Festivals in France - the choice this summer

Festival season has begun in France. Not all of this year's events require you to spend days on end in survival mode in a tent. Then again, a lot of them do. As for the subjects - books, gardening, gospel music and heavy metal all get a look in.

Chris Hartford

You've already missed the Cannes Film Festival and the Banlieues Bleues festival in the Paris region. But there's still time to catch highlights of the year such as the Fête de la musique and Paris plages, which have spawned imitators around the world - or Marseille's Geek festival - which has yet to be copied, but who knows?

Here's what's on this year's festival menu:

Paris, 16-30 May
Saint Germain Jazz Festival
Musicians from Paris and all over the world perform concerts all over the Rive Gauche.

The majority are free. Some are even being held in prisons this year.

Sarthe, 18-30 May
Festival de l’Epau
35 choral and solo concerts.

Lille, 19 May - 20 June
Transphotographiques Festival, at the Maison de la Photographie, an exhibition of contemporary photography. The organisers concentrate on young photographers. This year's theme is 'Second Nature'.

Château-Thierry, 21 May-5 June
Festival Jean de La Fontaine Plays, concerts and guided tours along this year’s theme, the incontrovertible journey to Rome. There’s a performance of Shakespeare’s Twelfth night and recitals of Handel, Bach and many others.

Lyon 24-30 May
Les Assises Internationales du Roman is an annual literary forum. Readings, debates and round-table discussions in Les Subsistances.
 
Ville-sur-Yron, 26-30 May
Caméras des Champs, international festival of rural documentary films. Discussions include farmers and conservationists, as well as directors.

26 May-6 June
L’Odyssée de Martigues, a biodiversity festival.

27 May-16 June
Ricard SA Live Music
Seven free concerts across France with VV Brown and BB Brunes.

 
28 May
Fête des Voisins/Immeubles en Fête
Everyone invites their neighbours to parties. Last year more than 6.5 million people participated. It’s even spread beyond France to 800 other towns in Europe and beyond.

Châtellerault, 28 May-5 June
Jazzellerault  Annual jazz festival. Amateurs are encouraged to join in with jazz professionals such as Stacey Kent, Avishaï Cohen, Tony Allen, Manu Katché, Roberto Fonseca and Eric Bibb.
 

Sainte-Maxime, 28 May-12 June
Festival du Printemps This year's festival celebrates Brazilian culture. Conferences, races, a beach in the middle of the town, a concert and other events make up this year's spring celebrations in Sainte-Maxime.

Doullens, 29-30 May
Doullennaises Gardening Days is in the Doullens jardins d'agrément. It's one of France's largest plant festivals.
 
La Rochelle, 29-30 May
La Calvacade: fanfares, brass bands, music and parades, including a night parade.
 

Michel Verlinden

Marseille, 29-30 May
festival" href="http://geekandmusic.com/">Geek and music festival Geeks are reclaiming the word and holding a convention. There'll be artists like noob, David Mourier and Monsieur Poulpe.

Paris, 30 May-6 June
La Villette Sonique Yussuf Jerusalem, Young Marble Giants, Atlas Sound and Joanna Newsom. This year it promises more new and original artists than usual.
 
Chalons-en-Champagne, 1-6 June
Furies festival of circus and street theatre. Its aims to discover young talents and most of the performances are premiers, so many scouts from France and beyond go this festival. Tickets are between seven and 10 euros.
 
Strasbourg, 1-6 June
Strasbulles Festival Européen de la Bande Dessinée 
Comic book festival held in the town's Bourse. Entry is two euros, though under-12s get in free.

Perpignan, 2-6 June
Ida y Vuelta (Come and go), street parties and more than 500 acts perform all over the city. It is free.

Strasbourg, 3-25 June
Musique" href="http://www.festival-strasbourg.com/">Festival de Musique
Classical music concerts at various venues throughout the city.

Colindla

 
Marseille, 4-6 June
Festival du soleil, a street party in Noailles district. It features traditional and contemporary music from around the world, and actors and dancers performing in the streets.

Amboise, 4-6 June
National Brass Band Competition
At Amboise's Beaumarchais theatre, more than 30 bands compete all day for the cup.

Lyon, 4 June-31 July
Nuits de Fourvière
This annual festival of theatre, music and film in the Roman theatres of Fourvière. There’s Shakespeare, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Mozart, flamenco dancers, a troupe of acrobats and the Tokyo ballet company.

Grésille, 5-12 June
Grésilles en Fête, an annual festival of street parties, circus, concerts, exhibitions, photography competitions, modern dance and street theatre in northern Dijon. This year is opening with La Casbah Boutaric and the festival will celebrate Spain with groups like Ben Allalat, Barrio Chino, La Vida Feliz and A la Luz del Dia. A giant paella will also be served.


Paris, 5-14 June
Onze Bouge Music, theatre, dance and art in the roads of Paris's 11th arrondissement.

Vieillevie, 6 June
Cherry Festival in Auvergne. You can buy cherries in many different incarnations - fresh, distilled, preserved or cooked - at this harvest to celebrate the first crop.

Lille, 8-18 June
The Latitudes Contemporaines Festival puts on dance shows throughout the city, including films, workshops and installations.

Reims, 5-6 June
Fêtes Johanniques Reims celebrates Joan of Arc every year with sound and light shows and a medieval market.

Nîmes, 7-10 June
Aïwah festival of jazz, electro and traditional Saharan music. Dancers, musicians and bazaars.

Cabourg, 9-13 June
Romantic Film Festival, five days of open air screenings of romantic classics and new talent in Normandy. A pass for five days costs 25 euros

Lyon, 12 June
Lyon Pride
Gay pride march followed by street parties throughout the city.

Montmorillon, 12-13 June
Livre" href="http://www.ville-montmorillon.fr/">Salon du Livre in the self-styled Cité de l'Ecrit. There are free readings, talks, discussions and book fairs across town. 

Toulouse, 2-6 June
Marathon des Mots Literary festival in Toulouse, most events are free, some cost between 5 and 10 euros. J.M. Coetzee, Yambo Ouologuem, Milan Kundera and many others are attending.

Nice, 12-14 June

Festival du Livre Free entry to the festival in the Jardins Albert 1er. Readings, talks, debates etc. This year's themes are the Sea and Thrillers.

Paris, 12 June-1 August
Paris Jazz Festival
In the Parc Floral every weekend from 12 June to 1 August, there are free concerts at 3pm and 4.30pm every Saturday and Sunday.
 
Moulins-sur-Allier, 17-20 June
International Festival of Cinema, Costumes and Fashion
Celebrating the relationship between fashion and cinema, the Centre National du Costume de Scène hosts a film competition, talks and exhibitions. Passes cost 15 euros. Tarsem Dhandwar Singh's The fall is opening this year's festival.
 
Toulouse, 17-21 June
Loco!" href="http://www.rio-loco.org/">¡Rio Loco! comes from South Africa this year - each year, the festival invites a country or region to bring the festival to the city. There'll be a mixture of films, concerts, exhibitions, even jazz master classes. Hugh Masekela is one of the stars on the programme.

Marseille, 17 June-6 July
Festival de Marseille, a three-week-long festival of dance, theatre and film.
Paris, 18-27 June and 27 August-12 September
The jardin des serres d’Auteuil hosts a series of classical piano concerts.
 
Clisson, 18-20 June
Hellfest The website is strict: Metalheads only. There is a capacity for 20,000 of them. Deftones, Alice Cooper, Motorhead, Twisted Sister, Exodus – all the big guys are there.

Paris, 18-20 June
The Shakespeare and Company Literary Festival
The theme of this year’s festival is Storytelling and Politics.
There will be readings, panel discussions and book signings in the park René Viviani next to Shakespeare & Company. Fatima Bhutto, Mark Gevisser, David Hare, Jack Hirschman, Jack Mapanje, Philip Pullman, Will Self, Erica Wagner and Jeanette Winterson are some of the writers on the agenda.

Carcassonne, 19 June-15 August
Carcassonne Festival More than 110 shows of opera, dance, theatre, circus and music, of which more than 75 are free. Bob Dylan, Jamiroquaï, Charlie Winston, The Cranberries, Mika, Jacques Dutronc, Alain Souchon and the Prague Philharmonic are on the programme.
 
Paris, Lille, Limoges, Bordeaux, Lyon, 21 June
Fête de la musique Free concerts of all different types of music throughout the city. In Paris, there is usually a rock gig in the Place de la République and a classical one at the Palais Royal. Since its launch in Paris in 1982, the fête has spread to cities all over the the world.

Paris, 22 June-4 July                                                                                                               La Quinzaine du Hip Hop Block Party, Sly Johnson and Erik Truffaz are playing. There are also dance shows, a free graffiti exhibition, a hip hop battle and even workshops and discussions.

 
Paris Longchamp, 25-27 June
Solidays You can camp or stay in a hotel and even bring children. The proceeds of the festival go to charity. On the programme are Wax Tailor, Revolver, Rodrigo and Gabriela, Scratch Bandits Crew and Florence and the Machine.
 
Evreux, 25-26 June
Le Rock dans tous ses États
Babyshambles, Pony Pony Run Run, The Black Box Revelation, Bloody Beetroots Dath Crew 77, the Black Keys will be performing, and the festivals’s even offering music lessons for children,

Chaumont, 29-20 June
Festival International de l'affiche et du graphisme shows from graphic designers, talks, activities and concerts throughout the town.

Robert Toren

 
Belfort, 2-4 July
Eurockéennes Jay-Z, Missy Elliott, Mika, LCD Soundsystem, the XX and many others.There is space for 15,000 campers. You can hire a teepee or stay in hotel nearby.

Arles, 3-19 September
Les Rencontres d'Arles One of the world's biggest photography festivals. This year there are 60 exhibitions.

Istres, 4-12 July
Les Estivales d'Istres has a good finale to its series of soirées featuring musicians, comedians and actors: Iggy Pop tops the bill.

Nîmes, 4-24 July
Festival de Nîmes Stevie Wonder, Pink, Vampire Weekend and Mark Knopfler are on this year's line-up at Nîmes's arènes.
 

Avignon, 7-27 July
Festival d'Avignon Performing arts festival dating from 1947. Over 100,000 people go each year to watch performances around the town. The cour d'honneur (main courtyard) of the Popes' Palace is the biggest venue.

Thoronet, 9-11 July
Blanches" href="http://www.les-nuits-blanches.fr/">Les Nuits Blanches Seun Kuti, Oxmo Puccino, La Leute and Manouchka Orkestar are playing. It costs 18 euros a night, or 28 euros for both. Sunday and under-12s are free.

Sète, 12-17 July
à Sète" href="http://www.jazzasete.com/">Jazz à Sète Herbie Hancock, George Benson, the Brand New Heavies and others will be playing at this annual jazz festival. 

La Seyne-sur-Mer, 12-18 July
Festival Cubain Bayamo. At Fort Napoléon there will be exhibitions, concerts, performances, conferences focusing on Cuban culture.

Reims, 13-14 July
Fête Nationale Reims celebrates the French Revolution with concerts and fireworks.

Paris, 14 July-15 August
Quartier d'été This month-long festival organises parties, concerts and shows in streets, parts and squares all over town.

Toulon, 16-25 July
Festival de Jazz offers free festivals all over town. This year, the Glenn Miller Memorial Orchestra, The Alligators Jazz Band, the Steeve Laffont trio and the Fly trio are among the musicians on Toulon's stages.
 
La Rochelle, 13-17 July
Les Francofolies France o Folies, les Cowboys fringants, Charlotte Gainsbourg this year, Francofolies’s 25th anniversary. Eiffel, BB Brunes, Saez and Jacques Dutronc. Francophone music festival.

Sollies-Point, 15-18 July
Château" href="http://www.festivalduchateau.com/">Festival du Château
Sollies-Point is halfway between Hyères and Toulon. The festival is held beside the 16th century Château de Solliès-Pont. Diam’s, Olivia Ruiz, Mozart l’Opéra Rock and Dany Brillant will be performing.

Brittany, 15-18 July
Les Vieilles Charrues
Mika, Mr Oizo, Alain Souchon and Jamiroquai are lined up for this festival. Camping is usual.

Paris 15-25 July
Gospel Festival
Choirs, Gospel singers and dancers. Some acts say they mix jazz and hip hop into their acts. Some of the shows will be open air, so it could be read as a warning rather than an advertisement when the organisers say that the pleasure of gospel will give a rhythm to your daily life.

Paris, 17 July-22 August
Cinema en plein air festival
This year's theme for the outdoor cinama festival in the Parc de la Villette is being 20 years old. François Truffaut, Jean-Luc Godard, Ken Loach, Maurice Pialat, Leos Carax, Abdellatif Kechiche, Cristian Mungiu, Woody Allen, Sofia Coppola, Stephen Frears, Jim Jarmush and Liu Jie, Hong Sang- Soo are on the programme.

Gaou, 17-29 July
Gaou" href="http://www.voixdugaou.fr/festival-2010/">Voix du Gaou Toots and the Maytals, Babyshambles and Skunk Anansie will meet on on the little island of Gaou for this year's festival.

Callas, 18-30 July
Festival de musique ancienne This year's theme is Italy and the Monaco philharmonic orchestra will be there with l'Académie de Monaco to play Bach pieces.

Paris, four weeks from about 20 July
Paris Plages The Paris Plages began in 2002. The city suddenly acquires beaches, deckchairs and ice-cream sellers. At the Bassin de la Villette (Paris 19) you can borrow books for free, play beach volleyball, take an aquagym class and kayak around the lake. There's a three kilmetre beach from the Louvre to Pont de Sully with a swimming pool, concert stage, rollerblading, tai-chi, wall climbing, boules and more. And at Port de la Gare, at the foot of the François Mitterrand National Library (Paris 13) and by the Joséphine Baker “Piscine sur Seine”, there are free newspapers, books on loan, a café and wi-fi hotspot, and art classes

Hyères, 23-25 July

Midi festival. Three days of concerts in the gardens of the Villa Noailles in Hyères. There's rock, folk, pop, electronic and experimental music. Lee Ranaldo, Lonelady, the Strange Boys and Memory Tapes are some of the acts.

Arles, 26-29 July

Escales Du Cargo" href="http://www.escales-cargo.com/arles/index.php">Les Escales Du Cargo In the ancient theatre at Arles, there'll be Izia Higelin, Pony Pony Run Run, Féfé, Saïan Supa Crew, Hocus Pocus and a finale of Django 100.

 
Etaples/Le Tourquet, 31 July-1 August
Rock en Stock Parc de Valigot has 22 acts on two stages. There are restaurants, a food and craft market, camping. Bands include Eiffel, Sinsemilia, La Bal des enragées, Crucified Barbara, Elmer Food Beat, Pigalle and Wille and the Bandits.

St Malo, Brittany, 13-15 August
La Route Du Rock This year’s lineup includes Massive Attack, The Flaming Lips, The National. Thirty bands will perform in three amazing venues on the coast. There’s a stage on the beach and another in the Fort de Saint-Père, an 18th century Vauban castle.

Saint-Cloud, 27-29 August
Rock en Seine Roxy Music, Queens of the Stoneage, Eels, Massive Attack, Arcade Fire, Foals, Steroephonics, LCD Soundsystem, Cypress Hill Domaine National de Saint Cloud, in the Parc Saint Cloud. Since 2003. 99 euros for three days, 45 euros for one day. Children go free, but under-sixes not recommended. There's a mini Rock en Seine organised in a little village nearby.

 
Paris, 10-12 September
Fête de l'Humanité, In the Parc de la Courneuve, there will be artists including Cali, Thomas Dutronc, Alain Bashung, Arno, Babyshambles, Kery James and Moriarty. The Fête de l’Humanité is organized each year by L’Humanité newspaper. There are also political and cultural events.