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Before you go to France or take a barge vacation, take a look at the current festivals in France for 2013.
This list of festivals is compliments of Rick Steves - love him!
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| Jan 1 |
New Year's Day |
France |
| Jan 6 |
Epiphany |
France |
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Feb 15-
March 6
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Nice Carnival (Mardi Gras, parades, flower processions, fireworks;www.nicecarnaval.com) |
Nice (Riviera) |
| March |
Grenoble Jazz Festival (www.jazzgrenoble.com) |
Grenoble (near Lyon) |
| March 31 & April 1 |
Easter Sunday & Easter Monday |
France |
| Late April-mid-Oct |
Festival of Gardens (www.domaine-chaumont.fr) |
Chaumont-sur-Loire |
| May |
Versailles Festival (arts) |
Versailles |
| May |
Festival Jeanne d'Arc (pageants) |
Rouen |
| May 1 |
Labor Day (parades, closures) |
France |
| May 8 |
World War II Victory in Europe (VE) Day (ceremonies, closures) |
France |
| May 15-26 |
Cannes Film Festival (www.festival-cannes.com) |
Cannes (Riviera) |
| May 17 |
Ascension Day (religious festival) |
France |
| May 22-26 |
Monaco Grand Prix (auto race; www.yourmonaco.com/grand_prix) |
Monaco (Riviera) |
| May 27 |
Whitsun (Pentecost) |
France |
| June |
Marais Festival (arts) |
Paris |
| June 6 |
Anniversary of D-Day Landing |
Normandy |
| June 21 |
Music Festival ("Fête de la Musique," concerts and dancing in the streets;www.fetedelamusique.culture.fr) |
France (in mid-size to large cities) |
| June 22-23 |
Le Mans Auto Race (24-hour race, www.lemans.org) |
Le Mans (near Loire Valley) |
| July |
International Festival of Baroque Music (www.festivalbeaune.com) |
Beaune (Burgundy) |
| July |
Jousting matches (spectacle équestre) and other medieval festivities |
Carcassonne |
| July |
Nights of Fourvière (theater and music in a Roman ampitheater, www.musees-gallo-romains.com) |
Lyon (near French Alps) |
| July |
"Jazz at Juan" International Jazz Festival (www.jazzajuan.com) |
Antibes/Juan-les-Pins (Riviera) |
| July |
Nice Jazz Festival (www.nicejazzfestival.fr) |
Nice (Riviera) |
| July |
International Music and Opera Festival (www.festival-aix.com) |
Aix-en-Provence (Provence) |
| July |
International Music Festival (Festival International de Colmar, classical music;www.festival-colmar.com) |
Colmar (Alsace) |
| June 29-July 21 |
Tour de France (bike race, ends in Paris; www.letour.fr) |
France |
| July 5-26 |
Avignon Festival (theater, dance, music; www.festival-avignon.com) |
Avignon (Provence) |
| July 14 |
Bastille Day (parades, fireworks, closures) |
France |
| July 11-Aug 6 |
Chorégies d'Orange Music and Opera Festival (performed in Roman theater,www.choregies.asso.fr) |
Orange (Provence) |
| late July-early Aug |
International Fireworks Festival (www.festival-pyrotechnique-cannes.com) |
Cannes |
| Aug 15 |
Feast of the Assumption (religious festival, closures) |
France |
| Late Aug-early Sept |
Jazz at La Villette Festival (www.villette.com) |
Paris |
| Sept |
Fall Arts Festival (Fête d'Automne); Wine harvest festivals in many towns |
Paris |
| Early Oct |
Grape Harvest Festival (in Montmartre, food, music, parade;fetedesvendangesdemontmartre.com/) |
Paris |
| Early Nov |
Dijon International and Gastronomic Fair ("Foire Internationale et Gastronomique"; 500 food and wine stands; www.foirededijon.com) |
Dijon (Burgundy) |
| Nov 1 |
All Saints' Day (religious festival, closures) |
France |
| Nov 11 |
Armistice Day (ceremonies, closures) |
France |
| Late Nov |
Wine Auction and Festival ("Les Trois Glorieuses") |
Beaune (Burgundy) |
| Late Nov-Dec 24 |
Christmas Markets |
Colmar & Strasbourg (Alsace) |
| Dec 8 |
Festival of Lights (celebration of Virgin Mary, candlelit windows) |
Lyon (near French Alps) |
| Dec 21-Jan 1 |
Winter Holidays |
France |
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Dec 25
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Christmas |
France
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