THE GUIDE WINTER 2022/23


you’ll see this side of the Sahara is Africolor, which stages dozens of concerts in Paris and the surrounding suburbs in the run-up to Christmas. There are also fi lm screenings, exhibitions and poetry readings. This year’s event runs from November 18 to December 24 and includes performances from the highly- respected Malian musician Bassekou Kouyaté, Senegalese rappers Def Maa Maa Def, Malian girl band Les Go de Bamako, and the brilliant desert blues band Tamikrest, as well as dancers, actors and story-tellers. www.africolor.com


Salon du Chocolat Strasbourg, with its vast festive market and twinkling lights, is without doubt France’s capital of Christmas


restoration work. Other markets usually take place at Place des Abbesses in Montmartre; the Hôtel de Ville on Rue de Rivoli (with a tubing luge); at Saint- Germain-des-Prés; La Défense; and on the Champs de Mars, at the foot of the Eiffel Tower.


Strasbourg


The brightest bauble of them all, Strasbourg has been hosting its Christmas market since 1570, making it the oldest in the country. The entire city is illuminated, turning it into a magical wonderland, especially just as dusk falls and the lights begin to twinkle.


There are hundreds of stalls spread across multiple sites. Keep yourself warm with some delicious vin chaud and treat yourself to bredele, the traditional (and moreish) Advent biscuits. In Place Broglie you will fi nd plenty of gift ideas, such as pottery, tablecloths and jewellery. On Place des Meuniers, you can enjoy typical Alsace products made by artisanal producers. At Place Kléber, the market keeps alive an old Strasbourg tradition of leaving donations under the 30m Christmas tree for the poor people of the city. www.noel.strasbourg.eu


138 ❘ FRANCE TODAY Oct/Nov 2022 Nancy


The glorious Art Nouveau city of Nancy becomes even more spectacular over the Christmas season thanks to its Fêtes de Saint-Nicholas which this year runs from November 18 right through until January 3. The climax is actually before Christmas itself, on the weekend of December 3 and 4 (just before Saint Nicholas Day) when there are parades of fl oats, street performers and a large festive market on Place Charles III, alongside puppet shows, exhibitions and more. There is also the most enormous Christmas tree on Place Stanislas. This year’s theme is “glass and light”. saint-nicolas.nancy.fr


FESTIVALS


Although most French festivals take place during the summer months, there are plenty of events designed to brighten up the winter too. Music, dance, light shows, chocolate and even dog sledding. There really is something for everyone.


Winter music festival Les Trans (or Les Rencontres Trans Musicales, to use its full name) is a midwinter music festival that’s been going since


the 1970s and which takes place every December in the Breton city of Rennes. The venue, Parc Expo, near the airport, may not sound that glamorous but the festival itself is highly respected within the music industry thanks to its uncanny ability to spot future talent. Artists and bands that have cut their teeth there include Nirvana, Bjork, Lenny Kravitz, Daft Punk and Portishead. This year will be the 44th edition. www.lestrans.com


African music festival France has arguably done more than any other nation to bring the music of Africa to European ears. One of the best showcases


Chocoholics will love the annual Salon du Chocolat at Paris’s Viparis venue, on Place de la Porte de Versailles, in the 15th arrondissement. Chocolatiers, pastry chefs, cacao producers and more will join together for chef demos, competitions, activities and the famous fashion show where couture is made from – yes, you guessed it – chocolate. There are plenty of free chocolate tastings, too. This year’s event runs from October 28 to November 1. www.salon-du-chocolat.com


Montauban Lantern Festival Staged in the Tarn-et-Garonne town of Montauban, this traditional Chinese lantern festival showcases the work of 80 artisans from the Sichuan province. Featuring amazing lanterns and Chinese markets, it runs from December 1 to February 5, with the River Tarn standing in for the Yangtze. www.festivaldeslanternes- montauban.com


The incredible Africolor is not to be missed by lovers of music


Fête des Lumières Lyon’s fabulous Festival of Lights began on December 8, 1852, when the townsfolk put candles in their windows to celebrate the statue of the Virgin Mary being erected on Fourvière hill – and it caught on. Today, thousands of people come to see the four- night spectacle where accomplished light artists


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IMAGES © PHILIPPE DE REXEL, AFRICOLOR


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