Festivals, Events & Sports

France runs on a calendar of fixed traditions. Many events fall on a rule (the third Thursday of November, the first Sunday of October, the last Saturday of June), so you can plan years ahead even before organizers publish exact dates. Others are announced only a few months out, so this page marks anything not yet official.

Big events change the trip around them. Hotels in Lyon sell out for the Fête des Lumières, Cannes hotel prices soar in May, and the whole country slows down around public holidays. If an event is the reason for your trip, book lodging first and tickets second, since most tickets go on sale later than hotels fill up.

For weather and public holidays month by month, see When to go. For the food side of the calendar (truffle markets, harvests), see Food and Wine.

Key dates at a glance

Confirmed dates are marked as such. "Usual" means the event follows a fixed pattern but the 2027 edition had not been officially announced as of October 2026.

November–December 2026

Rolex Paris Masters (late October to early November)

The last big indoor tennis event of the season moved in 2025 from Bercy to Paris La Défense Arena in Nanterre, a covered stadium just west of La Défense (now marketed under a sponsor name, Plenitude Arena). The venue lists the 2026 edition as October 31 to November 8. Take RER A or Line 1 to La Défense, then walk about 15 minutes. Tickets are sold on the tournament's official site; early-round day sessions are the easiest and cheapest.

Hospices de Beaune wine auction (Sunday, November 15, 2026)

The 166th charity auction of wines from the Hospices de Beaune estate takes place under the town's covered market hall, run by Sotheby's. The auction itself is for serious bidders, but the whole weekend (November 13–15) turns Beaune into a wine party, with cellar open houses, tastings in the streets and a road race through the vineyards. Hotels in Beaune and Dijon fill months ahead. See Burgundy.

Beaujolais Nouveau (Thursday, November 19, 2026)

The new vintage is released on the third Thursday of November at 12:01 a.m. Bars across France put up "Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé" signs. The best party is in the Beaujolais itself: Beaujeu holds its Sarmentelles festival around the release, with a torchlit parade and tastings. It's an easy day trip from Lyon.

Christmas markets (late November to late December)

Alsace is the heartland. Strasbourg's Christkindelsmärik is one of the oldest in Europe, and Colmar, Kaysersberg, Riquewihr and Eguisheim are smaller and prettier. Reims, Metz, Lille, Amiens and Montbéliard also run large markets. Most open in the last week of November. In 2026, Strasbourg's market runs November 27 to December 24, and Colmar's runs November 23 to December 29. Strasbourg sets up security checkpoints at entrances to the old town. Weekends are packed; go Monday to Thursday if you can. See Alsace & Lorraine.

Fête des Lumières, Lyon (December 5–8, 2026)

For four nights, Lyon turns its monuments into light shows. The festival grew out of a 1852 tradition of putting candles in windows on December 8, and many Lyonnais still do. The city gets around two million visitors over four nights, so expect one-way pedestrian routes, closed Métro stations and long walks. Book lodging by summer, and arrive at the big sites (Place des Terreaux, Fourvière, Saint-Jean Cathedral) right at dusk around 6 p.m.

New Year's Eve in Paris (December 31)

The free show is on the Champs-Élysées, with a countdown and a light-and-fireworks display at the Arc de Triomphe around midnight. Security perimeters open in the evening, with bag checks and a ban on glass and alcohol. Several Métro stations near the avenue close. Restaurants serve fixed-price New Year's menus (the réveillon), often well over €100 (about $112) per person, and you must book. January 1 is a public holiday and much of the city stays shut.

January–April 2027

January

The winter sales (soldes) start in early January, and bakeries sell galette des rois all month for Epiphany. Paris Men's Fashion Week and Haute Couture Week fill the second half of January. Fashion weeks are trade events: shows are invitation-only, but the street scene outside venues is free to watch. Harness racing's biggest day, the Prix d'Amérique, runs at the Vincennes track on the last Sunday of January.

February

Six Nations rugby. France plays two home matches at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis: Wales on Saturday, February 6 (5:40 p.m. Paris time) and Scotland on Sunday, February 21 (4:10 p.m.). France also travels to Twickenham for England on Sunday, February 14. Tickets go through the French rugby federation (FFR) official ticketing; see the rugby section below.

Nice Carnival (February 9–28, 2027). Parades with giant papier-mâché floats on Place Masséna and flower battles along the Promenade des Anglais, where performers throw mimosa and other flowers into the crowd. The theme announced for 2027 is "Vive l'Amour". Grandstand seats and standing tickets are sold on the official carnival site. Night parades are the most spectacular.

Fête du Citron, Menton (February 13–28, 2027). The 93rd edition of Menton's lemon festival, on the theme "Douce France", fills the Biovès gardens with sculptures built from oranges and lemons. Sunday daytime parades (Corsos des Fruits d'Or) and night parades are ticketed; everyone needs a ticket, including small children. Menton is about 35 minutes from Nice by TER train, so you can combine both festivals in one weekend.

Salon International de l'Agriculture. The Paris farm show at Porte de Versailles, held for nine days from late February into early March, is a French institution: prize cows, regional food stalls and politicians tasting cheese. It's great with kids.

Ski season peak. French school winter holidays are staggered across about four weeks from early February to early March. Ski resorts are full and pricey then. See Outdoors.

March

The Semi de Paris half marathon runs on March 7, 2027. Paris Women's Fashion Week runs from late February into early March. The Paris–Nice cycling stage race fills the second week of March. Easter falls on March 28, 2027, and Easter Monday (March 29) is a public holiday, so the last weekend of March is busy everywhere.

April

ASICS Marathon de Paris (Sunday, April 4, 2027). The race has a new title sponsor from 2027 and a new course to be announced in early 2027, still expected to start on the Champs-Élysées. Entry was by ballot, which ran September 8–30, 2026, with a €169 (about $189) entry fee. If you missed it, the remaining routes are charity bibs and approved tour-operator packages.

Paris–Roubaix, the cobbled one-day cycling classic, runs in mid-April; spectators line the Arenberg Forest trench or watch the finish in Roubaix's open-air velodrome. The Monte-Carlo Masters tennis tournament, usually in the second week of April, is played on clay at the Monte-Carlo Country Club, which is actually just over the border in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France.

France also holds a presidential election in spring 2027, with two rounds on Sundays. Expect campaign rallies and news coverage, though little effect on sightseeing.

May–June 2027

May: holidays and Cannes

May is full of public holidays: May 1 (Labor Day, when nearly everything closes and people give sprigs of lily of the valley), Ascension on Thursday, May 6, May 8 (Victory in Europe Day) and Whit Monday on May 17. The French bridge holidays into long weekends, so trains and roads are crowded on those weekends.

Cannes Film Festival (May 11–22, 2027). The 80th edition will be a big one. Most screenings are for accredited industry and press, so as a tourist you watch the red carpet from the barriers outside the Palais des Festivals. The free Cinéma de la Plage shows films on the beach at night. Cannes hotels raise prices sharply and impose minimum stays; staying in Nice or Antibes and taking the train is cheaper.

The annual Romani pilgrimage to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer in the Camargue takes place May 24–25, with processions to the sea. The Nuit Européenne des Musées (free evening museum openings) falls on a Saturday in mid-May; check the culture ministry's announcement for the date.

Roland-Garros (May 17–June 6, 2027)

Qualifying runs Monday, May 17 to Friday, May 21, and the main draw starts Sunday, May 23. The women's singles final is Saturday, June 5 and the men's singles final is Sunday, June 6 (the schedule is provisional). Ticket strategy is in the tennis section below.

Monaco Grand Prix (June 4–6, 2027)

Formula 1 moves Monaco to early June in 2027, and for the first time it will be a sprint weekend, with a short sprint race on Saturday. Monaco is a separate country, but most visitors stay in France: Nice, Menton, Beausoleil (which borders Monaco and is a short walk from the circuit) or Cap-d'Ail. There is no French Grand Prix on the 2027 F1 calendar.

24 Hours of Le Mans (race June 12–13, 2027)

The world's most famous endurance race starts Saturday afternoon, June 12, and ends 24 hours later. Race week runs June 9–13. The atmosphere is half motorsport, half music festival, with huge campgrounds around the circuit. Tickets and camping pitches for 2027 go on sale on the official Le Mans site on Friday, November 6, 2026; campgrounds near the track sell out first. Le Mans is about 1 hour from Paris-Montparnasse by TGV.

Paris Air Show (June 14–20, 2027)

The Paris Air Show (Salon International de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace) is held at Le Bourget airport in odd-numbered years. The 2027 show runs Monday, June 14 to Sunday, June 20. Weekdays are for trade visitors, and the show opens to the general public over the final weekend, with afternoon flying displays. Students can attend free on the Friday with online registration. Public ticket prices are posted on the official show site. Le Bourget is also home to the Air and Space Museum, and May 21, 2027 marks 100 years since Charles Lindbergh landed there after the first solo nonstop transatlantic flight; see American heritage.

Fête de la Musique (Monday, June 21, 2027)

On the longest day of the year, anyone can play music in the street, and the whole country does. Expect everything from school choirs to DJs on café terraces, plus free official concerts. It goes on well past midnight; the Paris Métro usually runs late or all night. It's free, chaotic and one of the best nights of the year to be in France. Guard your phone in the crowds.

Paris Pride (usually the last Saturday of June)

The Marche des Fiertés normally falls on the last Saturday of June, which would be June 26, 2027. In 2026, police called off the June 27 march at the last minute during a heat wave and it was held on October 3 instead, so check the organizers' site close to the date. Pride events in other cities are listed on France for Every Traveler.

Other June events

• Nuit Blanche: Paris's free all-night contemporary art event, with installations across the city. It used to fall in early October, but since 2024 the city has held it on a Saturday in early June. Check the City of Paris site for the 2027 date.
• Rendez-vous aux Jardins: open-garden weekend in early June, with many private gardens open.
• Horse racing at Chantilly: the Prix du Jockey Club and Prix de Diane, France's two great flat races of early summer, run on Sundays in June.
• Top 14 rugby final: usually in late June, usually at the Stade de France. The 2026–27 season calendar may shift because of the Rugby World Cup in Australia in October and November 2027.
• Men's Fashion Week in late June, followed by Haute Couture Week in early July.
• Hellfest in Clisson, near Nantes, Europe's biggest heavy metal festival, in mid-to-late June.

July–August 2027

Tour de France (July 2–25, 2027)

The 114th Tour starts in Scotland on Friday, July 2, the farthest north the race has ever begun. Stages 1 to 3 run Edinburgh to Carlisle, Keswick to Liverpool and Welshpool to Cardiff. After a transfer and rest day on Monday, July 5, the race resumes in France on Tuesday, July 6 with a loop around Cherbourg-en-Cotentin in Normandy.

Highlights for spectators in France:

• July 7: Pontorson (by Mont-Saint-Michel) to Plumelec in Brittany.
• July 9: a 24-mile (38 km) time trial from Blois to the Château de Chambord in the Loire Valley.
• July 11: first mountain finish on the Grand Colombier in the Jura.
• July 13–14: Alpine stages, Annecy to Sallanches, then Cluses to Les Saisies on Bastille Day.
• July 17: Montpellier to Mende, finishing on the steep Côte de la Croix Neuve.
• July 20: a 20-mile (33 km) time trial in Toulouse.
• July 22: the queen stage from Pau over the Tourmalet to a summit finish on the Col du Portet, about 7,267 feet (2,215 m) up.
• July 23: Hasparren to Laruns through the Basque Country.
• July 25: final stage from Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines to the Champs-Élysées, with the Butte Montmartre climb included for the third year running.

The 2027 route skips the Alpe d'Huez and Mont Ventoux. The Tour de France Femmes runs July 30 to August 7, 2027, starting in Leeds, England and finishing atop the Puy de Dôme volcano in the Auvergne. Viewing tips are in the Tour section further down this page.

Festival d'Avignon (July)

The world's biggest theater festival takes over Avignon for about three weeks in July (July 4–25 in 2026; 2027 dates had not been announced as of October 2026). The official festival ("In") stages major productions, including in the Palais des Papes courtyard, and sells tickets from spring. The "Off" has well over a thousand shows in every available room in town, with ticketing through the Off's own site and at the door. Most shows are in French, though some are dance, music or circus. Hotels fill early; consider staying in Nîmes, Arles or Orange. See Provence.

Bastille Day (Wednesday, July 14, 2027)

The national holiday starts with a military parade down the Champs-Élysées at 10 a.m., with a flyover by the Patrouille de France. To see it, arrive by 7:30 a.m. near the Arc de Triomphe or Place de la Concorde end. In the evening there's a free concert on the Champ-de-Mars and fireworks from the Eiffel Tower at around 11 p.m. Firefighters' balls (bals des pompiers) at fire stations on the nights of July 13 and 14 are a fun local tradition, with a small donation at the door. Small towns hold their own fireworks and dances.

Summer music festivals

• Chorégies d'Orange (late June to July): opera, ballet and concerts at night in the Roman theater of Orange, one of the best-preserved in the world. The 2026 season ran from mid-June to mid-July; the 2027 program had not been announced as of October 2026.
• Jazz à Juan (mid-July), Juan-les-Pins: one of Europe's oldest jazz festivals, in a pine grove by the sea.
• Nice Jazz Festival (July): evening concerts in central Nice.
• Festival d'Aix-en-Provence (July): major opera festival.
• Les Rencontres d'Arles (early July into autumn): the leading photography festival, with exhibitions all over Arles.
• Mondial La Marseillaise à Pétanque (early July), Marseille: the world's biggest pétanque tournament, free to watch.
• Jazz in Marciac (late July to mid-August), a tiny Gers village that becomes a jazz capital.

Dates for the 2027 editions are released in spring; check each festival's official site.

Fêtes de Bayonne (July)

Five days and nights of Basque festivities in the second half of July: everyone dresses in white with a red scarf, there are bands, dances, bull-related events and a lot of drinking. It draws well over a million people to a town of about 50,000. The city publishes the dates well ahead; lodging within 30 miles (50 km) books up months out. Some events are rowdy late at night, so families should go in the daytime. See Basque Country & Pyrenees.

Festival Interceltique de Lorient (July 30–August 8, 2027)

The 56th edition of this ten-day celebration of Celtic music and culture brings pipers, dancers and bands from Brittany, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Galicia and Celtic diasporas worldwide. The Grand Parade of Celtic Nations, held on a Sunday morning during the festival, is the highlight. See Brittany.

August

August 15 (Assumption, a Sunday in 2027) is the peak of French vacation season. Paris empties out and many family-run shops and restaurants close for two to four weeks, while beaches and the countryside overflow. Look for the lavender festival in Sault on August 15 (Valensole's is in July), the Fête du Jasmin in Grasse on the first weekend of August and the Dax feria in mid-August. Chamonix hosts the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc mountain race in late August.

September–December 2027

September

Braderie de Lille (first weekend of September, which is September 4–5, 2027): Europe's largest flea market, with miles of stalls and mussels-and-fries by the ton. See Lille & the North.

Harvest season. Grape picking runs from late August in Champagne and Provence to October in the Loire and Alsace. Saint-Émilion's wine brotherhood, the Jurade, proclaims the start of the harvest from the top of the King's Tower in September. Many wineries pause visits during harvest, so book ahead. See Wine.

European Heritage Days (Journées Européennes du Patrimoine, normally the third weekend of September, so September 18–19, 2027): thousands of normally closed buildings open for free, including the Élysée Palace, ministries, the Senate and private mansions. Lines for the famous Paris sites start early; some require online reservations that open a few weeks before.

Paris Women's Fashion Week runs from late September into early October. The Rugby World Cup starts in Australia on October 1, 2027, and French bars will be full for France's matches, which fall in the morning or early afternoon in France.

October

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (first Sunday in October, so October 3, 2027): Europe's richest horse race at ParisLongchamp, with a fashion-conscious crowd. See the racing section below.

Fête des Vendanges de Montmartre (early to mid-October): a five-day harvest party celebrating the small vineyard on the Butte Montmartre, with a parade, food stalls and fireworks.

Other October events: Art Basel Paris at the Grand Palais (mid-to-late October), the Salon du Chocolat in Paris (late October into early November), the Espelette pepper festival in the Basque Country (last weekend of October) and chestnut festivals in the Ardèche and Cévennes.

November and December 2027

Beaujolais Nouveau arrives on Thursday, November 18, 2027, and the Hospices de Beaune auction should fall on Sunday, November 21 (the third Sunday). November 1 (All Saints) and November 11 (Armistice Day) are public holidays. Christmas markets open in late November, and the Fête des Lumières returns to Lyon around December 8. Truffle markets run from December into March, including Richerenches in Provence on Saturday mornings and Lalbenque in the Lot on Tuesday afternoons.

Soccer: PSG and Ligue 1

French soccer (football) runs from August to May. The top league, Ligue 1, has 18 clubs. Matches are spread from Friday night to Sunday night, and exact kickoff times are fixed only a few weeks ahead to suit TV, so don't book a match-centered trip around a date until the schedule is confirmed.

Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes

PSG, the 2025 European champions, play at the Parc des Princes in the 16th arrondissement (Métro Porte de Saint-Cloud, Line 9, or Porte d'Auteuil, Line 10). Tickets are hard to get: most seats go to season ticket holders and members, and Champions League nights sell out instantly. Your options:

1. Create an account on the club's official ticketing site well before you travel. Single-match tickets for Ligue 1 games against smaller clubs sometimes go on general sale to account holders a few weeks before the match.
2. Check the club's official resale platform, where season ticket holders resell seats at face value plus fees.
3. Consider official hospitality packages if your budget allows. They're expensive but legitimate and include a seat and a meal.
4. Expect ID checks. Tickets are named, and the name may be checked against your passport at the gate.

Other clubs worth the trip

• Olympique de Marseille at the Orange Vélodrome: the loudest, most passionate crowd in France. Sit away from the two end stands (virages) unless you want to stand and sing for 90 minutes.
• RC Lens at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis: a former mining town where the whole stadium sings. Lens is about 1 hour 10 minutes from Paris by TGV.
• Olympique Lyonnais at Groupama Stadium in Décines, east of Lyon, reached by tram.
• Promotion and relegation change the lineup every season, so check that a club is in Ligue 1 before you plan around it.
• LOSC Lille at Stade Pierre-Mauroy, OGC Nice at Allianz Riviera, Stade Rennais at Roazhon Park and AS Monaco at Stade Louis II (small crowds, easy tickets).

Rugby

Rugby is huge in the southwest, where towns like Toulouse, La Rochelle, Clermont-Ferrand and Toulon revolve around their clubs. France's national team is one of the best in the world, and a match at the Stade de France (Saint-Denis, RER B or D, about 15 minutes from central Paris) is an experience even if you don't know the rules.

The national team

France's home games in the 2027 Six Nations are against Wales (Saturday, February 6) and Scotland (Sunday, February 21). Tickets are sold through the FFR's official ticketing platform, usually in the autumn before. Some seats remain for the less glamorous fixtures; the cheapest categories go first. In November, France usually hosts touring Southern Hemisphere teams at the Stade de France and in regional stadiums.

Top 14 club rugby

The Top 14 season runs from September to June. Tickets on club websites usually cost about €20–80 (about $22–90), and atmospheres are friendly, with families and mixed crowds. Some suggestions:

• Stade Toulousain (Toulouse), the most successful club in Europe. Matches at the Stade Ernest-Wallon sell out; big games move to the larger Stadium de Toulouse.
• Stade Rochelais (La Rochelle), with a waiting list for season tickets and a fervent yellow-and-black crowd.
• Stade Français (Stade Jean-Bouin) and Racing 92, the two Paris-area clubs. Tickets are much easier to get.
• Union Bordeaux-Bègles, Clermont (Stade Marcel-Michelin) and RC Toulon (Stade Mayol, by the harbor).

Tennis: Roland-Garros and more

Roland-Garros (the French Open) is the hardest Grand Slam ticket for casual fans, because the grounds are small and demand is global. Here is how to get in:

1. Create a free account on the official Roland-Garros site in the winter. In recent years, ticket sales have opened in March, starting with priority access for registered account holders, who are assigned a time slot to shop.
2. Know the ticket types. Grounds passes give access to the outer courts and are the cheapest way in. Reserved seats on the three show courts (Philippe-Chatrier, Suzanne-Lenglen and Simonne-Mathieu) cost more, and prices rise sharply in the second week. Evening sessions on Chatrier are ticketed separately.
3. Go early in the tournament. The first Sunday through Wednesday has the most matches and the best value. Qualifying week (May 17–21, 2027) is cheap, uncrowded and full of good tennis.
4. Use only the official resale platform if you miss the sale. Tickets are named and delivered in the official app, and the tournament cancels tickets bought through unofficial sellers.

Other tennis: the Rolex Paris Masters (late October to early November, Paris La Défense Arena) is far easier to get into. Smaller ATP and WTA events in cities such as Metz and Lyon are cheaper and much easier to get into.

How to watch the Tour de France

Watching the Tour is free, and you can do it from any roadside on the route. The full timetable for each stage, with estimated passing times for every town (the horaires de passage), is published on the official Tour site a few weeks before the race.

• The publicity caravan comes through about 1.5 to 2 hours before the riders: a parade of decorated sponsor vehicles throwing free hats, keychains and candy. Kids love it.
• The riders pass in seconds on flat stages. On mountain climbs they're slower and spread out, so you see them for longer. That's why the climbs draw the biggest crowds.
• Road closures: roads on the route close to traffic hours before the race, and mountain roads may close to cars the evening before. Plan to arrive early, park well away and walk or bike in.
• Bring water, a hat, sunscreen, food and something to sit on. There may be no shade or stores for miles.
• Stay off the road and don't run alongside riders. Spectator accidents have caused serious crashes.
• Finish towns have big screens and a fan zone, but the finish straight is packed by noon.

For the Paris finale on July 25, 2027, the race climbs the Butte Montmartre several times before finishing on the Champs-Élysées. The Montmartre climb (on Rue Lepic) offers the closest views but fills hours ahead. Along the Champs-Élysées, the stretch near the Concorde end is usually less crowded than the top. Plenty of US tour operators sell Tour packages with VIP viewing; the free roadside experience is just as memorable.

To ride the famous climbs yourself, see Outdoors.

Motorsport and horse racing

Motorsport

• 24 Hours of Le Mans (race June 12–13, 2027): buy general admission plus a camping pitch, or a grandstand seat for the start. Thursday night qualifying and the Friday drivers' parade through town are free or cheap extras.
• Monaco Grand Prix (June 4–6, 2027): grandstand seats are among the most expensive in F1. Cheaper options include the hillside general admission area above the track (Secteur Rocher) and watching practice days. Book lodging in France and take the train.
• French MotoGP at the Bugatti circuit in Le Mans, usually in May, draws huge crowds.
• Rallye Monte-Carlo, the opening round of the World Rally Championship, runs on mountain roads in the French Alps behind Monaco in late January.

Horse racing

French racing is cheap and civilized. On ordinary race days, entry at the main tracks is a few euros, and children usually get in free. Betting is pari-mutuel through the PMU; ask for simple gagnant (win) or simple placé (place).

• ParisLongchamp (Bois de Boulogne), rebuilt in 2018: the Arc de Triomphe weekend (October 3, 2027) is the highlight, with a smart dress code in the paid enclosures and higher ticket prices.
• Chantilly: the course sits in front of the Great Stables and château, 25 minutes by train from Paris-Nord. The June classics are the big days. See Day trips.
• Deauville: the August race meeting and yearling sales bring Paris society to the Normandy coast. See Normandy.
• Vincennes: harness racing (trotting), with the Prix d'Amérique in late January. Evening meetings in winter are fun and cheap.

Basketball, pétanque and other sports

Basketball

Interest in basketball has soared since Victor Wembanyama went to the NBA. Paris Basketball plays in the EuroLeague at the Adidas Arena (Porte de la Chapelle), built for the 2024 Olympics; tickets are inexpensive and easy to buy online. LDLC ASVEL (Lyon-Villeurbanne, part-owned by Tony Parker) and AS Monaco also play in the EuroLeague. The NBA has staged regular-season games in Paris in recent Januaries; check NBA.com for any 2027 game.

Pétanque

Every southern town square has a gravel court (boulodrome), usually busy in the late afternoon. Watch quietly and don't walk across the playing area. If you want to play, ask politely; locals are often happy to lend a set. In Paris, try the Arènes de Lutèce or Place Dauphine. The world's biggest tournament is the Mondial La Marseillaise in early July.

Others

France is a handball power, and Paris Saint-Germain Handball and Montpellier play to big crowds. Ice hockey has a small following in the Alps. Golf's Evian Championship (women's major) is held each summer on Lake Geneva; see Outdoors for playing golf in France.

Buying tickets safely

Ticket fraud is the most common way Americans lose money on French events. French law prohibits reselling tickets for a profit without the organizer's authorization, with fines that can reach €15,000, so legitimate resale happens on official platforms only.

• Buy from the organizer's own website or app, or from its named partners (often Ticketmaster France, Fnac Spectacles or See Tickets France).
• Use the official resale platform if an event is sold out. PSG, Roland-Garros, the FFR and most big festivals run one.
• Expect named tickets (billets nominatifs) and ID checks. A ticket in someone else's name may be refused at the gate.
• Many tickets are now mobile only, with a rotating QR code in the official app. A screenshot or PDF from a stranger won't work.
• Never pay by wire transfer, gift card or Western Union, or to someone you found on social media.
• Pay by credit card, so you can dispute the charge if the ticket never arrives.
• Be wary of "ticket packages" from unfamiliar US sites. Established tour operators are fine; anonymous sites selling only tickets are a red flag.

Want a trip built around a specific event? Our trip planning service can handle lodging and tickets, and the Trip builder helps you sketch your days.