Mary AnneEvents in France in July 2024 are dominated by the Paris Olympics. They may start at the end of July and go on into August, but it has meant many events take place earlier than usual. It’s a particularly packed month with something to see and do in every region and every big city. The other big events in France in July 2024 are the famous Tour de France, Bastille Day, and the continuing summer-long Normandy Impressionist Festival.
Check out the events in France in July 2024 to help plan your visit in advance.
To Jul 5, 2024: Les Flaneries de Reims is a delightful classical music festival that also includes world music and jazz. Around 60 concerts, many of them free, take place around the city: in the St. Remi Basilica, the Opera, the Manège de Reims Circus, the Palace of Tau and Reims Station Forecourt. A big outdoor picnic finishes the festival. Free shuttles take people from one part of the city to another.
To Jul 6, 2024: The Anjou Festival now in its 72nd season has become the second biggest outdoor theatre event in France. The festival presents a varied programme in historic venues.
To Jul 7, 2024: La Rochelle International Film Festival on the French Atlantic coast explores the world of films from everywhere. 250 films, historic and contemporary are shown at a festival that prides itself on the unusual and the unknown (many are not distributed through the usual channels). Retrospectives rediscover forgotten works and stars. This year it’s the turn of Marcel Pagnol, the great influencer on 20th century literature, theatre and cinema. Older generations remember films with Fernandel and others; younger ones remember Manon des Sources. New films bring European and international works to the audience. And international stars always come to this festival.
To Jul 16, 2024: Jazz à Vienne, Isère, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. Great names lined up for this annual popular jazz festival held in the Théâtre Antique which can hold over 7,000 spectators. Over 200,000 people descend on the city to see the performances at venues from Jazz Mix to the Cybèle stage. There’s a Jazz Parade and if you’re near Vienne you might catch the Caravan’Jazz which travels around the local communes. Isère is a fabulous place to visit (there’s more on Isère here).
To Jul 16, 2024: Les Nuits de Fourvière in the Gallo-Roman theatres of Lyon is a magical feast of theatre, music, dance, opera and circus. Around 60 performances are watched by over 130,000 spectators.
To Jul 21, 2024: Tour de France. The world’s greatest cycling race starts in Florence then goes to Turin before crossing into France. Due to the Paris Olympics, the Tour will finish for the first (and only) time in Nice.
To Jul 21, 2024: Avignon Festival. Founded in 1947 this festival has grown to become one of the biggest for international contemporary live performance events. It’s a beautiful city, so seeing a performance here is truly magical. Over 130,000 people come for theatre, visual arts, dance and music. Every night there’s a premiere of a new work.
To Jul 22, 2024: Chorégies d’Orange started in 1869, making it the oldest festival in France. It’s held in the magnificent Roman Théâtre Antique, which seats 8,600 people, has superb acoustics and puts on popular operas and classical music.
To Jul 23, 2024: Summer Sales throughout France.
Read more about Discount shopping, malls, bargains and sales in France.
And…Flea markets and brocante fairs are always great entertainment.
To Jul 20, 2024: Festival de Nîmes in Occitanie. Music festival with a big line up includes Eric Clapton, Suzanne Vega, James Blunt and many more. The festival has been wowing the crowds 1997 and is one of the important festivals in the south of France. But hurry; many concerts are sold out.
To Jul 31, 2024: Carcassonne Festival is fabulous in a superb setting. 120 shows (80 of which are free in the OFF festival) are performed on 11 stages taking in opera, theatre, dance, music classes. With over 250,000 visitors it’s one of the biggest festivals in France.
To Sep 8, 2024: Paris Jazz Festival. 25 free festivals spread over the summer take place in the Parc Floral in jazz, world music and Afro-American music (soul, blues). Along with the concerts, there are workshops where you can make instruments from salvaged objects, introductions to percussion and conferences as well as a sound discovery area for children in the Botanic Garden. All concerts and activities are free; there’s a charge for admission to the park.
To Sep 22, 2024: Impressionist Festival in Normandy celebrates the 150th anniversary of the birth of the Impressionists. Around 150 to 200 events are organised in the main cities celebrating the art: Rouen, Caen, Le Havre, Cherbourg, Giverny, Honfleur, Port-en-Bessin-Huppain, Fécamp and Saint Lô and in other smaller towns. The connection between contemporary art and Impressionism is also a theme in the concerts, major Impressionist exhibitions, installations, dance and more, including the exhibition Whistler, the Butterfly Effect at the Musée des Beaux-Arts (Fine Arts Museum) in Rouen (May 24-Jul 24), and a Gwen John exhibition at the Château-Musée in Dieppe from end June to end September.
Official site of the Impressionist Destination Festival in Normandy
Here’s an overall view of Normandy Impressionism
An Idiot’s Guide to the Great Impressionist Painters
To Nov 3, 2024: La Gacilly Photo Festival is a wonderful outdoor photo festival. For three months, hundreds of large format photos are displayed in the parks, green maze, squares and streets of the small town in Morbihan, Brittany.
To Nov 3, 2024: International Garden Festival at Chaumont-sur-Loire château in the Loire Valley is a fabulous, huge Festival, the Chelsea Flower Show of France. The Château and grounds are lovely and the festival of a series of gardens from international designers always delivers some surprises.
To Jan, 2025: 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 in France starting in July 2024
Jul 1-7, 2024: Les Zaccros d’ma Rue in Nevers in the Loire Valley is as wacky as its title. Around 50 different troupes offer theatre, circus and magic with performances, brass bands, street parades, fire shows and more.
Jul 1-29, 2024: Les Rencontres d’Arles is a huge, well established international photo expo, now 50 years old. Over sixty exhibitions take place in heritage locations and most of the exhibits have not been seen before.
Jul 2-6, 2024: Cognac Blues Passions. Taking the blues as its starting inspiration, the festival brings an eclectic mix each year. The main stage is in the public park; other musicians perform on the banks of the Charente River.
Jul 3-23, 2024: International Festival of Art in Aix-en-Provence offers opera, classical music concerts, ballet and performances. The 75th Festival takes place in glorious buildings like the courtyard of the Archbishop’s Palace, Théâtre de l’Archevêché, Grand Théâtre de Provence, Théâtre du Jeu de Paume and Hôtel Maynier. Over 70,000 spectators attend every year.
Jul 4-7, 2024: The Belfort Eurockéennes is an important European outdoor festival held between hills and lakes on the Malsaucy Lake peninsula, 7 km from Belfort. Over 100,000 people gather for the concerts that feature international stars and up-and-coming bands playing a mix of music: rock, pop, hip-hop, electro, French popular song, folk and reggae. There’s a free temporary campsite.
Jul 4-7, 2024: Arras in Pas de Calais hosts the Main Square Festival, presenting around 50 concerts in this beautiful city. Over 100,000 fans come for music on the two festival stages ranging from rock to electronic, pop and folk.
Jul 4-Aug 24, 2024: Cannes Pyrotechnic Art Festival is a sight to behold. It takes place at 10pm on Jul 4, 14, 22, Aug 7, 15, 24. And it’s huge. On the 400-meter long sea front, over 200,000 watch it from the Croisette. But you can also see it from around the bay and if you’re at the Jazz a Juin festival it finishes the evening off with pizazz. Six different countries compete in a competition (except on July 14 which is exclusively French) for the best and spectators can vote online on the website.
Jul 5-7, 2024: Festival du lin. The Linen festival in Le Bourg Dun in Normandy is themed around flax. Around twenty exhibitions show off traditional and contemporary textile art and there’s a fashion show, a linen fabric fair, workshops and tours of the Terre de Lin factory. (Note that the website can take a very long time to load!)
Jul 5-8, 2024: Calvi on the Rocks, Calvi, Corsica. On the dramatic island of Corsica, this is the chance to listen to electronic music, see performances and enjoy Corsican traditions. Take the shuttle or walk to the beach which has Villa Schweppes’ summer residence where you can try a mojito, eat Corsican specialities and snooze afterwards. In the evenings see concerts at the Théâtre de Verdure outdoor venue or relax in the chill-out room at the harbour.
Jul 5-14, 2024: Colmar International Festival attracts some of the greatest talents in classical music. Chamber music, solo and full orchestras perform in three different venues with music by Tippett/Corelli, Britten, Bach, Mozart and more.
Jul 6-Sep 8, 2024: Le Voyage Estival in Nantes has become one of the most exciting, and original, summer events in France. It’s an urban trail with works of art, some of which are new, others are created. 30 or so different works start at the former LU factory by the Canal Saint- Félix, then continue past iconic sites and buildings like the castle of the Dukes of Brittany and the Machines de l’Isle park with its grand elephant. A green line on the ground takes you along the itinerary. Don’t worry if you miss it; there is a permanent Voyage à Nantes through the city.
Jul 8-18, 2024: Jazz à Juan Festival swings into this famous south of France resort with one of the best jazz festivals in Europe. The line-up is about to be announced, but the programme is always exciting with the top names. There’s an Off Festival in the streets of Antibes and Juan-les-Pins.
Find great budget places to stay in Antibes/Juan-les-Pins.
Jul 10-14, 2024: Francofolies in La Rochelle takes you into contemporary French song and music. Traditional and modern music and a series of events outside the festival help young artists develop.
Jul 11-14, 2024: Vieilles Charrues or the Old Plough Festival in Carhaux-Plouguer, Finistere, Brittany is huge. Around 250,000 come to the festival which covers all the main styles including hip-hop, rock and even opera. Robbie Williams, Morcheeba, Silly Boy Blue, Blur, Red Hot Chilli Pepers and many more. There are also street art shows to see.
Jul 11-14, 2024: Amundi Evian Championship features the world’s great female golfers and is the only Major in Europe. It’s played on a beautiful 18-hole golf course above Lake Geneva. Learn more about the sport at the fair where you can test gear. Get there on a free shuttle between Evian and the Golf Course.
Jul 13-20, 2024: Souillac en Jazz (Sim Copans Festival) in the Lot, Dordogne Valley offers different jazz styles in the magnificent Romanesque abbey. Around forty free concerts in the streets and Lacave Caves add to the festival.
Jul 14, 2024: Bastille Day is France’s greatest holiday with celebrations throughout the country. Watch out for local events and fireworks. And also start watching out for traffic jams; it’s traditionally the start of France’s national one-month long summer vacation. Of all the events in July and throughout the year, this is the best known.
Jul 14-16, 2024: Electrobeach Festival of electronic music in Port-Barcarès, a former fishing village in Pyrénées-Orientales. Concerts on the beach and in the unusual setting of the gardens of the Lydia, once an ocean liner from the 1930s and now anchored in the sand as a museum. One of Europe’s biggest electronic music festivals attracts an audience of around 150,000.
Jul 15-19, 2024: Nice Jazz Festival. This has always been one of the greats since it started in 1948. Two stages with simultaneous events are set up just off the Promenade des Anglais. Expect big stars though the programme has yet to be finalised.
Jul 16-20, 2024: Festival of 1001 Notes in Limoges taking classical music as its starting point but incorporating jazz and world music. It’s a festival to see up-and-coming artists, one of whom can shadow and collaborate with one of the top names in classical music.
In the intervals there are dinners and picnics and after the concert there’s a chance to meet with the artists and others in the bar.
Jul 16-21, 2024: Equestria, Tarbes, Hautes-Pyrénées. The National Stud Farm in Tarbes puts on this exceptional equestrian show every year. Over 400 horses and 500 performers from the arts and the equestrian world perform a series of newly created choreographed events in the different rings. There are some pretty stunning tricks to see. And make for the village for something different.
Jul 18-21, 2024: Cornouaille Festival, Quimper, Brittany. This is for anyone interested in Breton culture as well as other Celtic traditions, with over 250,000 spectators attending each year. Over 200 shows and events, most of them free, showcase the trades of the past, bell-ringers and more. An antique markets and booksellers fill the quayside.
Jul 18-Aug 4, 2024: Jazz in Marciac, Gers, Occitanie. This great jazz festival attracts over 200,000 people each year to listen to the likes of Melody Gardot, Anthony Strong and the Barcelona Jazz Orchestra, James Blunt, Gogo Penguin and Jamie Cullum and Wynton Marsalis. There’s also a fringe festival on the main square.
Jul 19-21, 2024: Les Escales World Music Festival, Saint-Nazaire, Loire-Atlantique. Down in the town’s harbour, Les Escales is a feast of traditional and contemporary multi-cultural music. Around 40,000 people gather for around 50 concerts on 5 stages. Hip-Hop, Rock, Globe-Trotter, Rap, Techno-Disco…you name it, you’ll find it here. Street shows and exhibitions complete the attractions.
More about Saint-Nazaire – a city well worth a visit.
Jul 20-Aug 20, 2024: International Piano Festival, widely regarded as one of the most important piano festivals in the world, takes place in La Roque d’Anthéron, just 25 kms from Aix-en-Provence. Outdoor and indoor concerts.
In the intervals there are dinners and picnics and after the concert there’s a chance to meet with the artists and others in the bar.
Jul 28-Aug 8: Pablo Casals Festival. Since 1950, world famous soloists, and up and coming young groups, have performed in Prades in Pyrénées-Orientales. The festival, which takes place in historic religious buildings like the Benedictine Abbey of Saint-Michel-de-Cuxa, focuses on chamber music from Bach to Mozert, as well as contemporary works. Also here: meetings with artists and film screenings.
Jul 25-27, 2024: Cognac Festival in Charente promotes the region’s wine and spirit products and local food (Charentais melon and local oysters, mussels, meat, cheeses and more). Walk along the marina past the fishermen’s huts specially converted for the event and sit and sample. In the evenings, two concerts take place with top musicians.
Jul 26, 2024: Garlic and Basilic Fair in the main square of Tours in the Loire Valley is a site to behold (and to smell). If you think you know your garlic, think again.
Loire Valley Drive from Tours to Saumur
Jul 26-Aug 11, 2024: The Paris Olympics is the biggest event in France and Europe this year, along with the Paris Paralympics. Paris will see some 15 million visitors to the capital, of which around 500,000 will be British.
Here’s a Guide to the Paris Olympics
Jul 27-Aug 2, 2024: Le Festival du film de Lama in Corsica takes place in a medieval village. Around 20 feature film premières, programmes for children, a short film competition and documentary screenings take the theme of the rural world in France and abroad. The festival is at three different places: the swimming pool (great views of the mountains), Place de l’Umbria and the Mercatu in the village’s centre (cushions and pillows provided).
Jul 29-Aug 10, 2024: Festival Saint-Céré, Saint-Céré, Lot. The delightful town hosts a lyric festival with four alternating shows and 40 events performed in the town and throughout the Lot department. The productions then tour France during the following winter.
From Saint-Céré you can see the towers of the Saint-Laurent-les-Tours castle where the artist Jean Lurçat lived and worked…and during World War II operated a secret radio for the French Resistance. He’s best known as a driving force in the creation of modern French tapestry in the 20th century.
Here’s the Story of Tapestry in France
Events in France in 2024
Have I missed an event you think I should include? Please do let me know.
Events in France in January 2024
Events in France in February 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 August 2024
Events in France in September 2024
Events in France in October 2024
I am updating the events in France in 2024 but have left 2023 as many of France’s major events occur each year, usually at the same time of the month.
Events in France in November 2023
Events in France in December 2023
More about great Food Festivals in France
Public holidays in France
Here’s a quick guide to the French regions and departments to help you find where the events are taking place.