After 18 months in which virtually all large events were cancelled, France’s calendar of festivals, events and markets is slowly getting back to normal.

Because of the health situation, we advise anyone planning to attend these to check the festival’s website in advance to ensure that the event is going ahead as planned.

Also bear in mind that extra health measures are likely to be in place, from restricted ticket numbers to mask rules or a requirement for a health passport to enter.

READ ALSO The 6 best destinations to visit in France this autumn

October

Les Toqués du cèpe

Fall is of course mushroom season and lots of French towns hold fêtes des champignons or mushroom markets but probably the most famous is the one in Mende, in the Lozère département. Les Toqués du cèpe runs on October 1st and 2nd and has a calendar of entertainments as well as lots of stalls and the chance to taste all of the many different things you can do with a mushroom.

If your tastes are more rarefied, you could wait for the truffle festivals in December and January.

Nuit Blanche

On October 2nd, Paris will stay up all night with its 20th Nuit Blanche (sleepless night) event. Venues such as museums and galleries stay open all night, there’s a programme of concerts and entertainment and the périphérique ringroad will be closed to traffic in some parts to allow a mass night-time bike ride. Public transport will also run all night to allow revellers to get home. 

Fête des Vendanges, Montmartre

September and October mark the crucial days of the wine harvest across France. But while you might think of Bordeaux and Burgundy as the wine-producing areas, Paris also produces its own wine. Well, a small harvest comes from the vineyard in Montmartre to the north of the city. While they don’t quite produce enough to quench the thirsty Parisians, the quarter is proud of its wine-producing heritage and holds a wine harvest festival every year to celebrate. This year it runs from October 6th to 10th – details here. 

Paris Marathon

Back in February 2020, the Paris marathon was one of the first big events to be cancelled due to a new virus known as the coronavirus. Rescheduled several times since then, the 2021 race will take place on October 17th. The half marathon passed off successfully on September 5th, so organisers will be hoping the marathon can go ahead too. All runners will need a health passport.

In bad news for athletes who like to drink wine while they run, the Médoc marathon has been cancelled, but will be back in September 2022.

November

Dieppe Herring festival

The Normandy town of Dieppe is proud of its fishing tradition and holds the Fête du Hareng on November 13th and 14th. As well as eating lots of delicious herring (and the scallops which the town is also famous for) there is also a parade and music.

It’s not just Dieppe that gets into fish-based celebrations in November, neighbouring coastal towns in the Seine-Maritime département hold their own festivals celebrating herring throughout November – full list here.

Beaujolais Nouveau Day

Every third Thursday in November (Thursday,18th this year) the new bottles of beaujolais hit the shelves in France.

The special day is the first of the year that wine-makers are allowed to sell their primeurs (the young wines that are produced quickly and are ready to drink six to eight weeks after the harvest).

The day itself started out life as just a marketing gimmick, but towns around the Burgundy region have their own festivals to mark the start of Beaujolais Nouveau sales, the largest of which is in Lyon where the barrels of wine are rolled through the city centre before being opened.

READ ALSO 13 things to know about Beaujolais Nouveau (and why it’s less imbuvable than it used to be)

Zombie walks

Until fairly recently, Halloween wasn’t really a big deal in France (although All Saints Day on November 1st is a public holiday) but zombie walks are becoming increasingly popular in cities including Paris, Lyon, Toulouse, Reims, Caen and Avignon. Either go and watch the frightful sight or if you want to get involved, there are zombie orientation days lined up to get you in the mood.

This year health passports will be required for all officially organised walks, because even the undead need to make sure they are Covid-safe.

December

Lyon fête des lumières

Undoubtedly one of France’s most beautiful and magical festivals, the Lyon festival of lights is back this year, from December 8th to 11th. Over three days, the city is draped in spectacular illuminations, installments and light shows, which turn it into a place of wonder as soon as it gets dark. Many of Lyon’s famous restaurants also run special offers for festival-goers once they have had their fill of the lights. 

Christmas markets

Most towns and cities in France hold their own Christmas markets, but for the best ones you need to head east.

The German influence in the Alsace-Lorraine regions of France makes Christmas a big deal there and the markets are very special. The most famous is Strasbourg (starting from November 26th in 2021) but there are numerous smaller markets in nearby towns including Colmar and Mulhouse.