France is one of the most mysterious and romantic countries, so crowds of tourists tend to come here. Most girls would dream of spending their honeymoon here. Cozy streets, beautiful landscapes, French cuisine, ancient castles and the legendary Eiffel Tower - what could be more interesting? But in order to get the most pleasure, it is worth coming to France during the period of the main national holidays and festivals.
Public holidays
The French honor their history, traditions and culture, so many solemn dates are dedicated to the events that took place in their country: Bastille Day, Reconciliation Day (marking the end of World War I), Victory over fascism. Consider the official holidays in France:
- St. Sylvester Day, or New Year. Traditionally celebrated from December 31 to January 1. Although this holiday is considered a family holiday, most Frenchmen prefer to celebrate it in the circle of close friends, having gathered in some night institution, club, restaurant or cafe. The New Year's table is decorated with a mistletoe plant, which, according to popular belief, bears luck.
- Labor Day in France, as in Russia, is celebrated on May 1. The Lily of the Valley festival belongs to the same date. It is customary to give bouquets of these flowers, as they are considered a symbol of happiness.
- Day of liberation from the Nazi occupation. Celebrate May 8th. In France, it is declared an official day off. During the ceremony, state officials lay wreaths at the grave of the Unknown Soldier. Surviving veterans gather to celebrate the solemn date. The president of the country shakes hands with each of them.
- The event that marked the beginning of the French Revolution was the capture of the prison fortress of Bastille in 1789. This holiday has become a national one. Bastille Day is celebrated on July 14th. In terms of the scale of the celebration, even the New Year cannot be compared with this date. A huge number of tourists come to France to participate in this celebration.
- All Saints' Day. Celebrate November 1. This is a religious holiday of the faithful of the Catholic Church. On this day, the French say prayers for deceased relatives in the church, and then go to their burial place. Burning candles are put on the grave in the cemetery and put things in order there.
- The most important holiday in France is Christmas. Since most of the country's inhabitants are Catholics, this date is celebrated on December 25th. The French are thoroughly preparing for it: decorate the premises, decorate the Christmas tree, and are engaged in the purchase of gifts. This time is the best time for a romantic trip to Paris.
Reading, music and film festivals
The French really appreciate art, so it’s not surprising that they have a reading festival. In France, he appeared not so long ago. Reading Day was first held in 1989. The event was well received by the public, so it began to be held annually on October 16. The initiator of the celebration was the Ministry of Culture. The three-day program, which includes:
- book fairs;
- exhibitions and presentations of new publications;
- Writing evenings where fans can chat with book authors
- seminars and scientific conferences.
France is the only country in the world to host such a massive literary festival. Naturally, books are a gift on this day. They are given to each other or transferred to public libraries.
Holidays in France have a special flavor, but some of them boast worldwide fame. It will be about the Cannes Film Festival, which is dedicated to cinema. The celebration lasts for 10 days. The resort town of Cannes has hosted many guests these days, including a huge number of cinema stars and an even greater number of fans who want to see first hand their idols. The competition involved about 10 thousand professional accredited specialists. The events taking place at the festival are covered by more than 4000 media workers. The time of the celebration is the spring period.
The festival of music in France is considered June 21 - the day of the summer solstice. Jacques Langro - French Minister - in 1982 proposed the introduction of this cultural event. Since then, a bright celebration of Music Day has been held annually. It sounds from everywhere: in the streets, in houses and apartments, in music institutions. Orchestral parades are held in which both famous artists and amateurs participate. The celebration lasts until the morning, so even at night you can hear beautiful melodies. Musicians perform works of different genres - from classical to modern stage.
Young wine festival
France is famous all over the world for its winemaking, therefore it is not surprising that a separate holiday is dedicated to the drink. On the night of November 15, the inhabitants of the country celebrate Beaujolais Nuvo. The holiday in France initially appeared solely on a commercial basis in the middle of the 20th century. The young wine, which was made in the Beaujolais region from the Gamay variety, was inferior in quality to products produced in Bordeaux and Burgundy. The trick shown helped the Beaujolais Nouveau producers to get out of such a difficult situation. Winemakers founded a holiday that is celebrated in November. It is dedicated to the celebration of the new wine harvest. The invented marketing move was very successful, since then the Winemaker’s Day is celebrated not only by the French, but also by other peoples and countries.
Unlike Burgundy wine and Bordeaux, the young Beaujolais cannot be stored for a long time, but it was during this period that it has the most wonderful aroma and rich taste.
Food Festivals
French cuisine is famous for its sophistication and sophistication, and the country's inhabitants are sophisticated gourmets, so it is not surprising that there are various gastronomic holidays in France. The most popular of them:
- Chestnut Festival. It is celebrated in October - the 20th. The aroma of roasted chestnuts spreads throughout the city and attracts everyone to try this delicacy. Cooking treats are practiced right on the street. On this day, this dish is considered the most important.
- Lemon Festival - every year is held in the town of Menton. The celebration is attended by hundreds of thousands of guests and tourists. Due to climatic conditions, excellent lemons are grown in these places. To decorate the city for the holiday, it will take about 130 tons of various citruses. Oranges, lemons and grapefruits create fancy decorations in the form of fairy-tale characters, castles and trees. The festival takes place on February 17th.
Religious holidays
The main religion of France is Catholicism. Many French people attend churches, especially when major Christian dates are celebrated. The main religious holidays in France are:
- Christmas is December 25th.
- Catholic Easter - it is celebrated in the spring, as a rule, falls on the period from 22.03 to 25.04.
- Assumption of the Virgin Mary - August 15.
- All Saints Day - November 1.
Initially, the basis of the Christmas celebration was the winter solstice, which lasted 12 days. In modern France, St. Nicholas Day (6.12) is considered the eve of the holiday, and the celebration lasts until Epiphanius Day (6.01), the second name is the Feast of Kings. In France, they honor national traditions and culture, so tourists will be interested in attending public events dedicated to special occasions.
Easter is a purely Christian holiday, but even unbelievers celebrate it. On this day, it is customary to give gifts to relatives and friends. For most Frenchmen, this holiday is associated with the arrival of spring and a good mood. The symbol of Easter in many countries of Europe is considered a rabbit. According to pagan legend, Estra - the goddess of spring - enchanted the bird, and she turned into a rabbit, but even after the transformation she laid eggs. A month before the celebration, French shops are filled with chocolate figures in the form of rabbits, eggs and cockerels. In the early morning, on Easter, adults hide eggs from chocolate in the garden, and the kids look for them, collect them in a basket and eat this treat for breakfast.
Flower Holidays
France is riddled with romanticism, and flowers, as you know, are a symbol of love. More than one holiday is dedicated to these plants in the country:
- Mimosa Day. Celebrated on February 10th. It symbolizes the end of the cold period - winter. The flower parade is held in the city of San Rafael, and every year the holiday is gaining wider scope. It was first celebrated in the early 20s of the twentieth century. The procession involves carts decorated with a holiday symbol - mimosa. Various events are held on this day: parade, Miss Mimosa contest, fair, exhibitions.
- Flower festivals in France are held on a special scale, for example, the Orchid Festival is held in Tarascon on February 18. It presents a huge variety of shades and shapes of the flower. From orchids perform compositions in combination with waterfalls and fountains. The festival is simply irresistible thanks to the lighting effects.
- Lily of the Valley Day is held on May 1. On this holiday it is customary to give bouquets of these delicate flowers to each other.
A holiday marred by tragedy
Holidays in France gather a huge number of tourists and locals. One of the most ambitious events is Bastille Day, which is celebrated on July 14. Even the celebration of the New Year is incomparable with what is happening in France on that day. The events that took place in 1789 formed the basis for the beginning of the Revolution and led to the removal of the royal family from power. During the assault on the Bastille by rebel Parisians, 7 prisoners were released.
In 2016, in the midst of festivities dedicated to the solemn date, a terrorist attack occurred on the embankment of Nice. A terrible misfortune happened in France at a holiday: a truck, driven by a middle-aged man, drove into a crowd of vacationers. He continued to move until he was shot dead by the police. During the terrorist attack, 80 people died, and about 100 were injured to varying degrees.
Famous carnivals and festivals in France
The French love to participate in various carnivals and festivals, and, as you know, there are a lot of them. Here is a list of the most popular celebrations:
- In the second half of January, the Zheod film festival is annually held in Paris, based on Omnimax technology.
- In the Principality of Monaco, a circus festival is held every year in mid-January. The program involves the famous circus troupes who are fighting for the Golden Clown award. The celebration lasts a week.
- Nice Carnival is one of the oldest in the country. It originated in the distant 1294. Carnival is held on February 11th. The procession consists of 20 platforms decorated with fresh flowers, on which women and men in luxurious robes sit. The holiday is accompanied by concerts and fireworks.
Significant dates in the history of France
There are dates in the history of France that have had a significant impact on the political situation in the country. The French celebrate victory over fascist Germany on May 8. On this day, officials of the country honor the participants in the hostilities, lay wreaths at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The holiday is declared a public holiday.
The capture of the Bastille is celebrated on July 14. On this day, a military parade is held on the Champs Elysees. The ceremony starts at 10 a.m. Movement takes place from Place Etoile to the Louvre, where the military is greeted by the head of state. At the end of the festival, a big firework illuminates the sky.
The legendary French heroine Joan of Arc in 1920 was elevated to the face of saints, according to the decree of Pope Benedict XV. She is the patroness of the country and the military. Holy Day is celebrated on May 30.
St. Valentine's Day
When listing the holidays of France, do not forget Valentine's Day. It falls in mid-February - the 14th. The French have a special charm and are able to make unforgettable declarations of love. On this day, lovers exchange valentines and other gifts, symbolizing tender feelings. Cafes and restaurants are crowded on this day. At the tables sitting couples in love holding hands. This day is the best to make an offer for your betrothed. An interesting fact: it was the French who invented to write love quatrains-greetings on valentines.