiles at Monte-Carlo Sporting Club.
Find more historic cars at the Top Car Museums in France, and at the famous Le Mans 24 Hour Museum.
To Feb 8, 2025: The Festival de Court Métrage (International Short Film Festival) started in 1979 at a student film club in Clermont-Ferrand. Today’s it’s the world’s largest short film events. 13 cinemas show films to professionals, amateurs and film lovers. It’s seen the start of many a career for actors, directors, producers and technicians and has become the second biggest film festival in France after Cannes.
As in previous years, please indulge me. I am ruthlessly promoting it as my son starred in a film which was shown here in 2008: Ralph, First Love Hurts. He’s no longer in the acting profession but as a proud mum (with a house in the Auvergne), what else can I do? It was filmed in Marseille and is full of delightful touches.
Here’s the film:
To March, 2025: The Vendée Globe is on track with the first sailors expected to Les Sables d’Olonne in the early morning of Jan 14. Since 1989 the solo sailing race is one of the toughest challenges in yacht racing. It takes around three months to sail 45,000kms past the three Capes of Good Hope, Leeuwin and Horn. Raced every four years, it’s long, dangerous and difficult. The race continues probably until March, 2025 when the last sailors arrive.
Here’s my article on the Race in 2020.
To Apr 6, 2025: Limoux Carnival in the Aude, Languedoc-Roussillon kicks off the French carnival season in style. For over 400 years it’s been celebrating a group of local millers who, having paid off their taxes to the local monks, roamed through the streets, handing out flour and treats to the locals. And they’ve been doing it ever since. This fabulous costumed event, the longest carnival in the world, takes place every weekend to April.
To Apr 27, 2025: Dunkirk Carnival in Nord-Pas de Calais is one of those events when the French appear to go totally bonkers. It’s an extraordinary 300-year old party taking the town over. The carnival celebrates the boats setting off for voyages to the rich fishing grounds off Newfoundland and Iceland – voyages which lasted for months. Shrove Tuesday is the highlight with musicians dressed as fishermen leading the parades, complete with ‘giants’ and 450 kilos of wrapped, smoked herrings hurled from the balcony of the City Hall. As I wrote, bonkers.
The carnival is mainly at weekends, with some events on a weekday. Check the website.
The main Carnival events are March 2: Bande de Dunkerque; March 3: Bande de la Citadelle; March 4: Bande de Rosendaël; March 9: Bande de Malo-les-Bains.
Events in France starting in February 2025
Feb 6-9, 2025: Bordeaux Show Jumping Contest is something every lover of such events should enjoy. Top class equestrian events feature international riders; amateur events give young riders the chance to excel. It starts with top French dressage riders, but also includes a variety of event from driving to jumping over cross-country obstacles, team competitions, poney events and more.
Feb 7-9, 2025: Enduropale, Pas de Calais: Wild bike racing on the beaches at Le Touquet, Stella and Merlimont attracts around 150,000 spectators to watch the dare devils race through the sand.
Feb 7-16, 2025: Strasbourg Mon Amour held around St Valentine’s Day is a real mix of over 40 different events, from quirky nights out to different tours of Strasbourg’s museums, gourmet events and more.
Feb 12-16, 2025: Mimosa Festival in Mandelieu La Napoule. This popular event in Mandelieu near Tanneron the largest mimosa forest in Europe has taken place since 1931. Flower and light parades, Miss Mandelieu contest, a concert and of course a special dinner. Each year has a theme; in 2025 it’s La Grande Vadrouille des Regions, celebrating all the main carnavals throughout France.
Feb 12-Mar 2, 2025: Nice Carnaval, PACA. The theme for 2025 is the King of the Oceans. Plenty to do and see in the Queen of the south of France. Taking over the streets and square, the Carnival procession and the Battle of the Flowers has to be seen to be believed. Place Masséna is at the heart of the celebrations as extraordinary floats parade past the stands while street art, bands and performances entertain. Check the website; it’s not daily.
Feb 14, 2025: St Valentine’s Day. This is as well celebrated in France as elsewhere; after all the country is known as a pretty romantic place. Check for special events where you are. Champagne corks pop and the restaurants fill up. If you’re in Champagne, visit charming Epernay. Of if you’re in Reims, visit one of the Champagne houses.
Feb 15-16, 2025: Le Corso Fleuri Bormes les Mimosas Flower Procession. The traditional floral procession in the medieval village of Bormes-les-Mimosas with its dozen floats is a sight to see. 12 tonnes of branches and 80,000 flowers are woven into the decorations on the floats. A brass band helps it all fly along. There’s a small charge and the festivities go on well into the early hours, ending with the flower battle. Le Corso Fleuri began in 1920.
Feb 15-Mar 2, 2025: The Menton Lemon Festival which began in 1934 is as colourful as ever. Over 300 professionals using 145 tonnes of citrus fruits (yes, that’s right) create extraordinary citrus-themed floats. They parade around the Promenade du Soleil on citrus-themed floats. Dancers and folk groups entertain and throw tons of confetti. The central Biovès Gardens are transformed with temporary sculptures in those bright orange and yellow coloured fruits, some as high as 10 metres. This year the theme is Journey to the Stars.
Feb 22-Mar 2, 2025: Porte de Versailles International Agricultural Show is the biggest agricultural event in France. It’s been held since 1964. For anyone interested in agriculture it’s a must with over international 1,000 exhibitors from around the world. They show off 3,000 animals, a cornucopia of fruit and vegetables, as well as agricultural items and more. Four areas take in livestock farming and its related industries; gastronomic products from France and elsewhere; cultivation and the plant industries; and agricultural services and trades.
Feb 28-Mar 2, 2025: Cannes Festival International des Jeux (International Games Festival) began in 1987. Game designers, publishing companies and fellow game-players come here for traditional games, classics, board games, videos, simulation games, collectors’ items and more. Watch the gaming competitions and get your games signed in the Palais des Festivals.
Feb 28-Mar 4, 2025: The Granville Carnaval is, like the one at Dunkirk, all about fish and cod in particular. It began 150 years ago when the local fishermen set off for the Grand Banks fisheries off Newfoundland and partied before they went It’s a great event, with 40 or so floats, 3,000 participants and over 150,000 visitors. It rivals Dunkirk for its downright eccentricities.
Events in France in 2025
Events in France in January 2025
I am updating the events in France in 2025 but have left 2024 as many of France’s major events occur each year, usually at the same time of the month.
Events in France in 2024
Events in France in March 2024
Events in France in April 2024
Events in France in May 2024
Events in France in June 2024
Events in France in July 2024
Events in France in August 2024
Events in France in September 2024
Events in France in October 2024
Events in France in November 2024
Events in France in December 2024
To help you find those events, here are a couple of articles on the geography of France:
Regions of France
Departments of France
AND…
French Public Holidays
Food Festivals in France