THE GUIDE FESTIVALS 2023
alongside music of adventure, discovery and emotion,” say the organisers. “Throw caution to the wind, astonish yourself, yield to curiosity and the pleasure of embarking on a rich and singular musical journey.” The concerts are staged at three venues – midday performances at the Koïfhus, matinees at the Chapelle Saint-Pierre, and evening performances at the Église Saint-Matthieu.
www.festival-colmar.com
Festival de Nîmes June 23–July 22, 2023 For 21 nights over June and July, the Nîmes amphitheatre is host to musical acts of all genres. This year the line-up includes the blue-eyed soul of Simply Red, the indie rock of Placebo and the Arctic Monkeys, the crooning of Sam Smith, as well as the heavy metal of Slipknot. Something for everyone then.
www.festivaldenimes.com
Festival de Carcassonne June 26–July 29, 2023 This summer festival at the Théâtre Jean-Deschamps in marvellous medieval Carcassonne (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) features music, theatre, dance and comedy. There are some pretty big names playing this year, including Bob Dylan (on the opening night), Steve Hackett, José Carreras, Lang Lang, Tom Jones and Joe Bonamassa. Prices vary depending on the acts.
www.festivaldecarcassonne.fr
FILM & ARTS FESTIVALS Festival Mondial des Théâtres de Marionnettes September 16–24, 2023 First staged in 1961, this huge event in the Ardennes capital of Charleville-Mézières features dozens of stages ranging from theatres, public halls and courtyards to private rooms and street corners, all showing every
126 ❘ FRANCE TODAY Jun/Jul 2023 The Feria de Nîmes is a chance to see bullfighting and parades
imaginable style of puppet show; think of it as a sort of Glastonbury for puppetry.
www.festival-marionnette.com
Dinard Festival du Film Britannique
September 27–October 1, 2023 Now in its 34th year, this festival in the delightful Breton coastal town of Dinard – just a short hop across the Channel from the UK – is a celebration of British filmmaking. As the organisers say, it “honours independent films, films d’auteur, or short films and offers the best of British cinema”.
www.dinardfestivaldufilm.fr
Festival International de la Bande Dessinée d’Angoulême January 2024 (dates tbc) Every year in January the Poitou-Charentes city of Angoulême is transformed into a huge celebration of comic-book culture with pretty much everyone who’s anyone in the European comic-book industry in attendance. At numerous venues all over the town, there are exhibitions, lectures, shows, workshops, book signings and innumerable book stalls, where you can snap up every type of comic book imaginable in styles ranging from the classics such as Tintin and Astérix & Obélix to graphic novels, super-
heroes and the erotic. It’s not to be missed.
www.bdangouleme.com
Festival du Film Italien de Villerupt October 27–November 12, 2023 Visitors to this Italian film festival, which has been going since 1976, will be offered 300 showings of over 70 films, across 17 days, in seven different cinemas and four different towns. It all centres on the small but charming town of Villerupt in Meurthe- et-Moselle in northeastern France, just on the border with Luxembourg.
festival-villerupt.com
Les Rencontres d’Arles July 3–September 24, 2023 The Provençal town of Arles has some wonderful historic buildings, many of which host exhibitions during this annual photography festival. The premise of the festival is to display photography that has never been seen before by the public, meaning that it often helps boost the careers of little-known photographers. Expect lots of highbrow exhibitions, symposia, awards, classes and workshops.
www.rencontres-arles.com
Fête des Lumières December 2023 (dates tbc) The French are indisputably the world leaders in light shows, and of all the French
cities to host this type of event, Lyon is perhaps the most famous. The tradition dates back to the 1600s when Lyon was struck by plague, and residents lit candles in honour of the Virgin Mary, hoping to escape death. Nowadays there’s a lot more than mere candles, with some of the world’s best light technicians showing off their skills and illuminating various buildings around the city. The festival takes place in December, to make the most of the long winter nights.
www.fetedeslumieres.lyon.fr
Cannes Film Festival May 2024 (dates tbc) Considered the most important film festival globally, this annual event lures in many of the biggest and brightest movie stars on the planet. You normally have to be part of the film industry to attend the various official events and film previews. However, mere mortals are allowed at the open-air beach cinema, Cinéma de la Plage, where a different film is shown every night throughout the festival. And, of course, there’s always the chance to go movie star-spotting.
www.festival-cannes.com
Festival d’Avignon July 5–25, 2023 “Every year in July, Avignon becomes a city-theatre, transforming its architectural heritage into various majestic and surprising performance venues, welcoming tens of thousands of theatre-lovers of all ages.” That’s the message from the organisers of the annual Festival d’Avignon arts extravaganza, staged against the backdrop of this magnificent medieval city. Founded in 1947, it stages hundreds of performances at over 35 venues across the city and the surrounding towns and villages. Among the arts on show are cinema, theatre, dance and music, with a ❯❯
IMAGE © FERIA DE NÎMES
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