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Festivities ans festivals

 

Paris, the City of Light, organises dazzling festivities and festivals all year round, catch one and you’re bound to leave with great memories of your stay in the city.


© Paris Tourist Office -
Photographe : Catherine Balet

Different art-forms come together to make the most unusual places hives of activity. The quays of the Seine, the courtyards of certain hotels, meadows, woods, parks and gardens, museum halls: all can be transformed into the venue for a concert or performance. Among the festivals that bring rhythm to the streets in springtime are: Fête de la Musique (Festival of Music), Paris Plage (Paris Beach), Marche des fiertés (The Pride Parade), Paris Quartier d’été (Paris Summer Quarter), Cinéma au clair de lune (Moonlight Cinema Festival), Techno Parade…

The rhythm doesn’t let up in autumn but just adapts to the golden light of the evenings: Nuit Blanche (Night Festival), Journées du Patrimoine (Heritage Days), Fête des Jardins de Paris (Gardens of Paris Festival), Festival d’Automne (Autumn Festival), Festival d’Art Sacré (Festival of Sacred Art). What’s more, being the multicultural city that it is, Paris also celebrates the Chinese New Year, the Indian Feast if Ganesha and Ramadan!


© Paris Tourist Office -
© Paris Tourist Office -		 Photographe : Philippe Wang
© Paris Tourist Office -
Photographe : Catherine Balet


So feel free to join in the celebrations. The arms of Paris are wide open to you. Don’t hesitate to ask at the mairie about events in your arrondissement.

You can find out more about Parisian festivals and festivities on the website of the Paris Tourism Office.

• Bastille Day Festival – 14th July

« Aux armes citoyens !», the time for revolution has come!


© Paris Tourist Office -
Photographe : Catherine Balet

As every year, Paris will celebrate the anniversary of the Revolution on the 14th of July. Once more, the event will be marked with a day of jubilation in Paris. The parade along the world’s most beautiful avenue, the President’s address to the nation, the fireworks display, the fancy dress ball…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• The Autumn Festival


© Paris Tourist Office -
Photographe : Catherine Balet

True to itself, the festival welcomes performers of arts that are relatively unknown in France, presents works that have been tried and tested as well as new experiments…

For its 34th edition, the festival offers no less than 50 performances (art, crafts, theatre, dance, cinema…)

Among the acts, you should be sure not to miss out on the exhibition of the paintings of the Brazilian artist Marepe, or the performances of Mathilde Monnier, or indeed the music of Frank Zappa and Steve Reich as interpreted by the Modern Frankfurt Ensemble at the Theatre de Châtelet.

A melting pot of culture in a party atmosphere, that’s the Festival d’Automne in Paris.


• Guided visits to the parks and gardens of Paris
All year round


© Paris Tourist Office -
Photographe : Catherine Balet

Scheduled to take place all year round, these guided visits last about two hours and reveal the histories and individual characteristics of the city’s green areas.

Wear a good pair of shoes and set off to discover gardens devoted to beautiful flowers, wild flowers, vegetables, shared gardens, contemporary parks, cemeteries and other green spaces.


Lovers of cycling can even participate in some visits by bicycle, while other guided visits are given in English. Special programmes have also been devised for the hard of hearing and the vision impaired.

. Public holidays in France

Public holidays in France correspond to national feasts and events from the Christian religious calendar.


© Paris Tourist Office -
Photographe : Catherine Balet

1st January: New Year’s Day
Between 22 March and 25 April: Easter Monday
1st May: Labour Day
8th May : Victory Day (1945)
20th May: Feast of Ascension
30th May: Pentecost
14th July: National Day
15th August: Feast of Assumption
1st November: All Saints Day
11th November: Armistice Day (1918)
25th December: Christmas Day

Numerous museums and monuments can close on public holidays, particularly on the 1st of January, the 1st of May and the 25th of December.

Other entertainment destinations around the city include sports, clubs/discotheques, cinema, and of course the shows (cabarets, classical, theatres and concerts)!