Selected Events & Festivals in France

An artist's square, Paris-style.

Once again this year the place Saint-Vincent, opposite the church of the same name in one of the city's oldest neighbourhoods, will become Montmartre in Le Havre... For one magical Sunday, a number of regional amateur painters will come to expose their work, to paint right there on the spot and sell their creations.

Going once, going twice, and SOLD!

Passionate collectors and other curious persons, lend me your ears: a grand auction for furniture, artwork and paintings is is scheduled to take place at the Artcurial in Deauville.

Items on auction will be showcased before bidding starts. This auction will be a great opportunity to find that original decorative piece that you've been hunting for all these years…

The maturity of Mozart…

Mozart's first "mature" opera The Marriage of Figaro continues to astound audiences with a firework display of divine music and compelling narrative. It is a pleasant muddle of star-crossed lovers caught in confusing love-triangles.

Events take place just before the Revolution - it is the story of one particular day in a château, a day of crisis, a day when time passes too quickly. The text is rich, an example of verve and style, revealing undercurrents of class conflict, issues of gender and equality. The story unfolds with acerbic wit, subtle character interplay, and shows us the insanity of desire and love, the mad alchemy of infatuation and bitter resentment…

Maestro, musica!

Birthdays are all about celebrating a joyful event, at least in most cases. They are also an opportunity to reflect on the past, to reminisce about the good, the bad and the ugly with no discrimination, for these are the building blocks of life.

The Semaines musicales de Quimper have been around 30 years, so happy birthday Euterpe!

Birthdays are above all about being with others, about getting together with our loved-ones and those we would like to know better… With this in mind, the festival organisers worked hard to gather the prestigious musicians and ensembles that at one time or another filled local cathedrals, chapels and theatres with joyful song. Of course, organisers did not forget to invite young up-and-coming musicians as well, as the young are also the soul of birthday celebrations. Enjoy, and don't forget to make a wish!

Fire and thunder in the night sky.

Your local commune is organising a fantastic fireworks display to celebrate Bastille Day! This shower of colour and thunder will be an amazing experience and will literally light up your night. Young and old will be in awe of the technical abilities of these pyrotechnic artists. Expect a thrilling show.

El Forro!

The Orquestra do Fubá is of that rich musical tradition of North-East Brazil.

With the traditional accordion, the cavaquinho (small guitar) and rébeca (crude violin), the band brings the Brazilian legacy to its blend of Samba, Bossa, Nova and Funk. The result is an irresistible urge to dance, which is ideally suited to the original spirit of the bals forró or Brazilian popular balls.

Music from the heart, from the heavens.

Gospel Dream brings you the true voices of African-American church choirs.

Black-Americans and Africans vocalists will joining hands and singing as one for this fantastic performance. Created in 1990 by director Michel Passy, this diverse and cosmopolitan ensemble is made up of five tenors, six women who take both soprano and alto parts, two basses, a pianist and trumpet-player.

Gospel Dream is a group that is passionate about sharing their music and joy with the public - so don't be shy, sing along and clap your hands to the beat.

Thirty cathedrals dancing in Rouen.

This summer from July 1st to August 31st, and then on the 19th and 20th of September, Rouen's major cathedral will be wiped from the landscape and replaced by a giant blank canvas...

Every evening, the cathedral facade will become a screen on which spectators will be able to admire a visual display inspired by Claude Monet's series of cathedrals. The crux of this event dates back to 1892-93, when the now-famous impressionist painter would set up his easel in front of Rouen's cathedral for days on end, tirelessly attempting to capture the shifting light and nuances of colour at different times of the day.

The result was a unique achievement in the history of art: 30 or so paintings of the exact same subject which are nevertheless completely different from each other.

Inside the coffers of France's cathedrals.

Just a mention of the word "treasure" will set off an cascade of jewels and gold coins in our imaginations, all the more fascinating because they are inaccessible. The treasures of the clergy are all these things at once, with mostly precious objects from the Christian liturgy, such as chalices, patens, ciboriums and vases, but also ecclesiastic garments and manuscripts.
A few other items may be of interest, such as royal emblems and unusual objects, but it is relics of the saints - which drove myriad believers to attempt pilgrimage - which are the heart of this treasure.

These objects were kindly lent by the Vannes Cathedral, the churches of the Morbihan region and the Vanne Museum's collections.

Brussels-based virtuosos.

The Amôn Quartet is made up of two violinists (Aymeric de Villoutreys and Mélanie Pelé) a violist (Joyce Hurtrel) and a cellist (Emilie Koang), all of which are graduates of the Brussels Royal Conservatory.

Amôn performs in the surrounding region on a regular basis, in Pontorson for example, and lately at the Festival de Saintes.

Let yourself be spirited away…

France and Japan have at least one thing in common: a passion for cartoons, comics and animation. The art of animation has become a major and respected form of expression in which realism and fantasy touch upon each other in ever-evolving alternate realities.

Three great names stand out on the animation landscape: Paul Grimault, Takahata Isao and Miyazaki Hayao. These artists, from completely different parts of the world, are nevertheless connected at a higher level and speak the same artistic language. The curator for this expo, Jean-Pierre Pagliano, is an expert critic of Paul Grimault's art and is also familiar with Japanese animation and cinema.

This unique exhibition will be a journey into parallel universes, those of Grimault's Le Roi et l'Oiseau ("The King and the Mockingbird"),Takahata's Pompoko and Miyazaki's Princess Mononoke. To complement the exhibits there will be a full programme of workshops, discussions and outdoor film screenings in the Abbey gardens.

Heritage in the spotlight.

The Musicales de Normandie is a festival that aims to put Normand architectural heritage in the limelight by organising a series of classical and traditional concerts. Every week, music in a variety of styles will be filling the soundwaves thanks to a great team effort by local businesses and municipal workers.

Skimming wave-tops and riding Aeolus…

For the fifth consecutive year, the La Tranche Raid is back - this thrilling event will have participants racing from La Tranche-sur-Mer to the Isle of Ré and back barely touching the water's surface. Over the years, this promotional sport event has become increasingly popular among the kite-surf community, and remains a truly spectacular experience for the public.

May the best art win!

The Journée des peintres dans la rue is in fact an art competition open to amateurs and professionals alike (adults only). From 10AM, artists will be free to set up their easels in the streets of Coutances (within a predefined sector) and paint the monument or landscape of their choice.

The award ceremony will take place in the early evening at 5:30PM on the Saint-Nicholas square.

A star-lit country marketplace.

Enjoy this grand nocturnal market organised by the local Quiberville-sur-Mer council. Find the best produce around and then, when your shopping bag is full, sit back to experience a great fireworks show. Only local producers and artisans will be permitted to exhibit their products.

Activities and events will be organised on site, and organisers are working to provide a food court.

Blown on an easterly wind.

The Orientales festival is a chance to explore completely different lifestyles and mentalities and develop a different perception.

Through a variety of artforms, this festival brings out a rich, intense emotional response, thanks to a program which features contemporary gamelan from Sunda, fakirs of the Mekong region, the mystical lamentations of Afghan sufis and some Kurdish epic poetry.

Unsurprisingly, this rare event attracts large crowds who are drawn to the exoticism and strangeness of these art forms and performances. Oriental music thus travels from the banks of the Loire to Saint-Florent-le-Vieill, carried by a festive air.

With concerts, an oriental cafe, exhibitions and dances, you simply won't believe your senses...

Tactical ballet.

The Lucien Barrière Deauville Polo Cup is made up of two separate challenges:
the silver Trophée Chaumet cup (14 goals) and the gold Lucien Barrière cup (20-22 goals).

The tournament brings together some of the best players in the world with athletes coming from Argentina, Chile, England, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, India and France. Expect some high-level polo during one of the most prestigious sport competitions in France, an event which attracts ever-growing crowds every year.

For the spectator, it is simply breathtaking to witness these riders' passion for their sport and the power of their fleet-footed mounts - expect an impressive display of tactical ability.
Every game takes place on one of three sites in Deauville and each is accompanied by expert commentators - novices and experts alike will thus be able to enjoy this event to the fullest.

Artistic homage.

The "Appartement témoin Perret" is a museum in Le Havre dedicated to the work and life of architect and interior designed Auguste Perret, the mind that practically redesigned the city in the post-war era. Plastic artist Pascal Monteil decided to honour Perret's aesthetic ideal by creating a photographic exhibition based on The Human Voice, a one-act opera by Jean Cocteau. This photographic diptych will give a sense of drama and depth to this fascinating museum-apartment.

Jazz and fine wine…

This three-day event will be spectacular musical weekend. The programme includes:

15 concerts with over 60 musicians
20 wine-producers who will be only too ready to let you sample their fine muscatels
Jazz-cocktails, free of charge, with performances by up and coming jazz musicians
And a promenade through the vineyards on Sunday afternoon with free improvisation performances.

Non-neutral, no-nonsense virtuosos.

This quartet took its definite shape in 2000 in the Berne conservatory. Working with Walter Levin and the Musik Akademie of the Basel Conservatory, this group of musicians has grown into a full-scale, talented ensemble over the years.
The Amaryllis quartet has been in the spotlight since 2002 and has proved its mastery of a challenging Baroque repertoire: Charpentier, Campra, Brossard, Lorenzani, Rossi…

Don't lost your compass.

Good times are just growing on trees in Bayeux's Labyrinth. Take a tour of the gardens and enjoy a cultural and educational experience among friends, young and old, or with the whole family. Remember to pack some water and snacks, because this will be a two-hour tour where you might, and probably will, get side-tracked or completely lost.

Do not dispair, visitors are given a map upon entry and can always check the book when they take a wrong turn again, and again…

The cultural event of the year!

Aux heures d'été ("in the summertime") is one of the more recent festival in Nantes. This fourth edition will have the city transformed into an artist's workshop, a musician's jam room, a writer's snug study… Artistic moments in every kind of domain will be taking place throughout the beautiful city of Nantes. Music, stories, dance, films, plays… For city-dwellers, these short, small-scale cultural events will be a huge breath of fresh air.

The man who spoke vocalese…

After a rather timid beginning in the 70s, Al Jarreau suddenly exploded onto the music scene with his hit song "We're in this love together" from his highly-successful 1981 album Breakin' Away.

Jarreau is an eclectic musician, having won prestigious awards for both Jazz and R'n'B music. He took a great deal of inspiration from the famed trio of vocalists, Lambert, Hendricks & Ross whose achievement was to adapt instrumentals into vocals, mastering the style now known as "vocalese".

Yet it really is on the stage, as seen during his countless performances at the Montreux festival, that Al Jarreau truly distinguishes himself.

Master of the age-old angel's instrument: the harp…

Born in Finistère in Brittany, the western corner of Europe, Corbel learnt the Celtic harp at a very young age. Today she lives in Paris and gives regular performances in France and abroad.

Her concerts manage to blend Breton, Irish, Scottish and also Turkish, Israeli and Sephardic musical traditions. The songs and dances will take you to a different time and place, a land of changing seasons and love-stories. East meets West in these sensitive compositions and arrangements.

Art and artistry.

This event will allow you to experience art and crafts in all shapes and sizes, all colours and styles…

Every kind of skill and every form of creation has a place here, whether on wood, canvas or metal; whether woven, carved or sewn; whether baked, assembled, chiselled, painted, brushed, moulded…

Rennes houses one of the most interesting rock scenes in France.

The place is Rennes, the year is 1980. The city is home to one of the most lively and innovative rock scenes in France.

New movements appear and spread like an epidemic; punk music spawns alternative and independent rock. At the same time, independent radios take off with new stations sprouting across Rennes like mushrooms on steroids.

Franck Roland, a star host for Radio Savane, launched the Rock Tympans association in 1986 to back the rising new wave scene. As a result, in 1991, the first edition of the Route du Rock Festival invaded the city's bars, association headquarters and concert halls.

Roland's association launched a parallel festival, Ici Londres, which brought the hottest UK bands across the channel (Therapy?, Neds Atomic Dustbin and Mega City Four) for a series of sell-out concerts. The festival bug was seeded, took root and now the "Road of Rock" has become a cultural institution.

The festival organisers pride themselves on a daring musical program; they are not afraid to put promising new bands in the spotlight amidst modern rock, pop and electro stars (think The Do, The Breeders, Tindersticks, The Notwist, Foals, The Ting Tings, Why?, Adam Kesher, Poni Hoax, Pivot, etc, etc.).

Don't miss out on this exceptional event, the hottest summer festival in Rennes only a stone's throw from the fine sandy beaches of the "Emerald Coast"…

Sing and dance like the professionals…

The Festival musique et danse en Pays de Falaise is a unique concept quite unlike any other festival. It is in fact a series of concert/performance workshops. The background for this event is a boarding school, and participants can sing, dance, play sports…

It will be a one-of-a-kind experience.

The best of French music.

The Poupet Festival was originally a village feast, but over the years this fête has grown to become a major event on the Loire Country's cultural calendar.

For a whole month the Poupet festival will be organsing a variety of concerts. Some of the big names on the French music scene along with some international artists will be there. Joan Baez, Lynda Lemay et Yannick Noah in 2007, and for the 2008 edition there will be Zucchero, Bernard Lavilliers, James Blunt et Vanessa Paradis.

Hunting for good deals

Are second-hand stores, flea markets, boot sales, and craft fairs your favorite places to shop? If so, don't miss this opportunity to find a deal of a lifetime. Whether you're into antiques or collectibles or just looking for something original, you can find anything and everything here at bargain prices. Take advantage of this local marketplace to find just what you've been looking for!

The church is alive with the sound of music.

Church concerts give people the opportunity to experience moving music, but also to appreciate the cultural and architectural value of these religious monuments.

Take the time to enjoy some fine classical music in a venue with unique acoustics and a perfect setting for such grandiose performances.

For the love of Rock.

The Terre Neuvas Festival in Bobital will once again this year be bringing you the best of rock music.

Bretons are indeed known for their festive spirit and they will be living up to this reputation throughout the whole of July… Some star performers (Travis, Sex Pistols, Hushpuppies, etc.) will be there to rock your socks off in Bobital.

Ploughing its way to the future.

The Vieilles Chartues is a major musical event on the French cultural landscape and is the biggest festival of its kind in the country. Before becoming a cultural phenomenon with a line-up chock-a-block full of celebrity performers, the Vieilles Charrues (literally "old ploughs") stemmed from a small village fest.

Interesting fact: this music festival was, at first, barely musical at all… It all started out with a fair on the waterfront - a bit of music, a LOT of country-bumpkin cheer, some serious red meat (bison steaks!) and old-style games such as the shoe-toss or the inimitable "plough-pulling competition"…

Things took off from there and now this year the festival will feature great bands such as ZZ Top, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, Motörhead or even the Wombats…

The first edition counted 500 spectators and today the numbers are more along the lines of 200 000. This festival will be a weekend of riotous, unrelenting fun, but at the same time it is a show of solidarity for a struggling rural community that took matters into their own hands.

Professional amateurs…

The In fine, Sans réserve exhibit is made up of 40 or so works that span from the 15th to the 20th century.

There is no overriding theme or historic timeline. The group was free to organise the display space along their own rules: parallels, a taste for this or that, a dialogue between the works… This subjective, almost whimsical approach is backed by serious, extensive documentation for each piece.

The group-members are not professionals and yet each has his own experience, his point of view as a spectator, and this provides a solid method for the elaboration of a display space which gives visitors the best possible experience…

Electronica fever.

The Bar in the Bénodet Casino will come alive every night this summer with a live DJ mix to rock the night away…

Expect a different DJ taking over the turntables every week for a great night of fun among friends. Practise your steps because on Saturday Night at the Bénodet Casino there will be an epidemic of electronica fever!

In the heart of Jazz.

Simon Mary is an inspired, generous musician who masters the double-bass with unequalled skill. He leads his band Mukta with a subtle energy, bringing out the very best in his musicians.

Gathered around this virtuoso bassist, four major figureheads of modern jazz will be bringing you a great performance with an evocative title: Echoes of Night…

They have the ability to create a truly hypnotic acoustic universe. Jacques Pellen's (Celtic Procession) voluptuous, enchanting guitar-playing is woven into flute melodies by Pascal Vandenbulcke (with Mukta), percussions by Jean-François Roger (Translave) and Mary's deep booming double bass. Their rythmic music lets the audience slide effortlessly into a meditative, foot-tapping, finger-snapping trance.

The songs evolve languidly, naturally, every instrument slotting into place - their original compositions bring to mind the world of Ralph Towner, Charlie Haden or Egberto Gismonti…

And in the darkness you shall see!

The abbey perched atop the Mont Saint-Michel is open non-stop from 9AM to 11:30PM. From 7PM onwards, when the twilight creeps across the mythical Mont Saint-Michel bay, the abbey organises nocturnal guided tours. The visitor can thus discover unique architecture thanks to subtle, delicate lighting, and in this treasure-trove of history he is confronted with his own modernity.

This new take on one of France's most visited monument is definitely worthwhile, the twilight and soft lighting emphasising the pure, minimalistic character of these age-old stones.

See the city in a different light.

UNESCO was quick to honour the architectural splendour of Le Havre, thanks in particular to two emblematic edifices. Designed by two masterful 20th-century architects, namely Auguste Perret and Oscar Niemeyer, they will for this event become a giant stage to host a performance signed by the famed team of scenographers known as Skertzo.

The Hôtel de Ville boasts a 92-metre facade and a 72-metre tower that defy the imagination - both of these will become a canvas for a 1950's-inspired show, while the gentle, harmonious curves of the "Volcano" will become a gateway into a dreamlike wonderland.

Transformations, video projections, sound effects, musical interludes, optical illusions and wordplay… With these tools, Skertzo transcends our perception of architecture and puts the city's "history in the spotlight" (or patrimoine en lumière).

For locals, this performance will be like a fresh coat of paint over their familiar city, while for visitors it will be a unique vision of a place which is world-renowned for its unique, ultramodern architecture.

The beat goes on!

The Angers d'été festival will have the Toussaint Abbey Cloister invaded by a horde of talented, prestigious and highly entertaining performers!

The team of organisers (from the local council) are attempting to turn the long, warm summer evenings into a series of fantastic musical experiences. Additionally, the Jazz Pour Tous association ("Jazz for All") has also been working hard to bring you literally itinerant jazz performances. The "Jazzambar" and the "Summer Jazz Workshops" are a series of vagabonding concerts and workshops meant to break the elitist mould associated with this jazz music in general.

Thrift shopping at its finest…

For a whole day, enjoy the idle joys of bargaining and shopping right there in the street - hunt for the perfect deal or that one missing piece from your collection, all in a warm, friendly atmosphere!

A great way to enjoy shopping with the whole family!

Bridge - not for the faint of heart.

Bathed in Deauville's glittering sunlight, the Festival Mondial de Bridge brings the elite of the bridge-playing community together for a fantastic international event. Players in their thousands from Europe and the world at large flock to the Deauville casino to put their skills to the test.

If you like playing cards and can hold your own during a high-stakes bridge game, then be sure not to miss this exceptional competition.

Jazzy Deauville - the one and only.

Back in 1989, the Lucien Barrière group and the Deauville Barrière Casino decide to put together a mini festival for a week in July. The Casino was thus blessed by the presence of great jazz musicians: Ray Charles, Dizzy Gillespie, Eddie Louis, Lionel Hampton and even the Count Basie Orchestra.

Swing'in Deauville is now a major event on the French cultural calendar. With its host of world-renowned artists and local talents this festival brings you an eclectic and varied program, each night coloured by a different ambiance.

Jazz on the bandoneon.

Olivier Manoury has embarked on an unusual and difficult journey to revive an instrument that has over time fallen into obscurity: the bandoneon. Coming from Tulle, birthplace of the accordion, Manoury didn't consider the task to be as daunting as it seemed.

The Argentinean tango masters hold this musician in high esteem and his eclectic, unusual career is further evidence of his talent. Having worked with the Béjart ballet and managed to find a parallel between the unusual sound of the bandeneon and the dark, mysterious music of Thelonious Monk, we can definitely say that Manoury is an accomplished performer.

Great deals, great ambiance.

Every year in La-Tranche-sur-Mer a local council organisation, the Amicale du Personnel communal, organises a great event for professional and amateur stall-holders. This market is all about displaying, selling and buying at bargain prices!

This second-hand market has become increasingly popular over the years so don't hesitate to do some shopping or window shopping or simple wandering… La Tranche-sur-Mer awaits you, your shopping bag and your purse of course!

Everyday life in empty spaces.

Tatiana Trouvé, winner of the 2007 Marcel Duchamp award, has been working on a series of projects at the FRAC (a regional contemporary art fund). This recent work tells us a great deal about her rapid artistic evolution.

Trouvé's landmark installation is the Bureau of Implicit Activities (Bureau des Activités Implicites or BAI). Set up since 1997, this expansive piece is made up of complex architectural modules each of which is a spatial representation of different components of her everyday life ("Administrative Module", "Waiting Module"…). Over time the BAI was added to with Polders (Dutch word for artificial islands or land expansion) - these elements defy normal scale and are grafted to the BAI like so many new "compartments" or activities in one's life.

More recently, her work has been focused on a functional space with no function, a meaningless, nameless sculpture, drawing or installation that is nevertheless filled with a sense of potentiality...

A beach town in the city.

This concept has become an international movement, travelling to Japan, Berlin, Brussels and Budapest. Rennes changed the title, but the recipe is the same everywhere you go.

Grab 150 deckchairs, the ones with blue/green and white stripes which cost 2 pound on the beach in Bournemouth. Plant palm trees along the road, in Cannes style, and serve some piping hot mint tea like a true Bedouin. There you have it, Transat en Ville on the Town Hall square.

This beach-town in the city is dedicated to dozing, reading airport books and gossip in unhealthy amounts. For a whole week, enjoy lazing at the beach without the annoying sand between your toes. And by nightfall, organisers have scheduled an interesting program of activities so there is always something to do!

Party animals.

Astropolis will as usual be waving the banner of fun and freedom; this event is a beacon for militant party-animals and adepts of no-holds-barred festivity. Whatever your music of choice Astropolis will be four days of sublime, dreamlike, visual and auditory madness…

This one-of-a-kind event went from the underground to the official, from a damp field in the Finistère area to a beautiful mansion, the Manoir de Keroual in Brest. Astropolis is fully dedicated to fully letting go - it is probably the most important electro event in the whole of France.

The festival has always been a militant supporter of the Do-It-Yourself spirit of raves throughout the world, and for this reason carefully selects the acts on their line-up. Thus a whole scene will be dedicated to the Detroit Underground Resistance label, and a "village" will be reserved for an association that fights for alternative lifestyle solutions. And as you'll see when you reach this natural wonderland, "big business", advertising and corporate culture will remain very far away…

Art, Music and Fun!

Once again this year the [F]Estivales is back. The now-famous "café de l'été" (or "summer café"), which has been going for 19 years, is a series of free concerts every Thursday and Friday (July 3rd to August 15th) on the lush lawn of the town hall's garden.

Another great event, the "terrasses Nap" (or "Nap terraces", short for Napoleon): 7 concerts by talented local performers, completely free of charge, taking place every Friday (July 11th to August 22nd) on the place Napoléon.

That's already quite a programme, but there's more: theatre, exhibitions, open-air dancing balls, outdoor movie projections, a fireworks display, guided tours… The [F]Estivales isn't just an event, its a whole season of art, music and fun!

Italian-style dinner and show.

Clisson will be dancing to the beat of Italian culture for this great festival.

Les Italiennes Festival in Clisson is definitely the-place-to-be this summer, taking place in one of the town's most beautiful "Italian" sites: the Garenne Valentin, a renovated convent. Other historic sites in Clisson will also be overrun by performers and eager audience members. The two main themes will be dance and photography, all drenched in a delicious Italian sauce!

The Nautilus awaits you.

In tune with the transportation revolution of his time, SF pioneer Jules Verne was obsessed with vehicles and motion. In his mindscapes, sailboats, trains and steamers of the real world cohabited with imaginary vehicles.
Courtesy of Jean-Marc Deschamps, these vehicles have been brought to life through perfect scale-models based on the information in the novels. A unique experience to discover the Nautilus and other fantastic craft…

Seagulls, sailboats and shopping on the docks.

The maritime secondhand market will be back in Trouville on Saturday July 19th 2008. Those who like a good bargain should not miss out on this opportunity to find interesting pieces related to the maritime world, all day long on the Fernand Moureaux docks.

Enjoy a walk along the canal with seagulls in the background, wander through the aisle and check out the postcards and trinkets that might make a perfect addition to your collection.