5 Best Festivals in France
An important aspect of French culture is the extravagant celebratory festivals. We have cultivated the 5 Best Festivals in France, including the Cannes Film Festival, the Tour De France, the Nice Carnival, Bastille Day Parade and the Monaco Grand Prix -- the majority of which are held during the prime spring and summer vacation months. Keep these celebrations in mind for your next trip abroad, and don't miss out on all the fun!
Cannes Film Festival
The annual Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, has drawl visitors from worldwide since 1946 for its dedication to uncovering the best that the film industry has to offer and honoring those with raw passions for film making. Held at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès, it is considered the most publicized and most prestigious film festival in the world. The festival takes place in May, and previews new films from all over the world and of all genres. Movie stars from Audrey Hepburn to Arnold Schwarzenegger to Marilyn Monroe have attended this glamorous event. Visit here for more information about this year's Cannes Film Festival!
Tour De France
Bicyclists and spectators alike from all around the world travel to France for the Tour De France, the world's most famous cycling competition. This annual multistage race held in France since 1903 is typically held in July, and consists of 21 day-long segments covering 3,500 kilometers (2,200 miles). The route of the race is ever-changing, however it consistently covers some of the most magnificent grounds of France, including the Alps and Pyrenees mountain chains. This is the perfect festival tocelebrate the world's best cyclists while enjoying the country's beautiful landscapes.
Nice Carnival
The Nice Carnival is the main winter event on the French Riviera and one of the largest carnivals in the world. The carnival offers a program of entertainment with over 1,000 international musicians and dancer, and a procession of 16 floats with giant colorful parades that take place day and night each year for one week in February. The earliest mention of the carnival in Nice is traced back to the 13th century, making it the oldest existing festival in the world. The root meaning of the word "carnival" is "away with meat," and was celebrated as a time to enjoy bountiful cuisines before Lent. Today, the event attracts over a million visitors to Nice every year and is celebrated on the Promenade des Anglais.
Bastille Day Military Parade
This festival commemorates the national French holiday Bastille Day, recognizing the historic storming of the Bastille that occurred in in Paris in 1789, and the Fête de la Fédération that occurred on the same day a year later to celebrate peace in the French nation during the French Revolution. Each year on the morning of July 14th since 1880, the French militants parade down the streets of Paris in remembrance of the violent revolution and to celebrate the unity of the French people. The holiday is celebrated throughout the country in a similar fashion to the United States on 4th of July, with fireworks and feasts.
Monaco Grand Prix
Regarded as one of the most important and prestigious automobile races in the world, the Monaco Grand Prix is a Formula One motor race held in the Circuit De Monaco since 1929. Similar to the Tour De France in respect to the route's breathtaking scenery, the Grand Prix brings in thousands of spectators worldwide for this thrilling but glamorous weekend along the Monte Carlo Harbor. This event lines up perfectly with spring and summer trips, and will be held this year May 26 through the 29th. Click here to find out about tickets and more!
I hope you enjoyed these 5 Best Festivals in France! If you are looking to learn more French language and culture, make sure to sign up for our new Online Classes at JP Linguistics! Don't forget to tell your friends about Frenchie Fridays so they can receive fun French stories delivered directly to their inboxes - they can sign up HERE. Merci et à bientôt!
Credit: stokpic - Pixabay, Wikipedia Commons, Karen Corby - Flickr.com