Weird & Wonderful
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An extraordinary event in Grenoble, the Festival des 38e Rugissants (Festival of the 38 Roars, roughly translated) celebrates nomadic music at venues around the city. Each year, a different…
Imagine competing in water sports on the Atlantic in the middle of December! Perros-Guirec's Régate des Pieds Gelés - literally the Frozen Feet Regatta - gives boat owners and windsurfers one…
Licques is famous for the delicious turkeys it rears each year in time for Christmas. The birds are paraded through the streets during its Fête de la Dinde, before being slaughtered and…
Gourmets will recognise the name Poulet de Bresse from top-class menus. Now they can visit the source of these gargantuan (and very tasty) birds at Les Glorieuses de Bresse fair, held at…
If a December dip in the Mediterranean is your idea of fun, join the foolhardy swimmers at Nice's annual Christmas Swim (Bain de Noël). The swim departs from the Ruhl beach, in full view of…
Every year, enthusiasts from Biarritz' long-established swimming club, les Ours Blancs (the Polar Bears), brave the elements for the traditional Christmas swim (Bain de Noël). Spectators…
The annual Paris Carnaval procession goes by many names - including the Promenade du Boeuf Gras (Fat Cow Parade). Led by the Fat Cow herself, it revives an age-old tradition begun in 1274.
International Agricultural Show
The International Agricultural Show at the Porte de Versailles is a real institution in France. Numerous exhibits feature the top models of the animal world, meaty gastronomic delicacies from…
Paris' Le Bourget hosts its annual Model Show (Mondial du Modélisme). Dedicated to model planes, cars, boats, trains and figures, the event attracts thousands of enthusiasts and collectors…
Watch your back if you're in France on April Fool's Day. Tradition has it that paper fish are stuck on the backs of the unsuspecting - hence the name "poisson d'Avril," or April fish.
See a frozen lake from the other side as you dive through a hole in the ice. Professional ice-divers at Tignes' Evolution 2 extreme sports school ensure that it's all perfectly safe. Not for…
Rethel comes alive for its Black Pudding Fair. Butchers set up stall peddling the piquant blood sausage - others offer wine and cheese to accompany the charcuterie. Live music keeps everyone…
It's no April Fool - in early April, the townspeople of Nontron celebrate the Bellows Festival (le Carnaval des Soufflets) by dressing for bed, carrying bellows and blowing air up their…
One day in 1989, the inhabitants of Moringhem woke up to see the streets of their village invaded with scarecrows (known as épeutnaerts in the local dialect). Thanks to their mayor, this…
For people who see sand as a means to art and not just grainy irritation, the coastal resort of Cap d'Agde stages an annual sand sculpture festival on the Plage de Rochelongue. The event also…
Fête des Voisins/Immeubles en Fête
If you see groups out on Paris' streets on 26 May, chances are they're taking part in the Immeubles en Fête (Apartment Block Party) initiative. You might even get invited to a party yourself.
Saint-Brieuc's Art Rock Festival combines modern music with performance art, attracting 35,000 visitors every year. The festival forges links between contemporary music (pop, rock and jazz)…
In June of 1783, brothers Joseph and Etienne de Montgolfier launched their first hot-air balloon from Annonay, a first step towards the conquest of space. Each year, the town pays homage to…
The Pompidou Centre welcomes back the annual Pocket Film Festival. A toast to the exciting possibilities that exist in making movies on your mobile, the festival showcases all manner of mini…
Locronan's Petite Troménie is one of the oldest pardons (religious days) in Brittany. Pilgrims in costume, carrying gold brocaded, silk banners and singing Breton songs, begin a procession…
