France festival guides

Nancy, a UNESCO-listed city, is a treasure trove of Art Nouveau architecture. While there's no single annual festival, a season of special tours and exhibitions unfolds each summer. This guide helps you plan a visit around the 2026 events and must-see historic sites like Villa Majorelle and the Musée de l'École de Nancy.

Each May, Saint-Tropez sets aside its glamour for the Bravade, a centuries-old religious and military festival honoring its patron saint, Torpes. Expect processions, period uniforms, muskets, fifes, and drums through the old town—a deeply local tradition that offers a glimpse of the real Saint-Tropez.

The Carnival of Nice is a grand winter celebration with themed parades, the Bataille de Fleurs, and vibrant street festivities. This guide covers its history, key events, where to watch (Zone A and B), ticket options, costume perks, and practical tips for a smooth visit.

Versailles lights up on summer Saturday evenings with two signature events: the Night Fountains Show in the Royal Gardens and the Royal Serenade in the Hall of Mirrors. This guide explains their formats, typical scheduling, and how to choose between them.

Plan your holiday trip to Épernay for the Christmas market in the city center and the dazzling Habits de Lumière festival along Avenue de Champagne, with festive activities for all.

Cinemed, the International Festival of Mediterranean Film in Montpellier, invites you to explore cinema from across the Mediterranean basin. This guide covers the festival's 48-year heritage, its competitive showcases for features, shorts, and documentaries, and how to plan a memorable trip to Montpellier in October 2026.

Spring and summer in Épernay bring a lighter, local side of Champagne: vineyard walks with winemakers, monthly tastings under the Halle, free open-air concerts, and elegant white evenings on the Avenue de Champagne. This guide separates what happens in the town itself from events in nearby villages, so you can match your dates to the festival calendar.

Every summer Friday, the Esplanade Charles-de-Gaulle in Montpellier transforms into a lively open-air market with local winemakers, food stalls, and live music. Entry is free; a small fee covers a tasting glass and samples. This guide explains what to expect, practical tips, and how to verify current dates.

Perpignan's Festa Major de Sant Joan, also known as the Festa Major de Perpignan or Perpinyà, is the city's grand patronal festival held each June 23. Rooted in Catalan identity, it features the symbolic Flame of Canigou, festive villages, sardanes dances, bonfires, and fireworks around the Castillet. This guide covers the festival's history, key traditions, typical program, and practical tips for attending.

Each summer, Menton hosts the Festival de Musique de Menton, an internationally acclaimed classical series set on the Parvis Saint-Michel. This guide shares the festival's 1950 origins, its venues, the ticket-format range, and how to combine a concert with a visit to the French Riviera.

Planning a trip around the Festival de Radio France Montpellier? This guide covers its usual early-to-mid July timing, the next announced edition in July 2027, key venues from the Opéra Berlioz to the Musée Fabre, and how to check the official programme and booking details.

The Festival Radio France Occitanie Montpellier is a major summer classical and jazz event in southern France. This guide explains the ticketing options, including online, phone, and box office booking, the multi-concert discount, the under-28 offer, free concerts (some with reservation), e-ticket wallet features, accessibility services, group bookings, and student discounts via Pass Culture and Yoot.