Top 5 Summer Festivals in France
It is no surprise why the summer season is the most popular time of the year to visit France with the warm sunshine and clear skies, gardens filled with every imaginable flower and the festivals that will leave every visitor raving. With a variety of different festivals from Brittany in the west to Alsace in the east and Avignon in the south, no one will be left wondering what to see next. Don’t miss this opportunity to experience France at its finest.
Here are 5 festivals in particular that will please every traveler:
Festival de Cannes
The Festival de Cannes, a prestigious film festival, celebrates its 64th year on May 11-22. Cannes in southern France will be overflowing with media, important artists, Hollywood actors and directors as well as a large number of independent film makers seeking the Festival’s grand prize, the ‘Palme D’Or’. The Festival’s professional jury, being overseen by Robert de Niro this year, decides the film winners at the end of the festival. Cannes and its visitors are in for an exciting and artistic May; I don’t think you will want to miss this.
Bastille Day
Every country has its national holiday and France is no different. July 14th commemorates the storming of the Bastille at the start of the French Revolution. The most celebrated France holiday is a treat everyone should experience once in their lives. The streets are booming no matter where you are and every town has a special celebration to show their French pride. This year activities include organized balls filled with dancing and champagne, fireworks in a number of locations including over the Eifel Tower and military parade at the Champs-Elysees led by the President and featuring a jet fly by.
Festival de Musique de Strasbourg
Strasbourg has impeccable taste in just about everything including classical music. On June 3, Alsace will kick off the 72nd Strasbourg Festival with a concert at the Cathedral by proposing Mozart’s ‘Requiem’. This two week festival was first held in 1932. Since then Strasbourg Friends of Music Society has been successfully organizing one of the most popular classical music festivals in the world.
Festival d’Avignon
Another prominent festival in south France, Avignon to be specific, features about 300 French and non-French artistic performances. With about 20 venues with capacity varying from 50-20,000, this world famous festival brings together nearly 450 journalists, gathers over 3,000 performing arts professionals, and publishes 160,000 programs each year. Spend some time enjoying a variety of theatrical shows during July 2-26.
Tour de France
One of the biggest events in France, and maybe even the World, is the Tour de France. Since the first race in 1903, this renowned bike race covers more than 3,600 kilometers of France and lasts 3 weeks of July. This year the tour will start in Vendee on July 2 and end in Paris, like usual, at the Champs-Elysees on July 24. Millions of spectators will line the French roads and camp out in the countryside to cheer on their favorite competitors as they ride past and wait eagerly to see who will wear the yellow winner’s jersey in Paris. Everyone should take in at least one Tour de France stage race in person once in their lives.
Tourists and travelers enjoy the quaint atmosphere, breathtaking landscapes and rich history that surrounds France, as well as the excitement that fills the air every summer for the number of festivals held. The whole country comes together for Bastille Day welcoming all who want to partake in the activities, French or not. Regardless of what is being presented, music, films, a sport, the festivals in France are known worldwide and highly anticipated year-round. With so much taking place in every region, of course France is going to be one of the most visited countries.