Going to France at any time during the year is rich enough. However, planning your stay around certain annual special events can be terrifically rewarding. To help you decide on when to visiter la belle France, here is a compendium of events and activities in Paris and elsewhere in France that are particularly memorable:
January
La Fête des Rois – Close on the heels of Christmas comes the la fête des rois (Feast of the Epiphany or Three Kings Day), commemorating the arrival of the three kings to see the baby Jesus. You know the Feast of the Epiphany is nigh in France when the galettes des rois (king’s cakes) take over many pâtisseries (pastry shops) in France for the month. So if you are in France in January, be sure to try this delicious dessert—and you might become queen or king for the day! (Click here for how this works.)
Les Soldes d’hiver – Shop sales, or soldes, are closely regulated in France and happen twice a year – in winter and in summer. Discounts can be significant at everything from high-end luxury shops such as Louis Vuitton to department stores to small boutiques. The French mark their calendars for this event and line up with gusto to take advantage of the great prices. The French winter sales start around the third week in January and run through mid-February. Summer sales run from the end of June through mid-July.
February
La Saint Valentin – Valentines’ Day in France is not as commercial as in the U.S….but it’s getting there. If you in Paris for February 14, you will have a gorgeous array of chocolates, cakes, tarts and flowers to choose from when celebrating your loved one. Click here for a visual Valentine ‘tour de Paris’…
Carnaval de Nice – There are many Mardi Gras carnaval celebrations all over the world but the one in Nice is particularly noteworthy. The festivities last for two weeks and draw over a million visitors to this southern French city. Parades, cultural activities, sporting events, fairs and more mark this famous French winter event. www.nicecarnaval.com
April
Paris Marathon – For the sportive / sportif (athletic) among us, a great way to see Paris is by running the Paris marathon. It takes place in mid-April and draws more and more runners each year. You can start training now for the next one which takes place on April 15, 2012! www.parismarathon.com
May
May Day – May 1 is a national holiday in France so most things are closed on this day. But it is also May Day and French people celebrate by giving each other un joli petit brin de muguet (a beautiful small bouquet of lily of the valley flowers). It is a charming moment to experience in France if you happen to be there. Just look for a street vendor selling the wonderful-smelling flowers to purchase some for yourself or a loved one.
Nuit des musées – “Museum Night” in France has become a big hit with all sorts of cultural institutions staying open into the evening and putting on interesting programs, lectures and concerts. This year’s Museum Night is tomorrow, May 14. During the evening, you can take in some of the current temporary exhibits going on – click here for the French Affaires’ recent museum posting on this – or try something not on the article’s list such as fashion mogul Ralph Lauren’s classic cars on view at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs (in part of the Louvre building). You can browse tomorrow evening’s offerings at a variety of Paris museums by clicking here.
Cannes film festival – If you are into cinema, then you’ll want to check out the Cannes Film Festival that runs from mid to late May every year. Woody Allen just kicked off this year’s festival with his film ode to Paris, Midnight in Paris. He even managed to get a cameo appearance from France’s first lady, Carla Bruni Sarkozy. And as you dine at restaurants in and around the Cannes area while the Festival is going on, you will see movie stars and film directors from around the world so be sure and bring your autograph book! www.festival-cannes.com
Roland Garros – The French Open Tennis Tournament, known as Roland Garros for the sports complex where it’s hosted on the western side of Paris, runs from mid-May to early June each year. Tickets can be purchased online or through agents. If you go, don’t miss the tennis museum on the grounds which chronicles the history of the sport. Click here for more info on the tennis museum. www.rolandgarros.com
June
Fête de la musique – Of all the annual special events in France, this is definitely one to work your France trip around. Of course, it’s during prime travel season which makes it easier—but it’s also one of the most fun and accessible to anyone, native French people and visitors alike. The Music Festival takes place each year on the evening of June 21 and marks the summer solstice, ie the longest light day of the year. Thousands of musical events and concerts are held all over France—and are free. From rock concerts in the Place de la Bastille in Paris, to chamber music quartets in courtyards, to Edith Piaf sound-alikes on streetcorners, there is something musical for everyone. The French Fête de la Musique has been such a success over the past 30 years that it now has spread all over the world. www.fetedelamusique.culture.fr/
July-August
Festival d’Aix en Provence – Another musical extravaganza worth noting is the Music Festival of Aix-en-Provence held each year from late June through July. Tickets are expensive and hard to come by since this event rivals the famous annual music festival in Salzburg, Austria. But attending is worth every penny and the effort to get there for these world-class performances of opera, symphony, chamber music and more. www.festival-aix.com
Bastille day – July 14 marks la Fête Nationale in France, or the French equivalent of July 4th in the U.S. Also known as le quatorze juillet, this national holiday in Paris is marked by parades along the Champs-Elysées including fly-overs by French fighter jets and by fireworks displays above the Eiffel Tower.
Jazz à Juan-les-pins – One of the most famous jazz festivals in the world takes place every July at Juan-les-pins near Cannes on the French Riviera. What could be better than listening to B.B. King at this wonderful French beachside town? Click here for this year’s Jazz à Juan program.
Tour de France Bike Race – This legendary bike race zooms all over France and ends in Paris on the Champs-Elysées every year. Take in a view of the bikers on one the étapes around France or wait for the grand finish in Paris. It is a French event not to be missed. www.letour.fr/
Paris plages – The “Paris Beaches” celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. Designed to bring a vacation motif to Parisians who don’t have the time or means to go the beach, the city brings in truckloads of sand and palm trees to create a beach setting along the Seine in the heart of Paris. The Paris Plages event lasts for a month from the end of July to the end of August. Bring your beach towel and suntan lotion for a true Paris tan! www.paris-plages.fr/
September
Les Journées du Patrimoine – This is one of my favorite annual events in France. For two days in mid-September, “French Heritage Days” offers visitors the opportunity to take tours of all sorts of fabulous palaces, buildings and châteaux that are not normally open to the public. The Luxembourg palace in the Luxembourg gardens in Paris is just one example. This year’s Journées du Patrimoine fall on Saturday and Sunday, September 17 and 18, so mark your calendars now for this extra-special and ultra-French event. www.journeesdupatrimoine.culture.fr
November
Armistice day – November 11 marks Armistice Day from World War I and a national holiday in France. If you’ve never seen a military parade on the Champs-Elysées in Paris, then be sure and see this one sometime in your France travels.
December
Noël en France – Ah, Christmastime in France…Late November and the beginning of December mark the start of the magical French Christmas season. Holiday lights glow all over Paris on the grand boulevards and in side streets, the French department stores are dressed to the nines with their holiday lights and window displays, and the Christmas markets along the Champs-Elysées and by area churches sell holiday gifts and mulled wine to shoppers. And seeing the 50-foot Christmas tree in front of Notre Dame cathedral is a travel must.
If you want to get to Paris to see the festive sights and do some Christmas shopping this year, consider joining the French Affaires’ “Paris at the Holidays 2011” trip. It’s scheduled for just after Thanksgiving and will showcase Paris at its sparkling, holiday best. Of course, French food and wine at the holidays are amazing so will be a big feature of our holiday time in Paris. The trip is starting to fill up so click here for the Paris holiday trip itinerary and make plans to put Paris in your Christmas holiday season! “Joyeux Noël” (Merry Christmas) and “Joyeuses fêtes” (Happy Holidays)!!
