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The Cavalcade of the Kings, Perpignan
: 9th January
Festival of Religious Music Perpignan 26 mars - 3 avril 2010
Jazz Festival, Carcassonne: 27th – 30th April If you’re into Jazz then you can’t afford to miss this event - five evenings of dedicated Jazz gigs which take place in the recently restored Chapelle des Jésuites which benefits from ideal acoustics, and the final night is at the Théatre Jean-Alary. Confrontation Film Festival, Perpignan: 8th - 14th April In 1965 Marcel Oms choose the notion of "Confrontation" to describe this original thematic festival. The festival lasts a week, during which time a selection of about fifty films linked by a particular theme are screened. The aim is to ‘confront’ their approach to the theme, be it a period in history or a specific genre, in order to establish a dialogue between the audience and specialists and to create a dynamic film culture. The theme for 2010 will be “The Arts on Screen”. International Festival of Extreme Sports - Nokia FISE, Montpellier: 12th - 16th May The annual Nokia Fise Montpellier festival (the biggest extreme sports gathering in Europe) hosts the best riders in the world today, challenging the laws of gravity on roller-blades, skateboards, BMX, wakeboards, freestyle motocross, and, believe it or not, on skis and snowboards – with real snow! After the competition, slide into evening concerts with top DJs... Museum Night: 15th May Museums across the region join in this national open day, allowing visitors free access from 7pm to 1am. The Transhumance, Aubrac: May Every year, usually on the Sunday after Ascension Day, troupes of the Aubrac livestock are lead up to high pastures for the summer months. The event is cause to celebrate and has progressed into a very important livestock fair and agricultural show in the region, with artisan produce, prize-giving and traditional festivities. Saperlipopette, voila enfantillages ! (Heavens, what childishness!), Montpellier: May Set in the delightful atmosphere of the Château d’Ô, a combination of theatre, music, dance, circus, street theatre, arts and crafts, and all disciplines of live entertainment for the enjoyment of children and parents alike - in Montpellier and then on tour in the region. Sand Sculpture Festival, Cap d'Agde: May For massive sand castles and sculptures of all shapes and sizes, enjoy an alternative day out at the beach this year! Feria de Pentecote, Nimes: 19th May – 24th May World-famous bullfighting event and street fiestas at the Arenes de Nimes in celebration of Pentecost. Printemps des Comediens, Theatre festival, Montpellier: 3rd – 7th June This extremely popular and varied festival stages a series of outstanding theatre events, circus entertainment, and world culture. Every year, thousands of spectators are moved and inspired by the festive atmosphere, extraordinary performances, and boundless imagination. International Dance Festival 2009, Montpellier: June - July For its annual festival season, Montpelier Dance is expected once again to be the ultimate gathering spot for all dance styles from all cultures. Some of the world’s greatest choreographers will be present, as well as companies from the far north to the far south of the choreographic globe, to stage innovative performances for dance aficionados as well as the general public. Saint Jean Fireworks and the Festa Major, Perpignan: 20th – 27th June Perpignan celebrates the summer solstice with fiestas, bonfires and fireworks displays. A flame (which has been lovingly tended all year in the Castillet of Perpignan) is carried up to the sacred summit of Mount Canigou. There it is divided and taken up by runners from all over Catalonia, who cross the mountains in the depth of night lighting village fires. The re-entry of the flame to Perpignan on the 23rd June gives rise to great celebration, including riders, traditional music, pyrotechnics and traditional sardane dancing around the fire. Soirees Pyrotechniques, Cap d'Agde: July Cap d'Agde stages five nights of glorious firework action to rival any in the world - the annual Soirées Pyrotechniques. Every year, villagers and tourists alike gather together to marvel at skies of fire. Fantastic displays fill the night as the numbers of "ooohs" and "aaahs" reach epidemic proportions. Les Estivales - Summer Festival, Perpignan: July The Summer festival in Perpignan was created in 1987 to showcase Mediterranean culture through theatre, dance, music and song. over the years the line-up of participating artists and performers have come from further and further afield, making the Estivales an important international event - last year’s highlights included a performance by Morcheeba. Festival des 2 Cités, Carcassonne: July Carcassonne has rebranded its two annual festivals as the Festivals des 2 Cités, to showcase an ecclectic line-up with a unique combination of between 20-25 opera, dance, theatre and music events in the atmospheric surrounds of the medieval Cité and the Bastide. The 2009 line-up included one night only performances by Depeche Mode, Status Quo, Seal, Lenny Kravitz, The Scorpions, Mass Hysteria, Patricia Kaas and Francis Cabrel. Classical performances included Verdi's Rigoletto, Mozart and Schubert recitals and a mixed programme from the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse. World music, Jazz and Blues from the likes of West Coast Big Band, Grace, Tomasi, Blue Roots Quintet, Amadou et Mariam and Ska Cubano. A superb mix of genres and venues - visitors can really get a feel for the breadth and passion of contemporary French culture, and all that Carcassonne has to offer! La Nuit des Jardins Festival and Festival de Nimes, Nimes: July A series of jazz and classical music concerts, ballets, operettas and recitals organised in the beautiful Fontaine gardens. Complementing the classic music festival Nuit des Jardins, this is the Festival de Nimes summer highlight for popular music: on the 2009 programme were performances by Metallica, Franz Ferdinand, The Ting Tings, Seal, The Prodigy, Jason Mraz and Benabar. Festival de Radio France, Montpellier: 12th – 30th July Celebrating music in every form during last three weeks in July, more than 100 concerts are scheduled in Montpellier, its suburbs and across the region including classical concerts, operas, jazz and world music concerts, reggae and electronics music – young soloists recitals and contemporary music concerts. Bastille Day, across France: 14th July and around that date Most of the major cities and towns in the region and indeed across France celebrate the National Day with festivals and fireworks displays. Contact your local Mairie for exact details of the nearest display to you. Fireworks at the Cité, Carcassonne: 14th July Bastille Day in Carcassonne is celebrated like no other in France - they quite literally fire up the medieval Cité with the most incredible fireworks display! The legendary display - in part a commemoration of the original burning of the Cité in 1898- is one of the largest in Europe, lasting 25 minutes and culminating in 1200 charges detonated over the 600 metres of the Cité’s facade in just 6 seconds! But visitors beware - with over 700,000 spectators Carcassonne gets very, very busy. It’s best to be in Carcassonne already on the day - make a picnic, set yourself up on the banks of the River Aude and wait for the show to start (at about 11pm). Tour de France 2010, Aude department: 18th July The 2010 Tour de France route arrives in the Languedoc-Roussillon for just one day in the Aude departement. On the 18th July, the 14th Stage of the tour; departing from Revel, the tour will run into the region at Castelnaudary before going on through the lovely medieval market town of Mirepoix in the neighbouring Ariège departement, before heading back into the Aude via Chalabre, Quillan and Axat (through the spectacular Gorges de Pierre Lys), then a gruelling Pyrenees mountain climb to the end of the stage at Ax - 3 Domaines. Pablo Casals Festival, Prades: July - August More than 50 years old, the Pablo Casals festival is one of the most respected chamber music festivals in Europe. The organisers consistently attract soloists and groups of the highest quality to perform in the beautiful abbey of Saint-Michel de Cuxa and other churches in the Prades area. Nautical Jousting, Sete: August Nautical jousting teams do battle accompanied with food and music - a very fun time to be had in the Sete area. Feria de Béziers (The week prior to the 15th August) The bullfights of Béziers are amongst the most important in France, wine flows in the streets and partygoers gather every year into bodegas (bars), during five days and five nights, more than a million persons take part. Information, tel: 04-67-31-76-76 (town hall) and 04-67-76-13-45 (arena of Béziers).
ARTeNIM Contemporary Art Fair, Nimes: September The annual Nimes international contemporary art fair, ARTeNIM, showed that the event goes from strength to strength, this year welcoming about 14,000 visitors over the four-day opening period. Visitors come to view and buy works from 70 exhibitors, including paintings and sculptures from some of the region’s leading commercial galleries, as well as enjoy performances and presentations from leading lights in the international art world. Visa Pour l’image, Perpignan: 1st two weeks of September Every year Perpignan plays host to this international photojournalism exhibition, symposium and awards ceremony, with photographic work displayed from over 3000 accredited photographers. Reporters and journalists representing over 50 countries, showcase their work and liaise with their counterpart. Visitors can enjoy a wealth of thought-provoking work on display. The Medieval Market, Perpignan: mid September A reconstruction of a typical medieval market, with roast hogs on spits, minstrels, jesters and wenches to boot - the people of Perpignan go back to their roots and enjoy hearty local delicacies and wines accompanied by courtly music and street theatre. Feria des Vendages, Nimes: 16th – 19th September In celebration of the wine harvest, two days of bullfighting contests and street celebrations at the Arenes de Nimes. Jazzebre Festival, Perpignan: October Various jazz gigs and concerts around Perpignan. International Fair, Montpellier: October A major economic event in the region, the Montpellier International Fair plays host every year to more than 230,000 visitors and 1,000 exhibitors at the renovated Parc des Expositions. EQUISUD Horse Show, Montpellier: October For riders, breeders, and horse lovers. Covering 50,000 m2, including 13,000 m2 of arena space, the show offers a full range of competitions and championships, along with very impressive free shows. A rich programme of shows and events. Fete Des Vendanges, Banyuls-sur-Mer: 3rd week of October Gastronomic and wine events celebrating the year's grape harvest including the arrival of the barques catalanes (traditional Catalan boats) into the bay and then the vendanges ball in the village square. It is a week full of food, wine, traditional tastings, music and dancing. Festival of the Vin Primeur, across the region: mid-October Local wine producers take to the streets of cities, towns and villages across the region to celebrate the first barrel of wine with processions, wine-tasting, music and food! International Mediterranean Film Festival, Montpellier: October/November For the past 30 years, Montpellier has hosted this main event on the Mediterranean film scene, with an agenda that includes 250 films, competitions, tributes, retrospectives, encounters-debates, and a viewing audience of over 90,000 people! Nimagine Arts and Crafts Fair, Nimes: November Nearly 200 local arts and crafts artisans and artists are represented at this annual fair which showcases original and innovative pieces of furniture, interior decor, home furnishings, ceramics, light fittings, accessories and jewellery Antiques Fair, Nimes: December For antiques lovers, this is definitely one for the diary - one of the most prestigious regional antiques fairs featuring some 110 professional stands and expert dealers. Foire au Gras, Castelnaudary: December The capital of cassoulet stew, Castelnaudary celebrates its essential ingredient with a goose fat competition, gourmand market selling local delicacies and dance.
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