Upcoming Holidays and Festivals in France

Market day, Sarlat-la-Canéda
Markets bring a festive feel to town squares across France, even on quotidian workdays.
  • Before planning a trip around a festival, verify the festival dates on the festival's website or with a local tourist information office. For more information about these and other events, visit the official tourism sites for France and Paris.
  • This list includes major festivals in major cities, plus national holidays observed throughout France. Many sights and banks close down on national holidays — keep it in mind when planning your itinerary. Note that this isn't a complete list; holidays can strike without warning.
  • See upcoming holidays and festivals across Europe

2024

Through mid-February:  Festival d'Automne à Paris (arts festival)

Late November–December 24: Christmas markets in Strasbourg, Colmar, and Sarlat-la-Canéda

December:  Christmas carousels, outdoor skating rinks, and avant-garde Christmas trees around town, Paris

December 4–8:  Les Rencontres Trans Musicales, Rennes (up-and-coming pop, rock, etc.)

December 7–14:  Rise Festival, Les Deux Alpes (dance music at ski resort)

December 25:  Christmas Day (Noël; closures)

December 26:  Second Christmas Day (closures in Alsace-Lorraine)

December 31:  New Year's Eve


2025

January 1:  New Year's Day (closures)

January 6:  Epiphany

February 15–March 2:  Nice Carnival (Mardi Gras, parades and fireworks)

February 15–March 2:  Lemon Festival, Menton

February 16:  Le Corso Fleuri, Bormes-les-Mimosas (traditional flower parade in coastal Provence)

February 26–March 1:  La Route du Rock Winter, St-Malo and Rennes (rock and post-punk acts)

April 18:  Good Friday (Vendredi Saint, closures)

April 20 & 21:  Easter Sunday and Monday (Pâques, closures)

April–October: International Garden Festival, Charmont-sur-Loire

May 1:  Labor Day (Fête due Travail or Fête du Premier Mai; closures)

May 2–4 (likely):  Roman Days, Nîmes

May 6–11 (likely):  Nuits Sonores, Lyon (electronic music festival)

May 8:  VE (Victory in Europe) Day (Fête de la Victoire 1945 or Jour de la Liberation; closures, parades)

May 8–10 (likely):  Joan of Arc Festival, Rouen (pageants)

May 13–24:  Cannes Film Festival

May 16–25 (likely):  Fête de la Bretagne (cultural celebrations across Brittany, centered around St. Yves' Day on May 19)

May 17 (likely):  Night of Museums, across France (museums stay open late and for free)

May 19–25 (likely):  Paris Beer Festival

May 22–25:  Monaco Grand Prix

Late May–mid-June:  D-Day Festival, across Normandy

May 29:  Ascension (closures)

May 30–June 1 (likely):  Rendez-vous aux Jardins (noteworthy gardens open to the public), Paris and elsewhere

June:  Festival of St. Denis, Paris (classical concerts by international artists)

June–July:  Nuits de Fourvière, Lyon (theater and music in a Roman theater)

June 1 (likely):  Paris Nuit Blanche (illuminated public art, concerts, all-night public transit)

June 6:  D-Day (Jour J) anniversary

June 8 & 9:  Pentecost and Whit Monday (closures)

June 14–15:  Le Mans auto race, near Loire Valley

June 14–July 22 (likely):  Chorégies d'Orange (performances in Roman theater)

June 21:  Fête de la Musique (concerts and dancing in the streets throughout France)

June 26–July 15 (likely):  Jazz à Vienne, south of Lyon (concert series)

June 28–July 20 (likely):  Avignon Festival (theater, dance, music)

July:  Carcassonne Festival (theater, music, dance, plus jousting matches and medieval festivities)

July–August:  Open Air Cinema at La Villette park, Paris

July–August (six nonconsecutive nights):  International Fireworks Festival, Cannes

July 2–15 (likely):  Festival Paris l'Été (theater, dance, concerts)

July 2–22 (likely):  Aix Festival (classical music and opera)

July 4–13 (likely):  Colmar International Festival (classical music)

July 4–27 (likely):  Beaune International Festival of Baroque Opera

July 5–27:  Tour de France (culminates on the Champs-Elysées in Paris)

July 6–August 31 (likely):  Paris Plages (ersatz beaches along the Seine and several canals)

July 7–17 (likely):  Jazz à Juan, Antibes/Juan-les-Pins (international jazz festival)

July 10–13 (likely):  Vieilles Charrues Festival, Carhaix (Brittany; France's biggest music festival)

July 14:  Bastille Day ("le 14 Juillet," closures, fireworks, revelry)

July 17–20 (likely):  Cornouaille Festival, Quimper (Breton music and cultural festivities)

July 17–August 3 (likely):  Jazz in Marciac, southwest France

August 1–3:  Jasmine Festival, Grasse (flower-themed parades)

August 1–5 (likely):  Corso de la Lavande (lavender festival with parades of lavender-covered floats, music, fireworks), Digne-les-Bains

August 13–16 (likely):  La Route du Rock Summer, St-Malo (rock acts)

August 15:  Assumption (closures)

August 19–22 (likely):  Nice Jazz Festival

August 21–25 (likely):  Fête de la Saint-Louis, Sète (near Montpellier; parades, fireworks, canal-boat "water-jousting")

August 28–September 7 (likely):  Jazz at La Villette, Paris

August 29–September 1 (likely):  Silhouette Festival, Paris (short-film festival)

September:  Wine harvest festivals across France

September–mid-February:  Festival d'Automne à Paris (arts festival)

September 12–14 (likely):  Braderie de Lille (world's largest flea market)

September 19–October 5 (likely):  Festival Musica, Strasbourg (contemporary classical music)

September 20 (likely):  Technoparade, Paris (starts at Port Royal, ends at Place de la République)

September 20–21 (likely):  Heritage days (Journée du patrimoine; special openings and tours of monuments and other historical sites across France)

September 24–27:  Monaco Yacht Show (pricey exhibition of mega-yachts)

October 8–12 (likely):  Fête des Vendanges, Montmartre neighborhood of Paris (grape harvest festival)

October 26 (likely):  Festival de La Pomme, Trévières (apple-harvest festival near Honfleur)

October 30–November 10 (likely):  Dijon International and Gastronomic Fair

November 1:  All Saints' Day (La Toussaint; closures)

November 11:  Armistice Day (closures)

November 15–17 (likely):  Les Trois Glorieuses, Beaune (wine auction and festival)

Late November–December 24: Christmas markets in Strasbourg, Colmar, and Sarlat-la-Canéda

December:  Christmas carousels, outdoor skating rinks, and avant-garde Christmas trees around town, Paris

December 3–7 (likely):  Les Rencontres Trans Musicales, Rennes (up-and-coming pop, rock, etc.)

December 6–13 (likely):  Rise Festival, Les Deux Alpes (dance music at ski resort)

December 25:  Christmas Day (Noël; closures)

December 26:  Second Christmas Day (closures in Alsace-Lorraine)

December 31:  New Year's Eve