The following calendar applies to December 2017
If you plan to attend any of these, book a hotel well in advance.
Seasonal festivals and events
Lumiere Habits
Epernay, the capital of Champagne, celebrates three glorious days of events, drinks and food along the famous Avenue de Champagne. There are extraordinary installations on the streets, a vintage car show; street theater; son et lumiere and music. Every day has different offers, but there is one thing that remains the same. Many of the main Champagne houses along the Avenue de Champagne are open to the public, with champagne bars, illuminations and tastings. The Festival also has a spectacular fireworks display.
In 2017, the dates are from Friday December 8 to Sunday 10.
- Read more about Lumiere’s Habits here.
- Read guest reviews, check prices and book a hotel in Épernay on TripAdvisor
Lyon light festival
This is the time of year when Europe congregates for the famous Festival of Light in Lyon. The city is magically illuminated, but often not as one would expect. The city becomes a stage, a place of strange images and strange perspectives. The festival dates back to December 8, 1852, when the good residents of Lyon put candles in their windows and balconies to mark the installation of a new gilded statue of the Virgin Mary on the Fourvière hill overlooking the city. There are different routes you can take, with different themes, from a family walk to one around the main buildings of the city.
- Read guest reviews, check prices and book a hotel in Lyon on TripAdvisor
Festival website
When from December 7 to 10, 2017
Where Lyon, Rhône-Alpes
More on the website of the Lyon Tourist Office.
More about Lyon
- Guide of Lyon
- Lyon Restaurants
- Top Attractions in Lyon
- How to get to Lyon
Saint Nicholas Day in Nancy, Lorraine
Since medieval times, the Saint Nicolas Festivals (Saint Nicolas Festivals) have filled the streets of Nancy on the first weekend of December. The festival celebrates Saint Nicholas Day on December 6, when legend has it that three children were lost… they were captured by an evil butcher… and finally rescued by Saint Nicholas. The celebrations take place in all the big cities and small villages where children receive gingerbread and small gifts.
The biggest celebration is in Nancy, the capital of the Dukes of Lorraine, with a weekend of events attended by thousands of people.
This year, 2017, it is December 2-3. See the information on the Nancy tourism website.
- Read guest reviews, check prices and book a hotel in Nancy on TripAdvisor
Festival Musical Rennes Trans
A music festival is not expected in December, but this is Rennes in Brittany, a region that has always gone in a different way than the rest of France. It is the place for experimental music and the place to discover… perhaps… the great new faces of the international music scene. It’s also a lot of fun and a great way to start the Christmas season.
This year takes place from 6 to 10 December.
- More about the festival
- Read guest reviews, compare prices and book a hotel in Rennes on TripAdvisor.
Christmas lights in france
France shines like a huge Christmas tree throughout December with light displays transforming many of the major cities. The French are extremely good at both lighting and light fixtures, and you’ll see some spectacular views. Check with the local tourist office in the city you are visiting in advance.
Christmas Markets
France is a great place for Christmas markets. Some start in the last week of November; others wait until December. From big cities like Lille and Strasbourg, to small towns like Castres in the Tarn and Le Puy-en-Velay in Auvergne, the streets sparkle with lights and stalls that line the squares selling unique wooden toys, local products, sweets, food. , gingerbread, holiday decorations and more.
More about Christmas markets in France
- Christmas Markets
- Christmas markets in northern France
- Paris Christmas markets
Other cities with good Christmas markets
- Lille in northern France
- Fall
- Arras in northern France
- Reims in Champagne
- Strasbourg
New year in france
New Year’s Eve, December 31, is great news in France and you need to book a restaurant in advance, especially in big cities. All restaurants, even the smallest ones in small towns, will serve a special menu, often very expensive. But dining on New Years Eve is a big public event and everyone joins in the celebrations.
New Years in Paris and France
