Events & festivals in France in August

In search of freshness…

Food markets are the perfect place for those who like it fresh. Wandering the colourful stalls of seasonal fruit and vegetables, with some rare products from exotic locations, will give you an excuse to go home with a solid basket-load of quality produce.

When it comes to fish and meat, there is at least one butcher and one fishmonger in every marketplace… The choice is yours!

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.

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.

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.

Digging into the past

For 20 years now, archeological research has been taking place at Mez Notario, located at the center of the Isle of Ouessant. The site and the dig have been managed by Jean-Paul Le Bihan, director of the Finistère Center for Archeological Research (CRAF), which called upon 400 professional and civilian diggers to help bring to light some amazing finds about the origins of Ouessant.

The Armoric Regional Natural Park and the CRAF have organized an exhibit which retraces the history of the digs at Mez Notario to be presented at the Museum of "Phares and Balises." Numerous objects plus articles from the planning stages and several models will be on display. Visitors will be able to easily reconstruct the history of this fascinating island with the materials to be presented. A project that took 20 years to bring to the surface!

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!

There's gunpowder in the air…

A great fireworks display will be taking place in your commune! This fantastic, explosive event will light up your night and leave stars in your eyes and bells in your ears... You will be in awe of what these pyrotechnic masters can achieve.

Young and old will look to the skies in wonder and amazement.

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…

A top-class Celtic music festival.

Originally organized in Brest, the Celtic Festival now takes place in Lorient and remains THE major event for Celtic musicians and artists. Every year, 4 500 artists and bands from Scotland, Ireland, Wales, the Isle of Man, Cornwall, Asturias, Galicia and Brittany come to Lorient to take part in this exciting festival.

The programme includes a range of Celtic styles - traditional, classical, folk, jazz, rock... This lively event also features dancers, painters, sculptors, writers, film directors and lecturers who will be giving visitors a glimpse of their skills at various venues all over town and providing the 500 000 spectators with quality entertainment.

Le Havre, the emblem of contemporary art…

The main strength of this event lies in the complementary nature of the artwork on display. The two curators, Ger van Elk for the Malraux Museum and David Perreau for the city's monuments, are of different cultures and have different artistic tastes. It is this difference, the opposing ideals of these two professionals which creates a contradictory and complementary artistic ensemble and will make this an original and dynamic art biennial.

Le Havre in a riot of colour.

Corsiflor is a yearly event which has the whole population of Le Havre bubbling with anticipation. Beautifully-decorated floats will be coursing through the streets in a riotous display of fun and festivity!

Discover original sights and vibrant colours during this one-of-a-kind day in Le Havre's town centre.

From swing to rhythm and blues…

From swing to rhythm and blues and even some choreographed street dance…the best music and the best dancers find their place in a succession of different sets presenting acrobatics, vocals, magic and dance.

To bring out the very best response in the audience, the troop of artists and magicians pull out all the stops: virtuosity, energy, seduction, glamour, etc.

This is a review that is suitable for families, offering everyone an evening of spectacular entertainment.

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!

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…

A story to commemorate the fallen.

This expo will be telling a story. The story of the World Trade Center, of the attack on September 11th 2001, of the firemen and rescue workers and construction workers, of the police force and hospital workers, of the 2 700 people who lost their lives, and finally of the response that these events brought about…

These powerful themes are the subject of this exhibition comprised of personal objects, pictures, films, testimonies and remains found amidst a mountain of rubble. The tale of rescue operations will be told through various things… Things that we all use in everyday life, objects, fragments, debris, a crooked steering wheel, a souvenir…

Eden in Coutances.

The Jardin des Plantes in Coutance was created under the Second French Empire and remains one of the oldest in Normandy.

The park manages the subtle balance between symmetry à la française, the copses of an English garden and Italian-style terraces. This park is unique for its rare trees, floral arrangements and expansive mosaics, but it is the labyrinth in particular which makes it an ideal place for daydreaming or taking a stroll.

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!

A hidden gem.

Charles Frechon is one of the landmark painters of 19th and early 20th-century art scene in Rouen. Unfortunately, his was what one could call a regional reputation.

When he exhibited his work, the highly-conservative art world in Rouen would scoff and lift their noses… And yet today, paradoxically, he has become an emblematic figure associated with "the country"; he is the salt of the earth on the French artistic landscape.

This retrospective exhibition will be an opportunity to consider this artist's career in depth, and from there to understand how this hidden gem was at the forefront of the "school of Rouen", one of the more unexpected fruits of the impressionist movement.

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 variety of blends and mixes…

This 9th edition of the Festival du Bout du Monde will as usual give you a great 3-day festival on August 8th, 9th and 10th. This "Ends of the Earth" festival already features an impressive line-up. With such variety and quality acts, both recognized artists and more obscure but no less talented bands, world music enthusiasts will not be disappointed.

You can expect to hear unusual reggae, cutting-edge flamenco, sizzling soul music straight from Niger and some unique oriental electronica… Truly the kind of variety you can only expect to find at the end of the Earth.

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"…

The once and future king.

This first ever exhibition dedicated to the legend of King Arthur aims to retrace, understand and explain the mythology related to Arthur. This event boasts the prestigious "Exposition d'intérêt national" label (or "exhibition of interest to the nation") which is granted by the ministry of culture.

This legend is one if not the most important literary and artistic theme in European culture, and it has always been a highly-popular story. The Champs Libre exhibition aims to reveal the actual King arthur, the keystone of a veritable literary institution that blends magic, war and love… Aside the actual historical fact, this expo refers to old sources as much as contemporary adaptations, in order to better understand the birth of an almost universal legend.

Over 200 works linked to the myth will be on display, along with a number of historical and iconographical documents.

What dreams may come…

"Machines on the Island" (Les Machines de l'Ile) is indeed a mysterious concept... It involves massive animals, creatures of the savana or the ocean depths, appearing suddenly in the middle of the city, as if one's daydreams had crossed over into reality…

You will not have to imagine this, because it has been imagined for you. These giant wood and metal creatures will be there, palpable, more real than ever. Evidently, a discussion will be organised to explain the process of creation and to introduce the team of artists/engineers.

This fantastic event is signed François Delarozière and Pierre Orefice working with the famed Royal de Luxe company!

Truly traditional cuisine…

The Mère Poulard Inn, located on the famed Mont Saint-Michel, is turning 120 this year!

Established in the late 19th century, the inn owes its name to person who orchestrated its foundation and success: Annette Poulard. Annette was only 20 when the Mont, which had become a prison after the French revolution, returned to its normal state as a site of pilgrimage.

In 1888 Annette and her husband decided to open an auberge or inn, a place where pilgrims and visitors could enjoy a healthy meal and a warm bed. Annette was soon known as Mère Poulard ("Mother Poulard"), for "mère" was at the time used to designate exceptionally good cooks. Year by year, visitors would pour in to delight in the 700 or so recipes served by the Auberge, including the now famous Mère Poulard omelette.

Nowadays, years after Annette passed away, the Auberge strives to perpetuate her gastronomical tradition. Some of her recipes found their way into supermarkets, and a number of traditional products (buiscits for example) bear the Mère Poulard label.

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.

Street art and music in the streets.

For this 15th edition, "La Déferlante" Festival takes over 8 major towns of the Atlantic coast: Saint-Brévin-les-Pins, Barbâtre, Notre-Dame-de-Monts, Saint-Jean-de-Monts, Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez, Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, Les Sables d’Olonne, and La Tranche-sur-Mer.

Enjoy an intense, rich festival program which swings from street performances to concerts. Everyone will find something that tickles their fancy.

The Savage side of mother nature.

"Nature through the eyes of some of the greatest photographers." The Natural History Museum in Rouen is living up to its reputation and is organising this unique exhibition, a stunning display of sensitivity and graphic beauty.

These 110 photos were selected through a rigorous process, revealing an aspect of our planet rarely seen in museums: the wild, savage, untamed face of Mother Nature.

The thin line between reality and fiction.

Taysir Batniji's work revolves around notions of individual or collective identity, dissapearance, displacement and exile. The images he brings back from his travels to Gaza, the traces of his journey, are like so many parcels of memory; they represent a vehicle for recording history…

Ville Lenkkeri's photographical works have unusual subjects: museums of natural history, university of medicine collections, or the mural decorations in waiting rooms… These reveal a cinematic approach to photographical art, blurring the boundaries between reality and fiction.

Artist Yvan Salomone is more interested in landscapes, even unusual ones such as harbours and industrial ports. His watercolours are made from photographs and video works and are always in the same, large format. His images are ambiguous in the sense that they are caught between an objective documentary-style and a more subjective vision.

Lena et Victor Vorobyev are two Kazakhstan-born artists who work with urban scenes. Within their works (installations, images, performances) the viewer is confronted with communist propaganda alongside the publicity of Western consumer society.

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.

Ze festival for zeatrical arts.

This 7th edition of Z'estivales boasts an eclectic program chock-a-block full of events, in particular street performances and theatre arts.

Regional, National and International companies - over 50 troupes of professional performers - will be lined up for seven whole weekends from June 28th to August 10th 2008.

This amounts to over a hundred performances over the festival, with at least 20 by amateur troupes, the "Off" performances, will be taking place on their own stage (called the zizanie or "madness" stage).

Representations will this year be facing the horizon, with 5 stages set up on the seafront. Other stages will be set up in important locations: the Saint-Roch square, the Théâtre de l'hôtel de ville, the courtyard of the Malleraye school, the town's pedestrian zone, the forecourt of the town hall, the harbour

The program includes a number of plays, classical and modern music, circus arts, puppet shows, and much more…

A naturally-rich and beautiful land.

The Pointe d'Agon (or "Agon Point") is a long stretch of sand at the southern tip of Agon-Coutainville listed as a natural heritage site since 1989. The lighthouse, inaugurated in 1856, has since been a beacon for countless flotillas and armadas. It remains one of the main attractions of this area.

Beneath this surface, the Agon Point hides endless natural resources which you will be able to discover along this 2km guided tour through the sand dunes…

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!

Gestural Abstract Lyricism…

Jean Degottex, born in Sathonay, France, in 1918, came into the world of painting after the great artstic shifts of that era - cubism, abstract art, etc. Degottex was self-taught follower of Kandinsky, and his work was sometimes cryptically described as "gestural abstract lyricism".

His beginnings were geared towards a form of fauvism that was purified, broken down to essentials. He therafter turned to abstraction but with a deliberate, powerful brushstroke, reminiscent of chinese Calligraphy. The concept of Zen had always been predominant in his art.

Interestingly, Degottex later turned to the artistic base material, paper, which he scarred, tore and scratched, producing reliefs which he called "papier pleins" ("paper full"). Going further, he chose to focus on the rich and variegated textures of wood.

Degottex, who passed away in Paris in 1988, gave us art which acts as a successful counterpoint to the deluge of superficial, virtual images that has flooded the cultural landscape. His work is a balm, a truly appeasing experience that touches upon the essence of reality.

Printing art the old-school way.

Denise Delouche is the kind of professor who goes out into the field to make better sense of her subject, namely artists, painters in particular, in Brittany in the 19th century. It is in this manner that she began to research a particular artform: the art print (engraving, embossment and other techniques).

A very common variation of the traditional painted canvas, the art print appears as a highly interesting and revealing practise. Delouche asked herself the following questions: "what does this art form tell us about Brittany and 19th-century Bretons? Who would buy art prints? And how did they affect tourism and travels?"

Pragmatic art.

Wolfgang Winter et Berthold Hörbelt have been an "artistic duet" since 1992.

They work mostly with resine, plastic and metallic materials and their sculptures are often created with industrial processes in mind. It is in this way that the Winter-Hörbelt team made a name for itself with Crate Houses, architectural projects that were inspired by the aesthetic and structural properties of plastic crates made from recycled bottles.

These artists are ever-concerned with the notion of breathing new life into public spaces. Subsequently their projects, both indoor and outdoor, represent an effort in aesthetic improvement and practicality from a social point of view. Usage and pragmatism are central to their artistic ambitions, which is why we see their works taking the shape of purely functional complexes: bus stops, newspaper kiosks or movie theatres…

The Winter-Hörbelt creations represent an invitation to experience and question the dual concept of inside/outside.

The World takes over the Saint-Nazaire harbour.

Saint-Nazaire's Les Escales festival is two full days and nights dedicated to world music - it is all about traditional or modern music steeped in the lives and culture of its origins. Each year, a different part of the world is chosen as a main theme.

The festival rests upon a great deal of research and prospecting and thus gives visitors an accurate (if limited) vision of music culture within the selected countries. The 40 000 or so visitors that come every year will be able to enjoy performances by celebrity artists as well as young up-and-coming talents.

The venu, the Saint-Nazaire port, is steeped in history, built upon the memories of some of the world's greatest construction projects. Indeed, some of the largest cruisers were assembled in this very spot. During the festival, the port seems to reclaim its origins as a place of cultural exchange, travel, trade, and hospitality.

Over 250 artists will be performing in a forest of cranes and hangars, with a nearby submarine base and old auctionary zone, to the delight of an enthusiastic public. Expect 25 concerts per day but also street performances, exhibitions, children's activities, video installations, a selection of films and conferences, a bookshop and a food-court.

Young and old can enjoy the World rushing by in a riot of colour…

The Dark Side of Authouart.

Discover the complete collection of Daniel Authouart's "dark period" (période noire).

This series of paintings was produced in Le Havre in the 70s and is marked by a distinct sense of tragedy, even of violence. They provided the foundations to build his current style of artwork.

This collection as a whole will be displayed on the day of the vernissage. The exhibition will be added-to over the months, progressively shifting from Authouart's darker style to his more recent works.

The Normandy-Quebec connection.

What does Normandy have in common with the history of Quebec?

Extensive waves of immigrants in the 17th century for one thing, but another connecting point exists, much closer to our time. The Second World War was an opportunity for these children of France to return to defend their motherland…

This is why the Juno Beach Centre is organising a temporary exhibition this year to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the foundation of Quebec. The thematic aim of the event is to shed light on the common history that Normandy and Quebec share - it is an homage to the soldiers of Normand origin among the troops who were there on D-Day, who fought the Battle of Normandy with Canadian forces.

The title is a fitting, poetic reference to the relation these soldiers had to the motherland - Partis, revenus...

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.

Open your ears!

Some of the most beautiful homes of Coutances Country will open their doors to the public for a series of exceptional concerts. These convivial evenings will close with a cocktail. Each soirée will begin with a tour of the property with a licensed tour-guide.

This 5th edition of the Musique a Demeure will be a window into the architectural riches of the Coutances area. Furthermore, it will be an opportunity for locals and visitors, young and old, to experience a range of quality music at very affordable prices.

Morbihan goes classical…

The Musicales du Golfe is a festival that aims to put the Morbihan architectural heritage in the spotlight - quality music will be centre stage, but the stage itself will be the age-old churches and chapels of the region.

Compositions by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and many more will be performed by some of the most talented ensembles in the area.

An endurance race/scenic tour.

This 28th edition of the Enduro pédestre des Sables will be an endurance race for the whole family. Agon-Coutainville will be hosting this event which takes participants along the beach at low tide and on to the Pointe d'Agon (a listed natural heritage site). Expect a convivial, easygoing sporting event which takes you through Agon's untamed coastal region.
Men's challenge: 14km.
Women's challenge: 10km.
Kid's challenge: 3km.

Divine music, sacred sites…

This new edition of the Lyrique en mer festival is respecting traditions by providing some of the best lyrical music to an ever-widening audience. Operas, church music and concerts will be taking place in historic sites: the Vauban citadel, the Ouvrage de Beausoleil, the Fouquet château and the Belle-Ile church…

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.

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.

In the summertime when the weather is fine…

Every summer in Saint-Jean de Monts you can witness high-level beach-volley competitions and even take part in beginners' workshops.

Into sports? Check out these great summertime activities with friends or family - trampolining, acrobatic gymnastics, beach-volley and more!

The best part is that every age group is included in this world of entertainment. There is a section for toddlers, another for kids (on wednesdays) or even a "family team" program.

Don't miss out on all the fun!

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!

The best of Brittany.

The Festival des Filets Bleus (or "Blue Nets Festival") was sparked by a tragic event and yet has always been a fun and convivial celebration.

The event came about in 1905 in Finistère in Brittany as a means of supporting the people of Concarneau, a small fishing village that was all but crippled by the sudden disappearance of sardine shoals from local waters.

Though the tragedy is now history, this joyous celebration still takes place every year. To recreate the 1905 feel in the streets of Concarneau centre, organisers have planned period photograph exhibits and retrospective film screenings, and a number of people will be wearing traditional costumes. Expect a time warp into the early 20th century, with fish markets, foot races, folk dances and all kinds of activities and events. Old sailor's songs will be followed by bagadou fanfares, celtic music concerts and a whole range of old-style, typically Breton performances.

In Brittany, night