French Riviera Festivals & Events
Cannes Film, International Circus, Nuits Musicales & Nice Carnival
May 25, 2007
France’s Côte d'Azur (or the French Riviera as it is also known) is the country’s glamour capital, and fittingly it plays host to some of the most fashionable French events and festivals throughout the year. These include Les Nuits Musicales and the Carnaval De Nice (Nice Carnival), the International Circus Festival in Monaco and the Cannes Film Festival.
French Riviera Festivals and Events – Cannes Film Festival, Cannes, Côte d'Azur, France
It’s difficult to get much more glamorous than the Cannes Film Festival, where the movie screenings are almost of secondary importance to being seen in all the right places. During the festival, which takes place in May every year, the French Riviera town of Cannes becomes a haven for Hollywood star-spotting. The likes of Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Johnny Depp and Tom Cruise descend on the Côte d'Azur for film premieres and celebrity parties. The main hub of the action is the Palais des Festivals (Festival Palace), a giant building where the selections of the committee are shown to the judging panel. The stars and directors walk up the famous red carpet into the Festival Palace, hoping that their film will be given the Palme D’Or – the award given to what the judging panel deem to be the best film of the festival. Previous winners include Apocolypse Now (1979) and Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004).
French Riviera Festivals and Events – Carnaval de Nice (Nice Carnival), Nice, Côte d'Azur, France
Whilst not quite up there with the Rio Carnival or Venice Carnival, the Carnaval de Nice is still a massive celebration. This festive French Riviera event takes place in February and the highlight is the battle of the flowers, in which thousands of floral arrangements and petals are tossed into the crowd as the floats of the city’s grand parade pass by. It is all topped off by an expensive fireworks display.
French Riviera Festivals and Events – Les Nuits Musicales de Nice in Nice, Côte d'Azur, France
Attending one of the classical music concerts of Les Nuits Musicales de Nice is a fine way to spend a summer’s evening, as Mozart and Beethoven recitals are performed by top orchestras at venues across the city by moonlight. Venues and performance times are available from the tourist office, and the events take place in July and August.
French Riviera Festivals and Events – International Circus Festival of Monaco, Monte Carlo, Monaco.
Forget clowning around, wooden planks and human cannonballs, this Big Top extravaganza is all about the very finest circus arts. Every January, some of the world’s greatest acrobats and circus performers descend on Monte Carlo to show off their talents. The result is an incredible display of human movement and dexterity.
