Events in France in June 2023

Events in France in June 2023 show what a glorious month it is. There are festivals everywhere, D-Day is commemorated, Roland Garros tennis reaches its final, 50 tall ships visit Rouen and La Gacilly in Brittany holds its now famous outdoor photo festival.

Soldier's helmet on beach at entrance to concrete bunker looking out to sea — D-Day Landing Beach © D. Dumas CRT Normandie

Check out the events in France in June 2023 to help plan your visit in advance.

To Jun 4, 2023: Voiles d’Antibes on the Côte d’Azur is the start of the famous seaborne Mediterranean circuit races, when those beautiful rare, vintage and classic yachts unfurl their sails and race through the water.

Racing yacht off Antibes half way over at full tilt — Racing in the Voiles d’Antibes, but it could be in the 1920s. OT Antibes/Juan les Pins/Thomas Eibenberger

To Jun 11, 2023: Roland Garros in Paris is one of the 4 major world Grand Slam tennis tournaments. It began in 1925 and today takes place on 20 clay courts. Like other major tournaments, each match is five sets long (for men) and 3 sets long (for women). There are two major awards: the Musketeers’ Cup for men and the Suzanne Lenglen cup for women. The womens’ cup is named after the great tennis player who (among other things) was one of the early famous women wearing a bra invented in 1889 by Herminie Cadolle. There are also trophies for the winners of the men’s doubles, ladies’ doubles and mixed doubles.

View of Roland Garros tennis Paris showing domed seating and tall tower in front in leafy setting — Roland Garros © Mister No/CC-BY-SA 3.0

To Jun 18, 2023: D-Day Commemorated. Each year, between late May and mid-June, the D-Day landing beaches host events commemorating the events of the great 6 June 1944 invasion of France by the Allies. There’s a full programme with guided walks, historical re-enactments, exhibitions, fireworks, parachute drops in period costume, tours of the installation and bunkers, military vehicle parades, concerts and more.

Normandy D-Day Landing Beaches Map showing all 5 beach positions — Normandy D-Day Landing Beaches

The towns taking part are: Bayeux, Longues-sur-Mer, Arromanches, Sainte-Mère-Église, Carentan, Utah, Isigny-sur-Mer and Omaha.

See my article on a tour of the D-Day Landing Beaches from Utah to Sword.

For accommodation near the D-Day Landing Beaches, check my article here.

American Normandy Landing Beaches Cemetery. rows of headstone; one nearest with US flag — American Cemetery © Alastair McKenzie

To Jul 28, 2023: 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.

Nuits de Fourviere festival in Lyon showing huge stage covered and round stage in front about to be lifted on stage behind — Nuits de Fourvière Stage © Erclairbair/CC-BY-SA 4.0

To Nov 5, 2023: 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.

Chaumont garden festival showing garden The Banquet. Lots of plants growing, many herbs with kilner jars in the soil — Chaumont Garden Festival 2022 – The Banquet Garden © E. Sander

To Jan 14, 2023: Chartres en lumières sees this wonderful city illuminated for its annual festival of light. The first city to do this, it really is a must-see event.

Mediatheque in Chartres seen from fountains in the ground. spectacular building in background lit up with spectacular colours — Mediatheque in Chartres © F. Delauney Spectaculaire, allumeurs d’images

Events in France starting in June 2023

Jun 1-Oct 1, 2023: 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.

La Gacilly 2022 Photo outdoor festival with river in front and bridge and behind old houses and buildings covered in huge photos — La Gacilly 2022 Place Ferronnerie et Firuzi © JMNIRON

Jun 2-4, 2023: Rendezvous aux Jardins. This is an incredibly popular government sponsored event which takes place throughout France with around 2,400 public and private gardens opening up to the public (like the Chateau de Valmer below). This year’s theme is Garden Music. You can talk to the gardeners, go on guided tours, watch demonstrations on plants, see exhibitions, and enjoy musical walks, games and more.

Chateau de Valmer gardens showing classical stone urns with plants on steps with yew trees made into rounds and green tree background — Château de Valmer Gardens © L de Serres

Jun 2-5, 2023: Salon Vivre Côté Sud in Aix-en-Provence is a must if you’re interested in interior design. Organised by the Maisons Côté Sud magazine, it’s a seductive view of living in the south of France.

Mas du Jas de Bouffon of Cezanne in Aix-en-Provence. Warm stone 3-storey house with pitched red tile roof shaded by trees with green lawn in front and dappled view — Bastide du Jas de Bouffon of Cezanne, Aix-en-Provence ©

Jun 2-27, 2023: Saint-Denis Festival is a superb festival in the great basilica of Saint-Denis in Paris. Classical music concerts from French and international orchestras ranging from the classics to contemporary. Some concerts are broadcast on a giant screen in front of the basilica.

Looking down the nave of Basilica Saint Denis in Paris showing high columns holding up vaulted aisles and ceiling — Satin Denis Paris © Giles Messian/Wikimedia Commons

Jun 3-4, 2023: Joan of Arc Festival (Fêtes Johanniques) in Reims, Champagne. Joan of Arc persuaded the dauphin Charles to be crowned in Reims cathedral on July 17, 1429. The Festival celebrates the event with a huge medieval fair, culminating in a historical re-enactment of them arriving in Reims. But there’s much more – a medieval village with craftspeople, minstrels and jugglers in the streets and everyone in period costume. Or watch a falconry display, wool-spinning and stone-cutting workshops.

Joan of Arc Festival with young woman in blue on horse carrying banner and young man dressed in blue and gold tunic of the King on horse beside her among crowds — Joan of Arc Festival © Carmen Moya

Jun 6, 2023: Annual Transhumance. St Rémy de Provence is famous for its transhumance when hundreds of sheep are driven through the town to begin their journey up to the pastures to grow fat and happy during the summer months. They leave from the Plateau de la Crau at 10.30am for a couple of circuits of the town, then leave for the real thing in the afternoon.

It’s not just the sheep which get excited about the event. There’s an antiques fair, an exhibition of bells, painting competition, cheese fair and sales of posters and raffle tickets.

Please Note: Date to be confirmed.

Transhumance with sheep in street, shepherd and people around — Transhumance

Jun 6-Jul 3, 2023: 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.

Little Red Riding Hood play at Anjou Festival with girl on stage holding out hand to seated wolf — Little Red Riding Hood at the Anjou Festival © Elizabeth Careccio

Jun 7-25, 2023: Festival de musique de Sully et du Loiret. Held in the delightful Loire Valley, the festival has been running since 1973. It presents a mix of classical and jazz in the famous chateau and other local heritage buildings.

Aerial view of the Chateau de Sully from high up looking down onto river that washes its walls, and surrounding road and green park — Château de Sully © D. Chauveau/Sully

Discover more about this part of the Loire Valley on the drive from Nevers to Orleans.

Jun 8-18, 2023: Rouen Armada, Normandy. Held every four years, this great event sees some 50 tall ships, and military boats and submarines from all over the world moored along 7 kms of the banks of Rouen’s Seine Quay. You can visit the ships for free, ask questions and see how some of these grand dames of the sea operate. On shore events include a sailors’ parade in the city centre, the sailors’ race, the “boat” race, street performances, concerts, fireworks, the grand parade and more. At the end of the festival, the boats make their way down the River Seine towards the estuary between Honfleur and Le Havre.
More about Normandy, such a great place to visit.

Rouen armada start with tall ships sailing under bridge and one very large one in front — Rouen Armada Parade

Jun 10-11, 2023: 24 Hours of Le Mans race, in Le Mans in the Pays de la Loire region, celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. One of the most famous car races in the world, it covers a road circuit of just over 8 miles (13kms) in Le Mans, part of which is on a public road.

More about the Le Mans race and the museum.

New Bently racing car in Le Mans museum showing sleek green car with Breitling and other sponsors logos — Bentley © Alastair McKenzie

Jun 10-11, 2023: Medieval Festival de Provins. This UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Seine-et-Marne near Paris is an exceptionally well preserved fortified medieval city. So go to their annual Medieval Fair with swashbuckling galore, sinister characters along with musicians, stilt walkers and entertainers. There are camps, craftspeople making and selling jewellery, spices, fabrics and costumes from the distant past. And it’s great for children.

Provins medieval fair with people in costumesmarching in long procession alonb outside of huge city walls — Provins Medieval Fair © JF leroux

Jun 11-17, 2023: International Animated Film Festival in Annecy, Haute-Savoie. Since 1960, the international festival has been showing over 200 animated films from around the world. There are premières at different venues, exhibitions and more, plus nightly free outdoor screenings on Le Pâquier field.

Annecy Animated Film Festival building inside with flags from the glass roof and people — Annecy International Animation Festival © Guilhem Vellut/CC-BY-SA 2.0

Jun 14-18, 2023: Festival du Film de Cabourg, Normandy. Every summer, Cabourg’s film festival is dedicated to romantic films. Premières, tributes and retrospectives, lectures, debates and meetings, all open to the public. There’s also an outdoor cinema with 400 seats set up on the beach. You’re likely to spot French stars like Marion Cotillard and Sophie Marceau. At the end of the competition, the Swann d’Or awards are given to the best feature-length films, best short film, best actress and best actor.

Cabourg Film Festival with red carpet running along on boardwalk outside large buildings to right; lots of colourful balloons flying and people in distance — Cabourg Film Festival © Georges Biard/CC-BY-SA 4.

Jun 16-18, 2023: Nature is Bike, Angers, Loire Valley. Dedicated to gravel bikes, it’s a sporting event but is aimed at reconnecting with nature, involving families, professionals and enthusiasts. There are two events: a 64km night ride and a 100km daytime course. There’s also a family ramble, a ‘Gravel Expo’ trade fair and environment-focused events. Angers is a major cycling centre, located where three major cycling routes cross. The town is well known for its extraordinary historic and contemporary tapestries.

There’s a new route between Arromanches-les-Bains and Angers. All in all it makes for 300 kms/186 miles of ultra-distance cycling.

Guy with bear, dark glasses and cap sitting on seat with his bike in front at Nature is Bike festival — Nature is Bike takes a rest © Juliette Baraise

Jun 15-18, 2023: Hellfest in Clisson, Loire-Atlantique. Since 2006 Hellfest has been staging hard rock, gothic rock, heavy metal, black metal and hardcore punk. Seven stages for the biggest names from Guns’n’Roses to Iron Maiden, Kiss to Deep Purple, Alice Cooper and many more. Not everyone goes in the gear you’d expect: Festival-goers appear as pink rabbits, Gauls and Teletubbies.

Hellfest heavy metal concert showing band on stage with red and black smoke amidst instruments — Hellfest © Selbymay CC-BY-SA 4.0

Jun 19-Jul 24, 2023: 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.

Full view of the stage at the Roman Theatre in Orange with its stage and stone backdrop with statues carved and freestanding. Steps onto stage — Roman Theatre in Orange © Jean-Louis Zimmermann OT Orange

Jun 21, 2023: World Music Day (concerts and dancing in the streets throughout France). It began in 1982 and has blossomed since then. Everyone participates so there’s an enormous variety of music from contemporary to folk as the music schools, conservatories, museums, hospitals, radio, concert halls, cafés, street performers and more put on their own versions.

Jun 23-Jul 22, 2023: Festival de Nîmes in Occitanie. Music festival with a big line up includes Simply Red, Sam Smith, Arctic Monkeys, and many more. It’s been happening since 1997 and is one of the important festivals in the south of France.

Poster of Sam Smith in Reims 2023 with him dressed oddly on plinth like statue — Sam Smith in Nîmes 2023

Jun 28-Jul 25, 2023: 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.

Parisian shopping showing girl with back to camera carrying handbag and large carrier bag crowwing a street dressed in jumper and jeans — Parisian shopping © Paris Tourist Office/Amélie Dupont

Jun 28-Jul 13, 2023: Jazz à Vienne, Isère. 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 Isèrere here).

Jazz festival in Vienne in a huge amphitheatre looking down from back to toptier of seats to huge stage with performers — Jazz in Vienne © Daniel Culson/CC-BY-SA 3.0

Jun 29-Jul 2, 2023: The Belfort Eurockéennes is an important European outdoor festival. It has a beautiful location between hills and lakes on the Malsaucy Lake peninsula, 7 km from Belfort. Over 100,000 people gather for the concerts that cover international stars to 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.

Sigur Ros at the Belfort Festival 2023 with face of Sigur Ros on huge screen behind grouplaying on stage — Sigur Ros at the Belfort Festival 2023

Jun 29-Sep 7, 2023: Paris Jazz Festival. Held in the Parc Floral in Paris, Bois de Vincennes, this popular festival covers a range of music.

Paris Jazz Festival with group of 4 musicians on stage playaiaang guitars, drum and keyboard and audience in front — Paris Jazz Festival: Jérôme Sabbagh © Abaca Press

Jun 30-Jul 2, 2023: Les Nuits de Nacre in Tulle, Limousin. If you are an accordion fan this is for you. Music is everywhere from the streets to cafés, from concert halls to public squares. Most of the 90 concerts which feature all kinds of music from gipsy jazz to world music, are free.

Accordion festival in Tulle showing one mad looking acordion player on knees playing the instrument, with a bagpipe player on floor with him and band members behind — Accordion Festival

Jun 30-Jul 9, 2023: 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 Sacha Guitry. New films bring European and international works to the audience. And international stars always come to this festival.