Culture Trips & Events in the South of France

The year kicks off with the Festival International du Cirque de Monte Carlo which awards the best circus performers, while the Rallye Monte Carlo is a thrilling car race that features multiple stages across a range of terrains and varying weather conditions.

The Carnaval de Nice is a colourful and vibrant event in the South of France, featuring an international and diverse selection of floats, parades, music and art. Over two weeks, the carnival boasts opening and closing ceremonies and a family-friendly atmosphere.

March through April offers a cultural highlight in the Provence event calendar with the Côte d’Azur Garden Festival. This is when public gardens showcase incredible landscaping and design, while the festival also includes workshops, exhibitions and garden tours.

May events in the South of France kick off in Cannes with the Film Festival. But unless you’re starring in one of the films, or know a producer, you won’t find tickets to previews. What you can do is wander along the Corniche and soak up the atmosphere, possibly glimpsing an A-lister or two!

An hour's drive to the east in Monaco, the Grand Prix takes place in late May. Set in a location as thrilling as it is glamorous, this F1 race, around hairpin bends and with a backdrop of steep hills and yachts in the bay, is something to behold.

If you prefer to take part in something more low-key on your culture trip to Provence, then the Grasse Rose Festival offers a five-day event all in the name of the eponymous flower. The perfume capital of the world celebrates with colourful floral displays and parades of floats....

June is the start of summer and this is celebrated in style in Provence with the Fête de la Saint-Jean event, commemorating the birth of John the Baptist. Fireworks, bonfires, bull running and concerts are held throughout the area. In several resorts, including Cassis, Nice and St Tropez, the Fête de la Mer, also known as the Fête de la Saint-Pierre, remembers sailors lost at sea with a mass, folk music and communal meals.

A highlight in the calendar of Provence events, July marks the official start of the holiday season. Arts festivals are plentiful and one of the most popular is the Festival d’Avignon. This annual arts festival, the oldest of its kind in France, is held in the courtyard of the Popes’ Palace and other atmospheric locations in Avignon. Here you’ll see proper productions as well as street theatre. Bastille Day on 14th July is a public holiday in France and is celebrated with music, dancing and fireworks.

In July, the Tour de France passes through different parts of the South of France and often includes an ascent of Mont Ventoux. You must line the route if your visit coincides, just to be part of this incredible cycling race.

The Nice Jazz Festival, an eclectic event held in an outdoor Gallo-Roman site, features over 800 musicians playing anything from blues to gospel and traditional jazz.

The French are famous for their fireworks, and nowhere better is this witnessed than at the Pyromelodic Festival held off the shores of Antibes Juan les Pins. Several countries compete with fireworks set to music, and there are weekly shows throughout August. A quieter event in Provence is the colourful Lavender Festival in Digne les Bains, where the lavender harvest is celebrated. Parades and folkloric events take place during the first weekend of the month.

Visitors spending time on the Cote d’Azur in late September and early October can catch a glimpse of some of the world’s most amazing superyachts, as they take part in Les Voiles de St Tropez, a famous regatta in the Bay of Cannes. Modern and classic boats compete in this atmospheric event in the South of France with the Rolex Trophy up for grabs as its ultimate prize.

The three-day festival of La Fiesta des Suds takes place every October in Marseille, showcasing cultural diversity and featuring music acts from around the world.

November sees the Marathon de Nice-Cannes, France's second-largest, that starts on the Promenade des Anglais. La Fête du Prince (National Day of Monaco) is also held in November and is celebrated in the square outside the palace, culminating in a firework display and music.

Each year, Nice hosts the popular Provence Christmas market event when Le Village de Noel is held at Jardin Albert 1er. It features an ice rink, a Ferris wheel and a wonderful selection of festive food and drink. December temperatures are still fairly mild, so winter is an ideal time to enjoy the vibrant culture of the Provence region.