September is a wonderful time for a visit to France. The days are warm and the sea beckons; the trees begin to change their colour; the crowds have largely gone, and the country starts the first grape harvests.

Here are some great events in France in September 2026.

To Sep 6, 2026: Paris Jazz Festival. 25 free festivals spread over the summer at weekends in the Parc Floral offer 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 6, 2026: Le Voyage à Nantes This summertime festival is 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.

To Sep 20, 2026: Normandy Impressionist Festival celebrates the 150^th anniversary of the birth of the Impressionists and celebrates Claude Monet. 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.

This year, Normandy and Paris commemorate the death of Claude Monet in 1926.

More about Normandy and Impressionism
Normandy and Impressionism
Guide to Impressionist Painters

To Oct 4, 2026:  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 Oct 4, 2026: 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.

To Nov 1, 2026: Giverny, Claude Monet’s house and garden open for the season. A visit is a must on most people’s itinerary and this year with so many great events in Normandy it will be busier than ever.

To Nov 1, 2026: International Garden Festival at Chaumont-sur-Loire château in the Loire Valley is equivalent in prestige to the Chelsea Flower Show. The Château and grounds are lovely and the festival of a series of gardens from international designers always delivers some surprises. This year’s theme plays tribute to the cinema and gardens.

To Jan 5, 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 in France starting in September 2026

Mid-September onwards: Wine harvest festivals are beginning all across France. Check the local tourist offices for celebrations where you are as the wine harvests are always one of the major events in September in France.

Sept 4-13, 2026: American Film Festival, Deauville, Calvados, Normandy.  At this well-established event you get the chance to see around 100 American films – from blockbuster Hollywood productions to small independent films. They’re on at the Lucien Barrière casino and Le Mony cinema. The festival village provides information on all the events.
Here’s a guide to chic Deauville, well worth a visit any month of the year.

Sep 5, 2026: Nuits de Sologne starts at 5pm at Lamotte Beuvron in the Loir-et-Cher, south of Orléans, with musical entertainment and craft exhibitions, a bar and food stands. Sit on seats on the grass and wait for the first part of this spectacular show. At 8.45pm, there’s a projection onto an enormous façade. At 9.30pm the big fireworks start, synchronized to music. This might be a bit off the beaten track but it’s one of the events in September in France to try to see. You must buy tickets in advance from the website.

Date to be confirmed

Sept 5-6, 2026: The famous Lille Braderie takes over the city in Nord-Pas de Calais for a non-stop antiques and bric-a-brac fair that is quite a sight to see. It starts at 8am on Saturday and finishes at 6pm on Sunday. Wander among the streets of 10,000 amateur and professional exhibitors. If you can’t find what you’re looking for here, you never will. To keep up, eat endless portions of mussels and chips, then pile up the shells outside the restaurant. The competition for the largest pile is kept going by the 3 million or so visitors.

Sep 11-13, 2026: The Lessay Fair in Normandy dates back 1,000 years, created, so the story goes, by the Benedictine monks here. During the fair the town is transformed as around 350,000 visits descend. There’s a horse village, demonstrations of driving and a huge funfair. Eat leg of lamb or sausages at the Allée des Rôtisseurs.  

Sept 12-13, 2026: Crémieu Medieval Festival, Crémieu in Isère. Watch the Middle Ages come to life as around 200 professionals and 300 volunteers re-enact the past. Horse shows, jousts, jugglers, stilt-walkers, flag-twirlers, fire-eaters, musicians and magicians provide the entertainment.
To see how the great unwashed lived, visit the living camps and watch the occasional dispute and fight with swords, lances and shield. Walk along the street where old trades flourish: potters, bow-makers, chainmail-makers and spinners.

Sep 15-19, 2026: Every year since 1989, the Polyphonic Song Festival has featured choristers and soloists from Corsica and the rest of the world. Held in different locations in the citadel of Calvi, acts from Bulgaria and Georgia, Inuit and Moroccan sing and perform.

Sept 19-Dec-13, 2026: Biennale of Contemporary Art, Lyon. Every two years the Lyon Contemporary Art Biennal alternates with the Dance Biennal. This is a huge and important contemporary art festival, with work from around the world.

Sept 16-20, 2026: Fête Renaissance du roi de l’oiseau in Le Puy-en-Velay, Auvergne. This Festival of Renaissance Arts just gets better each year. The whole town goes back in time, with most of the residents dressed up in costumes they have been making all year. There are parades, archery contests, camps and much more. And it takes place just 25 kms from my house.

Sep 17-20, 2026: Bol d’Or, Circuit Paul Ricard, Le Castellet, Var, PACA. The Bol d’Or is the chance for endurance motorcyclists to compete with an international line-up. Lasting 24 hours, teams of three riders take turns during the competition. Races take in the Bol d’Argent, a 3-hour race for medium engine size motorbikes and the Bol d’Or Classic, which sees the great vintage bikes take to the track.
Enthusiasts can also see the race on a giant screen and check out the latest products from major manufacturers like BMW, Yamaha and Suzuki. And if that’s not enough, there are rock concerts, a funfair, paintball, freestyle demos and mini-bike workshops for those mini champions.

Sep 19-20, 2026: European Heritage days (Journées du patrimoine). Monuments and historic site throughout France (and Europe) put on a special show. You can get inside buildings not normally open like the Élysée Palace and private villas and castles. It’s not just about seeing the places; there are guided tours, skills demonstrations, theatre and music. Heritage in Danger: revive, Resist, Reinvent is the 2026 theme.

Sep 22-27, 2026: The Great Bulwark (Grand Pavois), La Rochelle, Charente-Maritime, Nouvelle-Aquitaine. This impressive and important international nautical fair fills Minimes Harbour. Check out more than 800 exhibitors, look at the boats, try one out and buy it! And stay for the final fireworks. Japan is the country of Honour this year.

Sept 26-Oct 4, 2026: Les Voiles de Saint Tropez, Saint Tropez, PACA. Around 300 sailing boats, both traditional and modern, gather to race in the Mediterranean. This is one of the last events in France in September so try to make it to catch that last summer sun. It’s a sight to see.

Sept-Dec, 2026: Paris Autumn Festival is a huge arts events, taking in every discipline and taking place in different venues throughout Paris. Around 50 events cover the new and the avant-garde. It was created in 1972 by Michel Guy under the impetus of Georges Pompidou who wanted Paris to become a cultural capital. He succeeded; today around 150,000 people attend one of the events.
Please Note: Exact dates to be decided.

Sep 30, 2026-Jan 25, 2027: Monet, Painting Time at the Musée de l’Orangerie marks the 100^th anniversary of the death of the painter. Around 40 works mostly from the Musée d’Orsay’s and Musée Marmottan Monet’s collections, plus French and international public and private collection loans highlight his changing styles, particularly emphasising the Nymphéas, housed in the Musée de l’Orangerie – described as the ‘Sistine Chapel of Impressionism’ by André Masson in 1952.

 If you know of other events you think I should include, please do let me know!

More Events in France in 2026

If you know of other events you think I should include, please do let me know!

Events in France in January 2026
Events in France in February 2026
Events in France in March 2026
Events in France in April 2026
Events in France in May 2026
Events in France in June 2026
Events in France in July 2026
Events in France in August 2026

To be updated:
Events in France in October 2025
Events in France in November 2025
Events in France in December 2025

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.

Regions of France
French Departments

The post Events in France in September 2026 appeared first on Mary Anne's France.

France in August is one of the busiest months of the year as half the French (particularly Parisians) go on holiday while the rest put on events to entertain their holidaying compatriots. While the seaside resorts and popular destinations like the Loire Valley are busy, you can always find peace and quiet in the deep rural countryside. Try the small villages in the south, explore the great rivers of France, or take in the views, the air, and the space in the mountains of France.  

In particular, August is the month when Brittany comes into its own with so many festivals celebrating Celtic culture.

And don’t miss the many vide-greniers fairs held everywhere in August. Half of France is putting on those ‘open-attic’ fairs; the other half is buying old plates, glasses, wooden furniture, old farm implements and more items than you could ever imagine.
Brocante, bric-a-brac, vide-greniers and any old tat sales in France.

Check out these top events in France in August 2026

To Aug 2, 2026: Festival du Bout du Monde. The annual festival on the Crozon Peninsula, Finistère, Brittany, attracts the crowds for its music and its setting near the sea. International artists, some well known, some new ones, perform on 3 stages.  

To Aug 5, 2026: Jazz in Marciac, Gers, Occitanie. This great jazz festival attracts over 200,000 people each year to listen to some great international names. There’s also a fringe festival on the main square.

To Aug 7, 2026: 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 20^th century.

Here’s the Story of Tapestry in France

To Aug 7, 2026: Menton Music Festival From 1950, this festival has been the place to watch and hear the world’s top classical artists. Outdoor concerts are held opposite the port on the Forecourt of the Basilica of St. Michael the Archangel. Younger, less well known musicians appear at the Jean Cocteau Museum and there are free concerts in different parts of Menton in the streets and squares.

To Aug 8, 2026: 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.

To Aug 9, 2026: Festival Interceltique Lorient. Music and culture from the Morbihan Peninsula in Brittany plus the Celtic people of Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, the Isle of Man, Ireland and northern Spain (Galicia and Asturias). Over 800,000 festival-goers flock here for 4,500 artists, 120 shows, 11 new creations, all performed on 11 stages. Booksellers line the quays along with the Celtic market. There are processions, fest-noz, traditional Breton games, a race and a dinner concert.

To Aug 16, 2026:  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.

To Sep 6, 2026: 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 6, 2026: Le Voyage à Nantes: Summertime festival is 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.

To Sep 20, 2026: Normandy Impressionist Festival celebrates the 150^th anniversary of the birth of the Impressionists and celebrates Claude Monet. 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.

This year, Normandy and Paris commemorate the death of Claude Monet in 1926.

More about Normandy and Impressionism
Normandy and Impressionism
Guide to Impressionist Painters

To Oct 4, 2026:  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 Oct 4, 2026: 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.

To Nov 1, 2026: Giverny, Claude Monet’s house and garden open for the season. A visit is a must on most people’s itinerary and this year with so many great events in Normandy it will be busier than ever.

To Nov 1, 2026: 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. This year’s theme plays tribute to the cinema and gardens.

To Jan, 2027: Chartres en lumières sees this wonderful city in the Loire Valley illuminated for its annual festival of light. Chartres was the first city to light up its glorious buildings every night and it’s still one of the best light shows in France. Wander the streets to see monks walking, the theatre resplendent and the cathedral turned into the story of its past. It’s nightly from dusk to 1am so there’s no excuse to miss it. 

Events in France starting in August 2026

Aug 1-3, 2026: Corso of Lavender in Dignes les Bains is a long-standing festival celebrating lavender, an important industry in the past. It opens with music, fireworks and a grand ball on Place Général de Gaulle. Floral floats process through the streets during the day and the evening; lavender purses are given out, and on Saturday international folk groups perform.

Aug 5, 15, 24, 2026: Cannes Pyrotechnic Art Festival is a sight to behold. It takes place at 10pm. 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 pizzazz. 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.

Aug 7-10, 2026: Relive the past at the Bridiers Historical Festival with 400 actors, cavalry, horse-drawn carriages, pyrotechnics and more on the medieval site. They tell the story of over 6,000 years of history from prehistory to 1945. The gallop through the past takes you to the Romans, Bacchus, marriages and exiles, Hermione, Lafayette and the US War of Independence, the trenches of 1917 and World War II. It’s a heady mix in the Creuse in Nouvelle-Aquitaine!

Aug 14-16, 2026: Paimpol Traditional Sailing Ships Festival in Brittany is all about the sea and particularly features the sea shanty. Shanties were sung for rhythm, co-ordination of the sailors’ movements on board. They’re about shipwrecks, travel, discovery, heroism and love. The festival is also all about ships and several hundred boats appear in the harbour. Each morning the day’s festivities are announced with a foghorn concert. Expect a fun, if noisy festival.

Aug 9-21, 2026: Darc Festival (Dance, art, rhythm, culture) started in 1975 in Châteauroux, Indre, Centre-Val-de-Loire. An international audience of over 65,000 people come for concerts and dance workshops run by famous professionals. Everything here from modern jazz to Argentinian tangle, hip hop to African dance. Trainees take part in a big show at the end.

Aug 10-16, 2026: Confolens Folklore Festival, Confolens, Charente, Nouvelle-Aquitaine. 150,000 visitors go to the international music and dance festival where performers from all 5 continents put on shows that reflect the culture of the world.

Aug 11-16, 2026: Les Cultures du Monde Festival de Montoire, Montoire-sur-le-Loir. It’s the turn for international amateur artists at the World Culture Festival when 300 of them are invited to perform their dances, songs and world music. Plus courses, exhibitions, traditional meals, crafts, street theatre and more. Catch performers from Brazil to Serbia.

Aug 12-15, 2026: La Route du Rock, Saint-Malo, Brittany. Beautiful setting and top musicians in Fort Saint-Père in Saint-Père-Marc-en-Poulet, and other venues. There are some pretty diverse groups playing with an emphasis on British bands, from the Irish Fontaines D.C  to Yard Act.

Aug 12-16, 2026: Festival des Filets Bleus, Concarneau. One of the biggest of the great traditional festivals in Brittany, it began in 1905. It celebrates all aspects of Celtic traditions from costumes and those great headdresses to music and dance, from sea shanties to nautical jousting. Costumed performers take to the streets and the quaysides; most activities are free.

Aug 12-16, 2026: Feria, Dax, Landes, Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Dress in red and white and take to the streets to sing and dance with the crowds, and drink copious amounts of alcohol. There are folk music groups, horse shoes, sports events and parades, bullfights and great fireworks to round it all off.

Aug 13-16, 2026: L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue International Fair celebrates with its huge, world famous antique festival. 200 exhibitors tempt the crowds with stalls in the streets, in Gautier Park and on the quays of the river. And that’s before you go into the town’s 250 antique, art and decoration shops. There are experts to help you authenticate your art, antiques or bric-a-brac decorative item.

Aug 14-16, 2026: Festival d’Arvor, Vannes, Brittany. Traditional Breton culture is celebrated with exhibitions, bagadoù shows (traditional pipe bands), fancy dress parades, concerts and introductions to Breton dancing. Since 1928 the festival has elected a Queen of Pays Vennetais from over 80 towns and villages. At the end there’s a grand firework display on the Vannes ramparts.

Aug 15, 2026: The Cannes Pyrotechnic Festival has the world’s greatest creators making the show. (Also Aug 24).

August 15, 2026: Assumption. France takes another public holiday when shops and banks close, but happily not attractions, restaurants and bars.
Public Holidays in France

Aug 18-22, 2026: Météo Music Festival in Mulhouse, Alsace. The festival always surprises with contemporary jazz and experimental music. It’s aimed at national and international new names and has been an annual event since 1983.  

Aug 18-30, 2026: La Chaise Dieu Classic Music Festival is set in the glorious abbey church. International and national orchestras perform in the ancient building. I’ve never managed to get to it, though it’s near my house in the Auvergne. It has some of the best classical music you can find and the settings are magical, from the abbey in La Chaise-Dieu where the painted Dance of Death sends shivers down your spine to local medieval churches and the theatre in Le Puy-en-Velay.

Aug 19-22, 2026: Aurillac International Street Theatre Festival, Aurillac, Cantal, Auvergne. This is one of the best street theatre festivals in France taking over the whole town. Around 500 troupes from around the world perform outdoors and in the evenings, there’s a big party helped by some pretty wild percussion sounds. There’s also an event before, Les Préalables, where troupes are welcomed in the local communes.

Aug 19-23, 2026:  Festival de Saint-Loup, Guingamp, Côtes-d’Armor, Brittany. The Festival of music and dance started in the 19th century and is one of Brittany’s oldest. Today there are dancing workshops, Breton games of strength, a traditional costume competition, shows with regional pipe bands and the dérobée – a folk dance procession. Since 1957 it has staged the National Championship of Breton Dance.

Aug 19-30, 2026: The Berlioz Festival in La Côte-Saint-André, the birthplace of Hector Berlioz, has around 50 events, involving over 1,000 musicians and artists. Most of the works are played in the courtyard of the Louis XI Castle plus more music and contemporary works and minstrels in the medieval hall, castles, abbeys and churches in the region.

Aug 20-23, 2026: Le Cabaret Vert, Charleville-Mézières, Ardennes. This unusual, diverse festival takes in a remarkable line-up of musicians from rock to reggae. And there are recycling workshops, short films, street art and exhibitions. Particular emphasis is on the environment and eco solutions to the world’s problems. The name Le Cabaret Vert refers to a poem by Arthur Rimbaud, the 19th-century poet who originally came from the town.

Aug 20-24, 2026: Saint-Louis Patronal Festival, Sète, Hérault, Occitanie. It began in 1666 when the port opened. This is no refined rowing or sailing festival but a full-on battle of water jousts between boats on the royal canal. It’s non-stop eating and drinking in between the sports tournaments and fireworks.

Aug 26-30, 2026: Rock en Seine, Paris, Île-de-France. The last great annual rock event in France, this is a real crowd drawer. Over 100,000 gather in Saint-Cloud, on the western outskirts of Paris, to hear music on four stages. It’s a wonderful setting in grounds designed by the 17^th-century garden designer Le Nôtre and great music at summer’s end from names like Franz Ferdinand and Deftones.

Aug 24, 2026: Cannes Pyrotechnic Art Festival is a sight to behold and this one, the last in the series, is magnificent.

Aug 24-30, 2026: The Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTBM) running race is extraordinary. In the Alps mountains, it goes through France, Switzerland and Italy. This is one of the most difficult races, following the Tour du Mont Blanc, a Grand Randonnée hiking trail over  170 km. And it’s all done with a cumulative change in altitude of 10,000 m.
Around 1760 of the world’s best top-level athletes and elite runners compete and the race can take under 20 hours over over 46 hours. It ends in Chamonix.

Aug 28-29, 2026: The Agen Prune Festival in Lot-et-Garonne combines gastronomy and culture in the unique way that the French manage such events. You can taste the first fruits of the harvest, buy regional products in the gourmet market, play a few sports and glory in the street theatre and music.

Late August 2026: The Mirabelle Plum Festival in Metz is all about the iconic fruit of Lorraine. Plums are the stars: in dinner, shows, concerts, danced a parade and more. Buy them and related goods at the huge market over the weekend. There’s also an election…of the Mirabelle Plum Queen and you can’t miss the Montgolfiades of Metz, a hot air balloon gathering in the town centre.  

Have I missed an event you think I should include? Please do let me know.

Events in France in 2026

Events in France in January 2026
Events in France in February 2026
Events in France in March 2026
Events in France in April 2026
Events in France in May 2026
Events in France in June 2026
Events in France in July 2026
Events in France in September 2026

I am updating the events in France in 2026 but have left 2025 as many of France’s major events occur each year, usually at the same time of the month.
Events in France in October 2025
Events in France in November 2025
Events in France in December 2025

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.

Regions of France
French Departments

The post Events in France in August 2026 appeared first on Mary Anne's France.

May is such a lovely month and still relatively quiet so you can see the sights at your own pace before the crowds arrive. The weather is good and the parks and gardens have woken up and are blossoming. Look out for these major events in France in May 2026.

To May 11, 2026: Foire de Paris. The annual Paris Fair has around 400,000 visitors and 1,250 exhibitors. Held at Paris Expo, Porte de Versailles, it’s the place for a huge shopping binge for your house, garden crafts, second hand clothes and more…and don’t forget the entertainment.

To Sep 20, 2026: Normandy Impressionist Festival celebrates the 150^th 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. Events are still being confirmed which I will add as they appear.

This year, Normandy and Paris commemorate the death of Claude Monet in 1926. More details later.

More about Normandy and Impressionism
Normandy and Impressionism
Guide to Impressionist Painters

To Nov 1, 2026: Giverny, Claude Monet’s house and garden open for the season. A visit is a must on most people’s itinerary and this year with so many great events in Normandy it will be busier than ever.

To Nov 1, 2026: International Garden Festival at Chaumont-sur-Loire Château in the Loire Valley is a fabulous, huge Festival, equivalent to (and bigger than) the Chelsea Flower Show in London. The Château and its grounds are lovely and the festival of a series of gardens from international designers always delivers inspirational sights. This year’s theme pays tribute to cinema.

To Jan 2027: Chartres en lumières (Chartres Illuminated). The first night of this great festival starts with a 10km-long walk which you can join. This was the first city to light up its glorious buildings every night and it’s still one of the best light shows in France. Wander the streets to see monks walking, the theatre resplendent and the cathedral turned into the story of its past.

Events in France starting in May 2026

May 1, 2026: Labour Day (Fête du Travail or Fête du Premier Mais). As with other French public holidays, some attractions and museums will close. (For all French public holidays, see the link at the end of the article).

May 1, 2026: La Louche d’Or. The Golden Ladle Festival celebrates soup – over 100 different varieties in Lille, Nord. Streets and squares are full of stalls with their offerings. And there’s also a special Le Ptit Bouillon in the Square Ghesquière for children, with special events, music and of course…soup.

May 1-3, 2026: Fiera di u Casgiu. This fabulous cheese fair in Venacu, Corsica, offers great cheeses and a competition to find the best cheese on the island.

May 8, 2026: VE (Victory in Europe) Day (Fête de la Victoire 1945 or Jour de la Liberation) Like all public holidays in France, public offices and banks are closed, but you’ll find attractions and shops open. Many cities also hold parades.

May 8-10, 2026: The French Motorcycle Grand Prix takes place every year in Le Mans on the main racetrack. It’s an important event with around 100,000 people coming to the Bugatti circuit. You can see the race on giant screens. There’s entertainment including concerts, and a shopping village where you can buy all that gear. On Saturday evening there’s a special motor show where you can see and hear the riders talking about the sport and the race on stage.

If you’re in Le Mans, check out the fabulous 24-Hours of Le Mans car and motor bike museum. There’s plenty to see.

Here’s a general guide to Le Mans, a Tale of Two Cities: what to see and do, where to stay, eat and more. What surprised me (and many first-time visitors to Le Mans) is the beautifully preserved, and extensive, mediaeval quarter at the heart of the city. Guide to Plantagenet Le Mans.

8-10 May, 2026: Expo Rose. The annual Rose exhibition held in Grasse is a wonderful, fragrant event. Over 25,000 cut roses fill the streets, fountains, squares and gardens, turning the city into a garden.

May 10, 2026:  Fete de la Fraise in Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne  celebrates strawberries with a huge variety of cakes to try. And…the biggest strawberry tart in the world which is made specially for this festival, which you can have a slice of.  

May 12-23, 2026: Cannes Film Festival. The most famous film festival in the world is a glittering occasion on the Cote d’Azur. Prizes include the best film, best director, best actor, best actress, Jury Prize, Grand Prix and the famous Palme D’Or. The main screenings take place on the Boulevard de la Croisette, in the Festival and Conference Centre. It’s for professionals but many go to Cannes to catch sight of their favourites. And the outdoor Beach cinema is open to all and shows a different film every night.

May 8-16, 2026: Jazz Sous les Pommiers (Jazz under the Apple Trees). This well-established, important jazz festival is held at Coutances, in Normandy. Established and up-and-coming artists take part; there are performances in the streets and more. It’s spread over 7 stages including one for amateur musicians and it ranges from New Orleans jazz to electronic music.

May 13-17, 2026: Nuits Sonores is an urban-oriented electronic music festival in Lyon. The innovative and exciting programme welcomes performers from around the world. It takes place in museums, disused factories, a theatre and the city hall. And along with the music come contemporary art, exhibitions, films and more.

May 14, 2026: Ascension Day when public offices and banks are shut, but many attractions and shops stay open.

May 16-17, 2026: Coutellia is an extraordinary knife-makers event that attracts exhibitors from all over the world. It takes place in Thiers, one of the great knife-making centres in the Auvergne. There’s more about Thiers and Coutellia on MechTraveller’s excellent website.

May 16-17, 2026: The Sedan Medieval Festival takes over one of Europe’s greatest fortified castle. Make your way among camps, shows, workshops, children’s play areas, re-enactments of daily life and a medieval market with over one hundred stalls. Walk past the street musicians and watch the street theatre. On Saturday there’s a grand procession, followed by a show with 400 other costumed participants.
And you can stay here, in the 4-star hotel within the fort.

May 18-Jun 7, 2026: 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. Each match is five sets with no deciding game in the last set. 

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.

May 21–24, 2026: Taste of Paris. Taking place at the Grand Palais, this is a great festival for gourmets. Top chefs serve signature dishes in small portions to sample. There’s also a gourmet market, tastings and demonstrations.

May 23, 2026: European Museum Night. Taking place throughout Europe, over 1,200 French museums open their doors, most free from 6pm to midnight.  There are often special events from storytelling tours to screenings and fireworks. There’s a specially intriguing one for me: a night walk and exploration of the Museum of the Battle of Gergovie when the Gauls overcame the Romans. The Auvergne is my region of France, though sadly I won’t be at my house on this occasion.

May 23-25, 2026: Gypsy pilgrimage to Les Saintes Maries de la Mer.  Romany community from around Europe gather to venerate their Saint Sara-la-Kali  (Sara the Black) who guards the Romanies where ever they live. The remains of Saint Sara are said to be in the crypt under the church in the town. Religious ceremonies honour the saint; children are baptized; there’s music, parades and celebrations. Why here? A boat with the two Biblical Marys and Sara on board was cast out of Palestine and drifted across the Mediterranean to land in the Rhône estuary.

May 28-Jul 25, 2026: 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.

May 28-Jun 23, 2026: Saint-Denis Festival is a superb festival in the great basilica of Saint-Denis in Paris and other buildings in the arrondissement. Classical music concerts from French and international orchestras range from the classics to contemporary. Some concerts are broadcast on a giant screen in front of the basilica and there are plenty of events for children as well. It’s not every day so check the website for dates and times.

May 30-31, 2026: 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.

May 30-Jun 30, 2026: D-Day Commemorated. The official events begin on Jun 1st, but there are many events starting the day before. Check out the local tourist office. Events around Caen run from June 1st to 14th, 2026.

Read the D-Day Landing Beach Tour from Utah to Sword
For accommodation near the D-Day Landing Beaches, check my article here.

May 31–Jun 6, 2026: CIC Normandy Channel Race starts in Caen on Sunday May 25 though the yachts gather from May 23. The 1000 mile race goes to the Fastnet Rock and back.

Events in France in 2026

Have I missed an event you think I should include? Please do let me know.

Events in France in January 2026
Events in France in February 2026
Events in France in March 2026
Events in France in April 2026
Events in France in June 2026
Events in France in July 2026
Events in France in August 2026
Events in France in September 2026

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 October 2025
Events in France in November 2025
Events in France in December 2025

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.

Regions of France
French Departments

The post Events in France in May 2026 appeared first on Mary Anne's France.

It’s a packed diary for events in France in July 2026 with something to see and do in every region and every big city. The famous Tour de France cycles its way around the country; Bastille Day is as big as ever and you might find it difficult to choose a music, theatre or outdoor event.

Check out the events in France in July 2026 to plan your visit in advance.

To Jul 4, 2026: 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 Jacques Tati who produced the hilarious Monsieur Hulot films. If you want to see where Monsieur Hulot stayed, check out my article on Saint Nazaire. Saint-Marc-sur-Mer is just outside the town.  New films bring European and international works to the audience. International stars always come to this festival.

To Jul 5, 2026: 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.

To Jul 8, 2026:  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 10, 2026: Les Flaneries de Reims is a great 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 11, 2026: 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. Check the website for precise dates as it’s not daily.Isère is a fabulous place to visit (there’s more on Isère here).

To Jul 21, 2026: 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 25, 2026: 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 26, 2026: Festival de Nîmes in Occitanie. Music festival with a big line up of top stars like Eddy Mitchell and Santana. The festival has been wowing the crowds 1997 and is one of the important festivals in the south of France. But hurry; many concerts sell out very quickly.

To Sep 6, 2026: 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 20, 2026: Normandy Impressionist Festival celebrates the 150^th 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.

This year, Normandy and Paris commemorate the death of Claude Monet in 1926.

More about Normandy and Impressionism
Normandy and Impressionism
Guide to Impressionist Painters

To Oct 4, 2026:  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 1, 2026: Giverny, Claude Monet’s house and gardens open for the season. A visit is a must on most people’s itinerary and this year with so many great events in Normandy it will be busier than ever.

To Nov 1, 2026: 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. This year’s theme plays tribute to the cinema and gardens.

To Jan, 2027: 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 2026

Jul 1-4, 2026: Cognac Blues Passions. Taking the blues as its initial 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 1-31, 2026: 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. 2026 has the Sex Pistols, Chris Izaak, Carmina Burana and a lot more.

Jul 2-5, 2026: The Belfort Eurockéennes is an important European outdoor festival held between hills and lakes on the  Malsaucy Lake peninsula, 7 kms from Belfort, in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region. 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 2-21, 2026: International Festival of Art in Aix-en-Provence offers opera, classical music concerts, ballet and performances. The Festival takes place in glorious buildings like the courtyard of the Archbishop’s Palace, the Opera, Théâtre de l’Archevêché, Grand Théâtre de Provence, Théâtre du Jeu de Paume and Hôtel Maynier. Over 70,000 spectators attend every year.

Jul 3-5, 2026: 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 3-5, 2026: Hot Air Balloon Festival, Annonay, Ardeche was started by the famous brothers Joseph and Etienne Montgolfier on June 4 June, 1783. There’s a special hot-air balloon village, a funfare, music, concerts, night time show, street theatre and more.

Jul 3-5, 2026: 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 and other linen enterprises.

Jul 4-25, 2026: 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.

Jul 4-26, 2026: Tour de France. The world’s greatest cycling race this year stays entirely within the country. It begins in Barcelona in north Spain, and ends, as usual, in Paris.

Jul 4, 14, 22, Aug 5, 15, 24, 2026: Cannes Pyrotechnic Art Festival is a sight to behold. It takes place at 10pm 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 4-Sep 6, 2026: Le Voyage à Nantes. This festival is 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 permanent. 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 throughout the city.

Jul 5-14, 2026: 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-Oct 4, 2026: 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 7-12, 2026:  Marseille Film Festival, Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône. Over 200 films from around 30 different countries are shown, many for the first time. There are three competitions: international, French and debut films. Open to professionals and the public at cinemas, art galleries, theatres and outdoor amphitheatres. There are also retrospectives and great classics. Around 500 professionals and over 20,000 spectators attend.

Jul 9-12, 2026: 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 9-19, 2026: 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, 2026: 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 14, 2026: 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.

French public holidays

Jul 15-19, 2026: Festival of 1001 Notes in Limoges takes classical music as its starting point but incorporates jazz and world music. It’s a festival to see up-and-coming artists. 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 16-19, 2026: 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 Peppers and many more. There are also street art shows to see.

Jul 16-Aug 16, 2026:  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 17-25, 2026: 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 20-Aug 4, 2026: 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. It begins with Sting on July 20 this year. There’s also a fringe festival on the main square.

Jul 21-26, 2026: 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 23-25, 2026: Cognac Festival in Charente celebrates two things. Firstly 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. Secondly in the evenings, two great concerts take place with top musicians.

Jul 23-26, 2026: Cornouaille Festival, Quimper, Brittany. This is a must 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 23-26, 2026: 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.

Jul 24-26, 2026: 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 25-31, 2026: 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 26, 2026: 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 7, 2026: 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 20^th century.

Here’s the Story of Tapestry in France

Jul 28-Aug 8, 2026: 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 Mozart, as well as contemporary works. Also here: meetings with artists and film screenings.

Jul 31-Aug 2, 2026:  Festival du Bout du Monde. The annual festival on the Crozon Peninsula, Finistère, Brittany, attracts the crowds for its music and its setting near the sea. International artists, some well known, some new ones, perform on 3 stages.

Jul 31-Aug 9, 2026: Festival Interceltique Lorient. Music and culture from the Morbihan Peninsula in Brittany plus the Celtic people of Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, the Isle of Man, Ireland and northern Spain (Galicia and Asturias). Over 800,000 festival-goers flock here for 4,500 artists, 120 shows, 11 new creations, all performed on 11 stages. Booksellers line the quays along with the Celtic market. There are processions, fest-noz, traditional Breton games, a race and a dinner concert.

Events in France in 2026

Have I missed an event you think I should include? Please do let me know.
Events in France in January 2026
Events in France in February 2026
Events in France in March 2026
Events in France in April 2026
Events in France in May 2026
Events in France in June 2026
Events in France in August 2026
Events in France in September 2026

I am updating the events in France in 2026 but have left the 2025 events details as many of France’s major events occur each year, usually at the same time of the month.
Events in France in October 2025
Events in France in November 2025
Events in France in December 2025

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.

Regions of France
French Departments

The post Events in France in July 2026 appeared first on Mary Anne's France.

So many great events take place in France this April 2026, with Easter being a real magnet at the beginning of the month. Events range from antique fairs to music festivals. Parks and gardens show off their blossoms and blooms and Chartres starts the season by lighting up its iconic buildings.

To Apr 17, 2026: Banlieues Bleues Festival in Saint Denis, Paris. New jazz musicians from around the world come together in this popular festival. It includes takes place in different venues including Dynamo, the main venue open all year round.

To Apr 19, 2026: Monte-Carlo Spring Festival is a classical music festival that runs from Thursdays to Sundays over the month. Founded originally by Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace in 1970, it features some of the great European orchestras and takes place in different venues in Monte-Carlo. Opéra de Monte-Carlo, Hôtel Hermitage and One Monte-Carlo.

To Apr 27, 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 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.

To Sep 20, 2026: Normandy Impressionist Festival celebrates the 150^th 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. Events are still being confirmed which I will add as they appear.

This year, Normandy and Paris commemorate the death of Claude Monet in 1926. I will update the event as details are released.

More about Normandy and Impressionism
Normandy and Impressionism
Guide to Impressionist Painters

Events in France starting in April 2026

April 1, 2026: April Fool’s Day, known as le poisson d’avril in France. Why fish? The origins of le poisson d’avril are veiled in obscurity like so many traditions, but it’s believed to go back to the practice of giving fish as a gift to celebrate the end of Lent and the beginning of Easter. There’s a tradition of sticking paper cut-out fish onto people’s backs without them knowing so watch your back.

Apr 1-Nov 1, 2026: Giverny, Claude Monet’s house and garden open for the season. A visit is a must on most people’s itinerary and this year with so many great events in Normandy it will be busier than ever.

Apr 4-6, 2025: Les Quais du Polar in Lyon sees international names celebrating authors and filmmakers of crime fiction. Around 60,000 fans come for the debates, meetings, readings, signing sessions, concerts, plays and crime film screenings that are chosen by the authors. The free events take place at city hall, the Opera and Palais de la Bourse. It’s one of the biggest crime fiction events in France.

Apr 2-6, 2026: L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue Antiques Fair is one of the great antiques events of Europe and of all the events in France in April, it’s one of my favourites. It takes place in the pretty south of France town of L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, one of the antique capitals of France. It’s the place for a bargain or a masterpiece depending on your budget.

Apr 3-5, 2026: Les Quais du Polar in Lyon sees international names celebrating authors and filmmakers of crime fiction. Around 60,000 fans come for the debates, meetings, readings, signing sessions, concerts, plays and crime film screenings that are chosen by the authors. The free events take place at City Hall, and Palais de la Bourse. It’s one of the biggest crime fiction events in France. In 2026 the theme is the links between science and crime fiction.

Apr 3-6, 2026: Easter Feria in Arles. This is the first event in the French bullfighting season. There are corridas in the arenas, but there’s much more: bull-running (course camarquaise), street events, musical entertainment and abrivados where the bulls are led from the pastures to the arena and back by costumed guardians on horseback. But if you’re not a fan, keep away.

Apr 4-6, 2026: The International Kite and Wind Festival takes place in the seaside resort of  Châtelaillon-sur-Plage in Charentes-Maritimes. It’s a spectacular sight as over 800 kites fill the sky. To add to the excitement there are kite-surfing demonstrations, kite creation workshops for children and more.

Apr 5, 2026: Easter Sunday. Despite being such a catholic country, France only observes Easter Sunday and Monday as public holidays, not Good Friday. But with healthy commercial and gourmet interests at heart, the pâtisseries and shops fill with Easter bunnies and all kinds of goodies weeks before and after Easter.

See how the French celebrate Easter
Visit one of the great Sacred Sites of France
Conques in the Lot Valley is one of the abbeys you should see

Apr 7-12, 2026: European Days of Crafts (Journées Européennes des Métiers d’Art) takes place all over Europe. It’s a real eye-opener where galleries, studios and workshops stage exhibitions, installations, open houses, performances and more. Meet the artists and craftspeople, learn something of their craft, from tapestry weavers to leather toolers, jewellery designers to book binders and bicycle makers, and get inspired.

Apr 11, 2026-Jan 2027: Chartres en lumières (Chartres Illuminated). The first night of this great festival starts with a 10km-long walk which you can join. This was the first city to light up its glorious buildings every night and it’s still one of the best light shows in France. Wander the streets to see monks walking, the theatre resplendent and the cathedral turned into the story of its past.

Apr 11, 2026: Paris-Roubaix cycle race challenges top riders during the race called the ‘Hell of the North’. It follows a circuitous route over 172 kms. In fact it’s three races so if you’re in the area, check first to make sure you don’t get caught up in it!

Apr 12, 2026: The Paris Marathon is now one of the most important marathons in the world. 40,000 entrants from over 100 countries battle it out over the 42.195 km of this mythical athletics challenge.

Apr 14-19, 2026: Le Printemps de Bourges. Both famous and young up-and-coming musicians come to Bourges for a variety of rock, rap, electro and more concerts. Don’t miss events like films and talks and there are free concerts on outdoor stages and in 20 or so bars. A fringe festival takes over the streets.

Apr 17-19, 2026: The Paris Book Fair is an important European event taking place in the Grand Palais in the centre of Paris and other venues like the Musée des arts et métiers. Over 1000 publishers and 2,000 authors meet the public at around 500 stands.

Apr 18-26, 2026: Festival de l’oiseau et de la nature (Bird and Nature Festival). Taking place in the beautiful Somme Bay, this is one to try to see. It attracts families with trips on foot, on horseback, in a carriage, a kayak or boat introducing you to the environment, the birds, seals in the Bay and more. Lots going on plus animal documentaries to watch on screen, exhibitions and more.

Apr 18-24, 2026: The famous north France International Kite Festival takes over the sandy beaches of Berck-sur-Mer as thousands of extraordinary looking kites take to the skies. If you’re in the UK this is one of the great events in France in April 2024 that is easy and quick to travel to.

Apr 19, 2026: Rederie d’Amiens. This great flea market takes over the city, occupying a massive 5km of pavements. It’s the second biggest in France after Lille. Part of a great long tradition in France of scouring markets for bargains.

Apr 22-Nov 1, 2026:  International Garden Festival at Chaumont-sur-Loire Château in the Loire Valley is an annual, fabulous, huge Festival, and can claim to be 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.

Apr 23-26, 2026: Bayonne Ham Fair. Taking place in Bayonne since 1462, the fair runs along the River Nive where farmers and butchers set up their stalls beside the old Carreau des halles. Discover the secrets of one of France’s famous foods, the hams marked with the famous Lauburu seal.

Apr 24-26, 2026: Les Journées Romanaines de Nîmes (Roman Days of Nîmes) takes over the whole city and it’s quite a spectacle. This year it’s Germanicus battling it out with the enraged barbarians, a fight you can see in Arènes (grand arena) with around 500 participants.There’s a Legionaires’ fort to discover, a grand banquet, and more.  Events in the streets, brass bands and folk groups entertaining the crowd, exhibitions, a free concert and more to enjoy. This year Spartacus defies Rome.

Events in France in 2026

Have I missed an event you think I should include? Please do let me know.

Events in France in January 2026
Events in France in February 2026
Events in France in March 2026

Events in France in May 2026
Events in France in June 2026
Events in France in July 2026
Events in France in August 2026
Events in France in September 2026

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 October 2025
Events in France in November 2025
Events in France in December 2025

Major Events and Openings in France in 2026

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

The post Events in France in April appeared first on Mary Anne's France.

March in France has a host of events and it’s a lovely month. The weather is changing; Spring starts to appear and France’s great gardens and parks are showing off the first of their new colours.

To Mar 1, 2026: 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 The Wonders of Life.

To Mar 1, 2026: 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.

To Mar 1, 2026: 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 competitions and get your games signed in the Palais des Festivals.

To Mar 1, 2026: Nice Carnaval, PACA. The theme for 2026 is the Long Live the Queen! referring to Nice, the Queen of the Riviera. Taking over the streets and square, the Carnival procession and the Battle of the Flowers have 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 and for some parades you will have to buy tickets in advance.

To Mar 1, 2026: The Violet Festival has taken place in Tourrettes-sur-Loup since 1952. Begun in 1880 when the village in the Alpes-Maritimes in southern France became famous for its violet growing farms, the festival celebrates the end of the violet season with serenades, dances, a floral procession and finally a flower battle for everyone.

To Mar 1, 2026: The Annecy Venetian Carnival is a spectacular carnival set around the lake and in the town in Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes. It’s not nearly as old as its inspiration – the Venetian carnival (1162!) but began in 1996.  Masked figures, many dressed as Commedia dell’arte figures parade the streets, parks, gardens and quays…in silence. It’s very beautiful, and rather sinister.

To Mar 22, 2026: Limoux Carnival in the Aude, Languedoc-Roussillon. For over 400 years the Limoux Carnival has celebrated 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 takes place every weekend to March.

To Apr 17, 2026: Dunkirk Carnival in Nord-Pas de Calais is one of those events when the French appear to go totally bonkers. Go there to appreciate the extraordinary 300-year old party as it sweeps through 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.

Events starting in March 2026

Mar 7-8, 2026: Sarlat Fest’Oie (Goose Festival) is one of the best known March events. It takes place in the picturesque town of Sarlat-la-Canéda in Périgord, an area famous for its geese. There’s an all-you-can-eat banquet, naturally, and the chance to savour street food like goose soup from one of the stalls. Buy products in the bustling market and follow flocks of geese as they are led through the city.

Mar 8-15, 2026: Paris to Nice is one of France’s iconic cycling races.  Begun in 1933 by Albert Lejeune, director of two newspapers, the 83^rd edition will see 21 teams compete, with most of the big names who will go on to complete in the Tour de France. The Race to the Sun starts at Perray-en-Yvelines and gives you the chance to see the champions as they pass through small villages. It’s far less crowded than the famous Tour de France, so pick a good spot and get a good view.

Mar 9-31, 2026: Les Printemps des Poètes. Poetry festivals, large and small take place all over France, from a reading in a café to a fully fledged festival. And the one in Nice on the Côte d’Azur is one of the best known. This very French festival is the most esoteric of events in France in March 2023. Not for the faint-hearted! This year’s theme is Freedom. Live Force. Deployed. No I don’t understand this so maybe I should go to the festival.

Mar 11-Apr 19, 2026: Monte-Carlo Spring Arts Festival is a classical music festival that runs from Thursdays to Sundays over the month. Founded originally in 1970 by Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace, it features great European orchestras and takes place in the Opéra de Monte-Carlo, Hôtel Hermitage and One Monte-Carlo.  It’s not expensive for such a prestigious event; tickets are from €20-40.

Mar 13-22, 2026: Foire de Chatou on the Ile des Impressionnistes, north east of Paris.  France’s biggest antiques fair has everything from expensive to bric a brac from the 17^th to the 20^th century. 300 vetted dealers offer genuine items.

Best Brocante and Flea Markets in France
Guide to Flea Markets and Brocante Shopping in France. Where to go and how to buy

Mar 20-Sep 20, 2026: Impressionist Destination in Normandy celebrates the 150^th 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. Events are still being confirmed which I will add as they appear.

More about Normandy and Impressionism
Normandy and Impressionism
Guide to Impressionist Painters

Mar 26, 2026: La Trace du Fromage on the Aubrac plateau in Aveyron gives you the chance to walk, cross-country ski or snowshoe over the extraordinary Aubrac landscape on the search for cheese, mulled wine, gentian, fouace and aligot. Celebrating Lagouile AOP, it’s organised by the Cooperative Jeune Montagne. Go from from buron to buron – small stone shelters where shepherds live with their herds during the summer and make cheese by hand.

Mar 26-28, 2026: The Rallye Le Touquet Pas-de-Calais starts the 2025 French Rally Championship. Over 150 drivers wizz through the countryside and along the coast.

Mar 26-29, 2026: Drawing Week, Paris. Different venues celebrate the art of drawing. Try the Drawing Now Art Fair at the Carreau du Temple.

Mar 26-29, 2026: The annual Canadian Film Festival in Dieppe is the leading festival for Canadian film enthusiasts and industry professionals. Established in 2013, the 50-odd screenings take place in the Megarama theatre.

Mar 27, 2026: International Cheese Day. This might be international but in a country which is famous for Charles de Gaulle’s remark: “How can you govern a country which has two hundred and forty-six varieties of cheese?”, you can expect quite a lot. The aim is to champion rare and raw milk cheeses from across the country so make sure you shop for cheeses on this day and look out for local events.
Food of France

Mar 27-30, 2026: International Cheese and Wine Fair at Coulommiers in the south of France. Exhibitors and craftspeople set up their stalls in the forecourt of the sugar factory offering local product tastings, a livestock exhibition and contests as well as the chance to buy all those tempting goodies.

Mar 27-Apr 17, 2026: Banlieues Bleues Festival in Saint Denis, Paris. New jazz musicians from around the world come together in this popular festival. It includes takes place in different venues including Dynamo, the main venue open all year round.

Mar 27-29, 2026: Vignoble en Fete, Gers, Saint Mont. Winegrowers demonstrate their knowledge and products to visitors. Held annually, last weekend of March.

Events in France in 2026

If you know of other events you think I should include, please do let me know!

Events in France in January 2026
Events in France in February 2026

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 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
Events in France in December 2025

Major Events and Openings in France in 2026

French School Holidays

As we know, bureaucracy in France is super efficient. For schools, the country is divided into three zones which however are not so obviously organised. You might expect the zones to run from north to south (or the other way round). Why , for instance, does zone B have Lille and Nice? Here are the zones and the different times of the school breaks.

Zone A: Lyon, Grenoble, Besançon, Clermont-Ferrand, Dijon, Bordeaux, Limoges and Poitiers.  2026 winter holidays are from Feb 7 to Feb 23^rd.

Zone B: Aix-Marseille, Nice, Lille, Nantes, Rennes, Strasbourg, Amiens, Normandie, Nancy-Metz, Nice, Orléans-Tours and Reims. Feb 14 to Mar 2.

Zone C: Paris, Créteil, Versailles, Montpellier and Toulouse. Feb 21 to Mar 9.

Corsica: Feb 13-Mar 1

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

The post Events in France in March 2026 appeared first on Mary Anne's France.

Events 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

The post Events in France in January 2026 appeared first on Mary Anne's France.

Here are some of the big events happening in France in 2026. It’s a pretty impressive list spanning the whole year. And as France welcomed over 100 million international visitors in 2024 with the UK being one of the most important markets, I wanted to give you a heads-up on what to see when.

Apart from major openings, keep your eyes open for the cities and institutions celebrating anniversaries. To pick a couple: the Lyon Street Food Festival from June 11 to Sunday, June 14 is 10 years old. On a rather different note, during March and April, the Harlem Globetrotters tour France for their 100^th birthday.

Please note: I will add firm opening dates when these are confirmed.

Major Openings in France in 2026

Villa Windsor, Paris, Spring 2026

Spring sees the opening of the Villa Windsor, the former Paris home of the Duke of Windsor and his wife Wallace Simpson. The Brits continue to be fascinated by the strange story of the love affair that led to the abdication of the Prince of Wales. It’s a very grand house with a strange history, inhabited at various times by the Germans in World War II, President de Gaulle, the Duke of Windsor and his wife and Mohamed Al-Fayed. It’s located in the Bois de Boulogne, close to the southern edge of Neuilly-sur-Seine.
No precise date is yet set for its opening. As soon as I hear, I will add it to the site…and book my tickets!

Claude Monet: 100 Years of Legacy, Normandy and Paris, 2026

The French Impressionist painter Claude Monet is the subject of a whole range of events in Normandy and Paris to commemorate the centenary of his death on December 5, 1926.

Look out for some real blockbusters among the 100 plus events between March and December. Monet Discovers Giverny takes place at the Musée des Impressionismes in Giverny. The painter first rented the house from 1883 to 1890 and  the exhibition will feature works from this period.

Normandy and Impressionism
Who were the Impressionist Painters? A Quick Guide

Re-opening of the Palais du Tau, Reims, Grand Est, Spring 2026

The splendid Palace of the Archbishops of Reims, the Palais du Tau, partly reopens this spring with the new Musée des Sacres. It celebrates royal history from 751 to 1825 when 33 French Kings lived here before their coronation in Reims Cathedral. It’s going to be semi immersive, so visitors can witness the various parts of the coronation ceremony.

200 Years of Photography, Saint-Loup-de-Varennes, Burgundy-Franche-Comté, 2026

Hands up…Who knows that the French inventor and pioneer Nicéphore Niépce, successfully took what is now the oldest surviving photograph Point de vue du Gras. It was the birth of photography. Niépce’s photograph was taken from his study window. The image which was recorded on a bitumen-coated pewter plate taken over eight hours in bright sunshine.  

The whole of France is celebrating 200 years of photography, with a year-long bicentenary programme running from September 2026 to September 2027. If you want to see where it all started, visit his former home, now the Nicéphore Niépce Museum, in Saint-Loup-de-Varennes, close to Chalon-sur-Saône.

There’s a major exhibition in autumn 2026 at the Grand Palais, with the Centre Pompidou and the Grand Palais-RMN, with some of the great photographs in the national collections.

Étoile Voltaire, Paris, Île-de-France, 2026

The new Etoile Voltaire promises to be spectacular. Opening in the 11^th arrondissement, the former Voltaire electricity substation has been transformed by the architect, Olivier Palatre. The new complex will have five cinemas including one panoramic screening room, a community restaurant from chef Thierry Marx, exhibition and events space and a wonderful green rooftop terrace with views over the surrounding streets.

It’s taken a long time. In November 2016, the much loved Parisian cinema La Pagode closed. The Etoile Cinemas group which owned it, entered a project in the Réinventer Paris competition organized by the mayor’s office to transform underused urban spaces (like parking lots, defunct train stations) with environmentally friendly urban designs. It brought out some stunning designs.

Events in France in 2026

There are plenty of anniversaries in France in 2026. Here’s a very small selection.

February 2026 – The Six Nations opening match will be France vs Ireland at the Stade de France, Paris, Île-de-France
April 12, 2026 – 50th Edition of the Paris Marathon, Paris, Île-de-France
June, 2026 – 150th Anniversary of the death of George Sand, Aubusson, Creuse, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
The famous writer was also known for her love of tapestry. She was responsible for alerting Prosper Mérimée, the first inspector of historic monuments, of the tapestries from the Lady and the Unicorn series in Boussac. The tapestry will be unveiled in June 2026 and the be part of the permanent collection of the Cité Internationale de Tapisserie.
More about Tapestry in France

More about France

Food Festivals in France
Regions of France
French Departments

The post Major Events and Openings in France in 2026 appeared first on Mary Anne's France.

Here are some top Normandy Events in 2025 to look out for.

Caen Millennium in 2025

Caen celebrates its Millennium in great style in 2025. There are plenty of exhibitions and some wonderful events like the weekend June 27-29 when the tall ships gather at Caen port and la Presqu’île. The celebration continues into the autumn.
Read more about the Caen Millennium

Last Chance to See the Bayeux Tapestry

To Sep 1, 2025: The Bayeux Tapestry Museum is closing as a new museum is built. The extraordinary 11^th-century tapestry will be kept in a specially designed storage area. It’s a classified Historic Monument, listed on the UNESCO Memory of the World register.
The new museum is scheduled to open in 2027.

D-Day Landings

Apr 12-Sep 12, 2025: Standing with Giants. Get to the British Normandy Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer overlooking Gold Beach for a return of Standing with Giants. The extraordinary installation of 1,475 figures includes soldiers as well as radio operators, medics and a Scotsman playing the bagpipes. There are also figures representing the only two women on the Memorial. Nurses Sisters Evershed and Field died while saving 75 men from a sinking hospital ship, plus 50 French resistance fighter. The figures in the meadows of the Memorial are extraordinarily moving. This is one of the must-see events in Normandy 2025.
Normandy D-Day Landing Beaches from Utah to Sword

‘I Must Go Down to the Sea Again…’

There are some wonderful events in the sea around Normandy in 2025.

May 23–Jun 1, 2025: CIC Normandy Channel Race starts in Caen on Sunday May 25. Sailors take their Class 40s up the Canal de l’Orne into the English Channel then make a detour via the Iles Saint-Marcouf in the Utah beach section of the D-Day Landings in 1944. Then it’s up around the Isle of Wight before heading west to sail around the Tuskar Rock and Fastnet Rock to the south of Ireland. The yachts then return to Caen via Guernsey where they’ll encounter the strong currents of the Raz-Blanchard. Past the Goury Lighthouse, situated at ‘the end of the world’ off Cape Hague, and they’ve completed the 1000-mile race.

July 4-7, 2025: The 2025 Tall Ships Races begins in Le Havre. Over 40 of these magnificent boats are moored in Le Havre for four days of celebration and discovery. There’s a boat and a crew parade, concerts and fireworks before they set off for Dunkirk. From there they’ll go to Aberdeen in Scotland and Kristiansland in Norway before finishing in Esbjerg, Denmark.
The Tall Ships Races are more than great voyages; they’re designed to train the young (over half of each ship’s crew must be between 15 and 25 years old) and encourage international friendship.

Jul 26-Aug 2, 2025: Start of the 100^th Rolex Fastnet Race on July 26. Setting off from Cowes, the race celebrates 100 years both of the race itself, and the founding of the Royal Ocean Racing Club in 1925. The 695-nautical mile course is one of the world’s great offshore races around the Fastnet Rock south of Ireland. It finishes at Cherbourg-en-Cotentin. The fastest sailors take a couple of days; others can take five to eight. Cherbourg welcomes them all with a week’s celebration.
The first race in 1925 had just 7 boats, a select bunch who went on to form the Royal Ocean Racing Club. This year it’s anticipated to be over 400 boats of all ages, monohulls and multihulls and all classes.  
It’s a gruelling, demanding race with strict rules for entry, aimed at experienced sailors who have competed in a fixed number of races in the year leading up to the race.

On Two Wheels

July 8-10, 2025: On Jul 8, the Tour de France takes to the road for the 173 km ride from Amiens to Rouen. Jul 9 it’s in Caen for an individual time trial, and on Jul 10 the 210 km course goes from Bayeux to Vire-Normandie before heading for Brittany.

Other News about Normandy

UNESCO AND THE D-DAY LANDING BEACHES

The D-Day Landings on the beaches in 1944 are in line for UNESCO World Heritage Status. All five sectors are included, as, according to the Ministry of Culture, the beaches represent a “place of gathering around a universal message” and carry “the memory of a fight for freedom and peace”.

Brittany Ferries Goes Green with New Hybrid Ships

Brittany Ferries have launched two new hybrid ferries. Guillaume de Normandie runs between Portsmouth and Caen. Saint-Malo goes between Portsmouth and Saint-Malo in Brittany.

Events in Normandy 2026 & 2027

Jul 1-Aug 31, 2026: The Normandy Impressionist Festival is spectacular with exhibitions and events all over the region.

Normandy and Impressionism
Guide to the French Impressionist Artists…including three great female painters.

2027 sees a huge celebration for the Millennium of William the Conqueror. Normandy will be pulling out all the stops for this, and it will be a fabulous commemoration. One fabulous site I urge you to visit is the romantic ruined abbey of Jumièges. Founded in 654, the Benedictine monastery was rebuilt in the 10^th century and was consecrated in 1067 in the presence of William the Conqueror who had returned from England. It’s on my list of the great sacred sites of France.

June 17-27, 2027: Tall Ships Race. The largest gathering of tall ships returns to Rouen.

More Events in France

Events in France in May 2025
Events in France in June 2025
Events in France in July 2025

More about Normandy

Normandy Travel Guide
Best ways to travel to Normandy’s ports and major cities
Where to stay near the D-Day Landing Beaches
Guide to Courseulles-sur-Mer at the centre of the Landing Beaches
New Travel to and around Normandy: new flight and shuttle bus along the D-Day Landing Beaches
Normandy D-Day Festival 2025

More about Normandy on the official Normandy Tourism website

The post Great Normandy Events in 2025 appeared first on Mary Anne's France.

2025 is a big year for Caen as the city celebrates its Millennium in grand style. In 1025 Caen in Normandy was beginning to grow as the small port opened its trade to the world. It was still a small town but was about to become a significant player in Europe. And why? William the Conqueror of course.
Why choose 2025? Well any year might have been chosen. But 1025 marks the first written mention of Cadumus, a major settlement dating back to the Romans.

1,000 Years of History at the Caen Millennium 2025

The Caen Vigils

The Caen Millennium celebrations began a year ago with the Caen Vigils. From March 21, 2024 to March 20, 2025, local participants watch over Caen for one hour at sunrise and sunset. Each one drew or wrote about their impressions of seeing the sun rise and set over the old buildings. Their work will be available later.
Main Caen Millennium Events

Caen Château Events

The celebrations begin on March 20 with two days of discovery. It’s about more than the celebration: on March 20, Caen Château reopens after two years of renovations. There’s entertainment and a spectacular fire and fireworks event, orchestrated by La Machine company from Nantes which makes grand objects like the fire-breathing Calais Dragon.
Each evening from 19.50 to 23.00 a monumental fresco is projected onto the outer walls of the castle.
Caen Castle Inauguration

History Days

March 21-28, 2025: Les Journées de l’Histoire. Find out more about Caen’s long history with exhibitions, visits, ateliers open to the public, films, walks and more. They take place at the Château, l’Abbaye-aux-Dames and l’Université, and all are free.
In the park of l’Abbaye aux dames, a reconstructed medieval village takes you back to the days of Richard II. See how people lived in the past. And of course, there’s a diorama of the conquest of England at the Battle of Hastings.

Caen Château offers an immersive experience in the former Exchequer Office, built between 1098 and 1122, taking you through Caen’s history to today.

Caen Millennium Parade

May 9, 2025: This ambitious parade has a 5km trail that takes you through five stations, each symbolising a period of Caen’s history or key events like the city’s construction. At each one, a poetics troupe of 100 participants tell the story. It starts at 7.30pm.

Maritime Weekend

Jun 27-29, 2025: Le Week-end Maritime from Caen to the sea. Look at those great ships of the past at Caen port and la Presqu’île. For two days you can go on board to discover more about the different ships like le Belem, le Phoenix, le Milpat, la Granvillaise and la Nébuleuse. There are concerts, projections, activities and more before the major parade on June 29.
The flotilla will move to Le Havre for the Tall Ships Race July 4-7.

June 27-29, 2025: Ephemeral Objects. Constructed by the artist Olivier Grossetête and his team, four works made from strengthened cardboard astonish Caen. There’s a lighthouse, a Swedish house, a fishing lodge inspired by the château de Bénouville and a bridge floating on the canal.

Débordions

Débordions (which approximately translates as ‘overflowing’) starts on the weekend of June 27 to 29 then continues to October. Caen’s Presqu’île is transformed into a living art-science-society laboratory via a trail that, in true French fashion, invites you to discover, reflect and marvel. Here you’ll find six giant zootropes that you interact with to show images and films.

Le Tour de France

While not part of the Caen Millennium, the Tour de France visits Caen on July 11. Stage 5 is an individual time trial over 33km.

Aquanauts

September 19-21, 2025: Aquanauts promises to be something spectacular. This aquatic and aerial ballet by the Swedish company Cirkus Cirkör takes place in Saint-Pierre. 40 circus artists and swimmers blend together to take your eye, and imagination, to the skies and beyond.

More about Normandy

Normandy Travel Guide
Normandy and Impressionism

D-Day Landing Beaches from Utah to Sword

How to get to Caen

Brittany Ferries unveils the Guillaume de Normandie, one of its two new hybrid ferries that operates between Portsmouth and Caen. Starting in April, it’s an important feature of France’s eco credentials, operating on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and battery power.

How to get to Caen from the UK

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