Paris is a wonderful destination, not only due to its highlights and huge range of attractions but also its wonderful fiestas, fairs, celebrations, holidays, carnivals and festivals held in the city every year. The city is bursting with culture and celebrates life all year long with film festivals, world music, cuisine, arts and other important festivals detailed below.
New Year’s Day, national holiday, 1 Jan, throughout the city
Salon International de l’Agriculture (International Agriculture Show) animal specimens from rural France displayed alongside regional produce (website: www.salon-agriculture.com), late Feb/early Mar, Paris Expo, place de la Porte de Versailles, 15th
La Nuit des Publivores (The Night of the Adeaters), 500 advertisements (publicités) are fêted by 6,000 people in two night-long events (website: www.publivores.com), mid Mar, Grand Rex, 1 boulevard Poisssonnière, 2nd
Festival du Film de Paris (Paris Film Festival), late Mar/early Apr, Cinéma Gaumont Marignan, 27 avenue des Champs-Elysées (www.festivaldufilmdeparis.com)
Le Marathon de Paris (Paris Marathon), early Apr, starts approximately 0900 on avenue des Champs-Elysées, finishes avenue Foch (website: www.parismarathon.com)
Cheap Flights to Paris
Foire de Paris (Paris Fair), fair for tourism, multimedia and gastronomy (website: www.foiredeparis.fr), late Apr/early May, Paris Expo, place de la Porte de Versailles
VE (Victory in Europe) Day, national holiday, May
Fête de la Musique (Musical Fair), free concerts throughout Paris (and the rest of France), 21 Jun, in the streets and various venues, such as Sainte-Chapelle, the Musée d’Orsay and Palais de Justice (website: www.fetedelamusique.culture.fr)
Gay Pride March, late Jun, along République and the Bastille plus club events
Bastille Day, national holiday with festivities and fireworks to commemorate the storming of the Bastille in 1789, 14 Jul
Paris Plage, Jul-Aug, stretch of riverside expressway turned into leisure oasis, banks of the Seine between Tuileries Tunnel and the Henri IV bridge
Grandes Fêtes de Nuit de Versailles (The Night of Versailles Grand Feast), son et lumière display evoking the era of Louis XIV with costumed dancers and music, Jul, Aug and Sep, gardens of Versailles
Le Cinéma en Plein Air (Open Air Cinema), free outdoor film festival, mid-Jul–end Aug, Parc de la Villette, 19th
Le Tour de France, the grand finale of the world-famous bicycle race, late Jul (finishing on last Sun of Jul), finishes on avenue des Champs-Elysées (website: www.letour.fr)
Journées du Patrimoine (Heritage Day), nationwide weekend festival; historic buildings, including the president’s residence and the Palais de l’Elysée, open their doors to the general public, mid Sep, various historic buildings
Festival d’Automne (Autumn Festival), international contemporary drama, dance and music festival, mid Sep-Dec, Théâtre de la Ville, Odéon and other venues (website: www.festival-automne.com)
Mondial de l’Automobile (Automobile World), biennial international motor show (website: www.mondial-automobile.com), late Sep-mid Oct (next in 2004), Paris Expo, Porte de Versailles, 15th
Foire Internationale d’Art Moderne et Contemporain (FIAC – Contemporary Art Fair), late Oct, Paris Expo, Porte de Versailles, 15th
Remembrance Day, national holiday with laying of wreaths, military parade and review of troops by the President of the Republic, 11 Nov, place Charles-de-Gaulle, 8th
Mois de la Photo (Photography Month), biennial photography exhibitions, late Nov (next in 2004), various museums and galleries throughout Paris
Fête du Beaujolais Nouveau (Nouveau Beaujolais Fair), first availability of the season’s Beaujolais Nouveau wine, third Tues of Nov, wine bars and cafés everywhere
Festival d’Art Sacré (Festival of Sacred Art), free concerts, Dec, various churches throughout the city
Réveillon (New Year’s Eve), crowds celebrate by the thousand, 31 Dec, along the Champs-Elysées
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