Top 5 spring festivals and events in France
Tuesday, 2nd March 2010
France is a great place for festivals and events and this spring is no exception. Whether it's sport, music, dancing, cinema or food that you enjoy, there'll be something to suit your tastes.
1. Paris marathon – Sunday 11th April 2010
For one day every April, 35,000 runners hit the streets of Paris in the annual Marathon de Paris. The chance to run round such a beautiful and historic city makes the Paris marathon one of the most popular events of its kind worldwide, and as many people come to watch as they do to run. The atmosphere in Paris on marathon day is electric, which makes it a fantastic time to visit the city.
2. Cannes film festival – 12th - 23rd May 2010
If you’re more of a culture vulture than a sports fanatic, fear not…there’s plenty on offer for you this spring too! Every May, the epicentre of French glitz and glamour – the Riviera - fills the headlines once more. The annual Cannes Film Festival is one of the industry’s most prestigious events, where international directors showcase their work in the hope of winning the coveted Palme D’Or. Past winners have included The Piano and Pulp Fiction…
3. Chocolate Days festival – Bayonne, 14th - 15th May 2010
This has got to be one of the best festivals anywhere, not just in France! During the Ascension weekend in May every year, the city of Bayonne (located close to Biarritz in South West France) celebrates one of its longest, best-known and most lucrative traditions – chocolate making. The skill was originally brought to Bayonne by Jewish settlers expelled from Portugal, but as local artisans adopted and refined their methods the city became known as one of France’s premier chocolate-making places.
4. Feria de Nîmes (Pentecost Feria) – 19th - 24th May 2010
Situated in the beautiful Languedoc region of France, Nimes is famous for its local traditions surrounding bulls and horses, and of course, its roman amphitheatre. Twice a year, the city holds a festival in celebration of the bull and its fighting spirit, with music, dancing, parades and firework displays as well as the traditional bullfighting.
5. French Open - Paris, May 23rd - June 7th 2010
One of the most popular and prestigious events in the sporting calendar, this tennis championship always draws big crowds. If tennis is your thing and you fancy witnessing the mesmerizing rallies and rocket-like aces of Roger Federer and the Williams sisters first-hand, be sure to get your tickets sooner rather than later…
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Tags: montpellier, biarritz, paris, course, france, festival, culture, food, french
Posted by Laura Harrison under Experience Cultures,
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