Mary AnneEvents in France in January 2026 are impressive. January 1, New Years Day, is a public holiday in France as in so many countries around the world. Throughout the month carnivals cheer up the country, shaking off the winter blues. And there are festivals of music and comic strips, horse shows and circuses and France’s official sales.
To Jan 4, 2026: Nancy in east France is a spectacular festival. Over 70 exhibitors attend the event in brightly lit chalets, offering the public original gift ideas, art and craft objects and local specialities.
To Jan 4, 2026: Chartres en lumières sees this wonderful city illuminated for its annual festival of light. It’s nightly so there’s no excuse to miss it.
Events Starting in January 2026
Jan 6, 2026, Epiphany: This is the day when Christmas in France officially ends. The day when the Three Wise Men come from the east to visit the baby Jesus. This being France, it’s celebrated with a cake: La Galette des Rois which has a long and distinguished history. You’ll find the boulangeries full of these cakes. Most are modest, but check out the shops selling the best; some of the top French chefs make very expensive versions for those wishing to impress their friends.
Jan 7, 2025-Feb 3, 2026: 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-Feb 3, 2026. More information on the government website.
More about Sales and Discount Shopping in France.
Jan 10-22, 2026: La Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc is something to savour. One of the longest and most difficult dog sled races in the world, it takes place in Savoie and Haute-Savoie in the Alps. 11 days of high speed racing take the world’s best mushers and their dogs through 22 resorts – a distance of 750 kms. It opens in Megève with fireworks, walks and hikes, mulled wine, giant tartiflettes to eat, films, exhibitions, a kid’s introduction to sled driving, igloo-building and more.
Jan 14-18, 2026: Cheval Passion Horse Show in Avignon is a must for horse lovers. Over 1,200 horses and riders perform for a total of 90 hours in the Parc des Expositions, showing every skill from trick riding to Western competitions. One of the great events is the Crinières d’Or. Acts created specially for the event are exciting, daring and spectacular. In addition to the acts, there are 250 exhibitors, 12 corrals, 12 display halls and more. It’s great for children too with a special Poney Passion.
Jan 17-18, 2026: The Fête de la Truffe is a glorious annual event entirely dedicated to the truffle. Held in Sarlat, Perigord, you get the chance to find out more about truffles with identification workshops, truffle hunting demonstration and cookery demonstrations from local chefs. Meet the truffle growers and gatherers and buy the famous ‘black diamonds’ in the main market place. And indulge your taste at one of the restaurants in the Place de la Liberté with ‘croustous’ tapas with truffle and foie gras.
The Intriguing Story of Food in France
Top Food Festivals in France
Jan 17-25, 2026: Premiers Plans Festival in Angers in Anjou is dedicated to new European talent in the cinema. Around 100 debut films are shown for a whole week. Over 70,000 people come to see the festival which is supported by the greats of French cinema like Gérard Depardieu, Patrice Chéreau, Fanny Ardant and Jeanne Moreau. Many now well-known directors first appear here. Also: retrospectives, script readings by professional actors, symposia and documentary screenings.
Jan 3-Apr 17, 2026: 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 over the town. 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.
Jan 22-25, 2026: The Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain (Global Festival of the Circus of Tomorrow) in le Cirque Phénix in Place du Cardinal Lavigerie in the 23th arrondissement of Paris is one of the world’s biggest circus festivals. Tightrope walkers, clowns, jugglers, acrobats and trapeze artists from around the world contort themselves in ways you would not think possible and perform extraordinary tricks. The French love circus talent; the 15-year old daughter of a friend of mine goes to a circus school frequently during term time at her normal school. I look forward to seeing her in Paris one day!
Jan 24-25, 2026: Saint-Vincent Tournante Wine Celebration is an annual event in Burgundy. Winegrowers in different villages gather to thank the patron saint, Saint Vincent, for the previous year’s wine harvest and ask for his protection for the future harvest. It’s taken place since the Middle Ages.
Each year it’s a different village, hence the name Tournante (‘in rotation’). In 2026 it’s around a hidden gem, three villages near Cheilly-lès-Maranges.
Jan 10-Mar 22, 2026: 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.
Jan 27-Feb 1, 2026: 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.
Jan 28-Feb 1, 2026: The annual Salon Rétromobile started in 1976 and is now one of the best-known collector car exhibitions in Europe, drawing over more than 130,000 visitors, 450 exhibitors and 500 automobiles. It’s held at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles Exhibition Centre.
Enthusiasts, owners and collectors gather at the show each year, to view amazing cars and collections, to source parts and services (restoration, insurance, etc) they need. On Jan 29, 2026, Rétromobile holds an exceptional auction of collector cars, held by Gooding Christie’s.
Jan 28-Feb 1, 2026: 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.
Jan 29-Feb 7, 2026: 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.
Jan 29-Feb 1, 2026: The International Comic Strip Festival 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.
Jan 30-Feb 7, 2026: 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.
Events in France in 2026
If you know of other events you think I should include, please do let me know!
I am updating the events in France in 2026 but have left 2025 events as many of France’s major events occur each year, usually at the same time of the month.
Events in France in February 2026
Events in France in March 2025
Events in France in April 2025
Events in France in May 2025
Events in France in June 2025
Events in France in July 2025
Events in France in August 2025
Events in France in September 2025
Events in France in October 2025
Events in France in November 2025
Geography of France
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
