French Festivals and Traditions
Cirque de Demain
This is a competition for talented young clowns, acrobats, animals trainers and jugglers. The competitors come from all over the world for this event. It takes place in January under the Big Top of the Cirque Phénix in Paris. www.cirquededemain.com. |
Mardi Gras
The Mardi Gras festival in Nice is spectacular. It is celebrated in Spring every year. There are parades, fireworks, dancing and music during this celebration. http://www.nicecarnaval.com/en/ |
April Fools' Day
In France, April Fools’ Day is very strange. People try to stick fish on the backs of other people. No one is really sure why this tradition started. Some believe that it started when the date of the New Year was changed from the 1st of April to the 1st of January.
Long ago New Year started on the 1st of April. When the first day of the year was changed to the 1st of January some people were angry and continued to celebrate the new year on the 1st of April. Others started making fun of them by playing tricks on them.
Long ago New Year started on the 1st of April. When the first day of the year was changed to the 1st of January some people were angry and continued to celebrate the new year on the 1st of April. Others started making fun of them by playing tricks on them.
Fête du Citron
For this festival huge statues are made from oranges and lemons. There are parades, dancing and music. It takes place in Spring every year.
For this festival huge statues are made from oranges and lemons. There are parades, dancing and music. It takes place in Spring every year.
Rencontres internationales de cerfs-volants
In Berck-Sur-Mer there is an international kite festival in April each year. People come from all over the world to take part. www.cerf-volant-berck.com |
Festival Medieval de Sedan
This festival takes place in May every year. There are re-enactments of medieval traditions with banquets, fairs, tournaments and sports of the middle ages. Those taking part are dressed up in traditional medieval clothes.
www.chateau-fort-sedan.fr |
Feria de Pentecôte
This festival takes place in June every year. After the parade the world's best toreros demonstrate their skills in the ancient Roman amphitheatre in Nîmes . www.ot-nimes.fr |
They also re-enact Roman games in the amphitheatre during the spring. http://www.ot-nimes.fr/es/evenements/videos/les-grands-jeux-romains/ |
Fête de la Saint-Jean
La Fête Nationale
A military parade is held on the Champs-Élysées as part of this commemoration.
Tour de France
The Tour de France is a bicycle race which takes place in July every year. It covers 3,600 km and each stage takes part in a different area in France. However, in 1998 the Tour de France started in Ireland. It was to commemorate the bicentenary of the 1798 rebellion.
http://www.letour.com/le-tour/2015/us/ |
Avignon Theatre Festival
You can often see street performers around the streets during the festival.
These are some posters from the shows. |
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Sometimes there are even buskers.
Courses Camarguaises
Medieval Festival in Josselin
During the summer there is a medieval festival in Josselin. People dress in period costumes. There is jousting, sword fighting and medieval music. http://festivalmedieval.breizhgeek.fr/ |
Festival Interceltique de Lorient (The Inter-Celtic Festival)
Brittany has a culture of it's own. It's language, Breton, is not as widely spoken now as it used to be. However, you can hear the music and see the dancing at festivals around the region. The most famous of these is the Inter-Celtic Festival. This festival celebrates the cultures of the different Celtic nations. It takes place in August each year.
http://www.brittanytourism.com/to-see-to-do/events/brittany-s-main-events/festival-interceltique-de-lorient-7-16-august-2015
Brittany has a culture of it's own. It's language, Breton, is not as widely spoken now as it used to be. However, you can hear the music and see the dancing at festivals around the region. The most famous of these is the Inter-Celtic Festival. This festival celebrates the cultures of the different Celtic nations. It takes place in August each year.
http://www.brittanytourism.com/to-see-to-do/events/brittany-s-main-events/festival-interceltique-de-lorient-7-16-august-2015
Breton music and dancing can be seen at festivals such as the Inter-Celtic Festival. Theses are the types of musical instruments that are played.
Binioù
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Bombard & Piston
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This is a group of dancers doing a traditional dance:
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Usually traditional instruments are used but this group like to use traditional and modern instruments. |
Accordion players often play and sing while the dancers dance. |
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They also like to mix traditional and modern dance moves. |
Festival Mondial des Théâtre de Marionettes
Every two years there is a theatre festival in Charleville-Mézières. There are all kinds of puppet shows during this festival. They are performed by people from all over the world. www.festival-marionnette.com. |
Music
There are instruments such as the tambourin, galoubet and lleoto that are popular in certain areas of France.
There are instruments such as the tambourin, galoubet and lleoto that are popular in certain areas of France.
Accordion
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Harp
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Accordion
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Cornemuse
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Fiddle
Galoubet and Tambourin
Stilt Dancers
In the region called Landes in Gascony people learned to walk on stilts. They became so good on the stilts that they also learned to dance on them. Click on the videos below to see these amazing dancers.
In the region called Landes in Gascony people learned to walk on stilts. They became so good on the stilts that they also learned to dance on them. Click on the videos below to see these amazing dancers.
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In these videos you can see the men swinging around on stilts!
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You will not believe your eyes when you watch this video. |
If you are wondering how the men get down off the stilts look at these videos below:
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Folk Dances from Provence
Sometimes the dancers wear soft shoes.
Sometimes the dancers wear soft shoes.
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At other times they wear clogs. |
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Sometimes instruments are used by the dancers while dancing. |
This dance is like a set. |
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Traditional Clothes
Each area has traditional clothes. Below you can see some from different areas:
Each area has traditional clothes. Below you can see some from different areas: