FESTIVALS 2019/20 THE GUIDE


Clockwise from top left: María Dueñas Fernández at the Festival International de Colmar; L’Homme qui rit at the Puppet Festival; Cidre et Dragon; Street Food International Festival


affair reserved for the heart of summer. Lasting just over a week, it sees a good 4,500 performers from Brittany, Scotland, Ireland, Wales and beyond congregate to honour all aspects of Celtic culture, from traditional music to some rather colourful sports (folk wrestling, anyone?). Expect parades, contests, concerts, workshops, sailing, golf, art, craft markets and much more, as this coastal corner of France makes a proper song and dance about a lesser-known – but very much alive and kicking – culture. www.festival-interceltique.bzh


Festival International de la Bande Dessinée d’Angoulême January 30 to February 2, 2020 If you’d rather lose yourself in the pages of a book than a party crowd, don’t miss France’s most


famous comic book festival. Taking place in lovely


Angoulême, the event – hallowed among comic book nerds the world over – unites the biggest and best international names in the industry, and comes complete with signings, guest talks and exhibitions, plus an award ceremony for the coveted Grand Prix title. Whether you’re a sucker for charming oldies like The Adventures of Tintin, an avid graphic-novel fan looking for a new fix, or an aspiring writer or artist yourself, drop by and browse through the works of the best bande dessinée talent. www.bdangouleme.com


Festival Mondial des Théâtres de Marionnettes September 20-29, 2019


One of the things we love most about France is its unquestioning


readiness to embrace the weird. And really, there’s no finer example than the puppet festival that takes place every two years in Grand Est. If you swing by the city of Charleville-Mézières in September, you’ll come face to face with an ungodly assembly of critters on strings, strutting their stuff through the cobbled squares or going through their paces on stage at various local theatre venues. From satire to dramatic narratives, quirky characters to those bordering on pure horror, ‘weird’ is all part and parcel of the Festival Mondial des Théâtres de Marionnettes. www.festival-marionnette.com


Les Papillons July to August 2019 In summer, the streets of Carpentras are flooded with


people, their faces tipped skyward. No, they’re not here for the truffles or berlingot sweets (though both are fine fuel) – this flock is made up of art lovers, coming to admire the ‘butterflies’ of Les Papillons: hundreds of paintings hung like bunting from steel cables. In previous years, exhibitions have included suspended umbrellas, balloons and bubbles in extraordinary aerial exhibitions – just one more incentive to visit this charming historic town. Plus, it serves as an important lesson: from time to time, simply… look up. www.lespapillons.org


MIMOS July 23-27, 2019 Mime isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, we understand. That said, we’d also wager that naysayers have never been to a MIMOS gig. ❯❯


Jun/Jul 2019 FRANCE TODAY ❘ 143


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