Top Paris Events – The 2023-2024 Calendar Of What's On In Paris

There's a lot going on in Paris… fantastic activities, special events, streets to stroll, wine to taste, a spectacular river to cruise. Paris is famous for its fantastic annual events, with plenty happening every single month. There are fêtes, foires, parades, fireworks, and all types of celebrations. We'll keep you posted on all these, as well as the best things to do, places to dine, and the greatest ways to explore and enjoy the glories of the City of Light.

New Year's Eve fireworks on Champs-Elysées, photo Ville de Paris

January – Janvier

• JOUR DE L'AN – NEW YEAR'S DAY
  January 1
  French National Holiday
• LES SOLDES – JANUARY SALES
  The official sales start at major department stores and boutique shops in Paris.
  Second week in January
• MAISON & OBJET
  Decoration, design, furniture, accessories, textiles, fragrances & tableware. It's held twice a year.
  Paris Nord Villepinte
  → Information…
• PARIS FASHION WEEK
  Join the runway frenzy of top designers, models & beautiful people. Also held twice a year.
  → Information…

February – Fevrier

• ST-VALENTIN – VALENTINE'S DAY
  Did you know that Valentin, the saint, was French? Makes sense then that a day in his honor would become a time of love. This amorous holiday is becoming more popular in Paris.
  February 14
  → Guide to Valentine's Day in Paris…
• COURSE SAINT-VALENTIN – VALENTINE'S DAY RUN
  Run for love & laughter in Paris.
  → Information…
• RETROMOBILE VINTAGE CAR SHOW
  Love cars and love visiting Paris? You won't want to miss this fabulous car show. For the past 40-plus years Retromobile has showcased the auto industry, featuring hundreds of vintage cars.
  Porte de Versailles
  → Information…
• SIX NATIONS RUGBY
  This annual European rugby tournament includes France versus Italy at the Stade de France.
  February to March
  → Information…
• SALON AGRICULTURE – PARIS AGRICULTURAL SHOW
  It's one of the biggest farm shows in France, dedicated to animal husbandry and plant care. And, of course, no one wants to miss the Milking Parlour!
  Porte de Versailles
  → Information…

March – Mars

• SEMI DE PARIS – PARIS HALF-MARATHON
  The second most popular run (after the Paris Marathon), the Semi attracts 37K runners.
  Esplanade du Chateau de Vincennes
  → Information…
• LA FETE DE LA SAINT-PATRICK
  Head to one of the many Irish pubs in the city to celebrate the land of the Little People. Our fave is Galway's Pub at 13 Quai des Grands Augustins in the 6th.
  March 17
  
• CINEMA DU REEL FILM FESTIVAL
  See a fresh batch of French and international documentary and experimental films.
  Centre Pompidou
  → Information…
• SALON DU TOURISME
  Join 100,000 travel professionals under one roof in Paris to discover all the latest trends and forecasts in the travel trade.
  Porte de Versailles
  → Information…

Wynton Marsalis at Duc des Lombards, photo Christian Ducasse

April – Avril

• ART PARIS – ART FAIR
  It's the leading fair for modern and contemporary art held every spring.
  Grand Palais Éphémére, Champ de Mars, 7th Arrondissement
  → Information…
• POISSON D'AVRIL – APRIL FOOL'S DAY
  Poisson refers to the paper fish that French children tape to the backs of an unsuspecting friend's shirts.
  April 1, 2024
• THE ANNUAL PARIS MARATHON
  40,000 runners gather to run the marathon in the world's most beautiful city.
  → Information…
• FESTIVAL DU LIVRE DE PARIS
  It's the biggest book fair in France with writers, authors, and publishers under one roof.
  Porte de Versailles
  → Information…
• FOIRE DE PARIS – HOME SHOW
  Discover the latest European trends in home interiors, gardens, outdoor activities, wine & gastronomy.
  Porte de Versailles
  → Information…

May – Mai

• FETE DU TRAVAIL – LABOR DAY
  May 1, 2024
  French National Holiday
• WWII VICTORY DAY CEREMONY
  The president of France will lay flowers on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to honor the liberation of France.
  Arc de Triomphe
  May 8, 2024
  French National Holiday
• FRENCH OPEN TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP
  The only Grand Slam tournament played on red clay courts.
  Roland-Garros
  May to June 2024
  → Information…
• TASTE OF PARIS
  This popular event brings together restaurants, food & wine producers with a line-up of cooking demonstrations by top chefs.
  May 2024
  Grand Palais
  → Information…
• JAZZ FESTIVAL À SAINT-GERMAIN-DES-PRÉS
  Top jazz performances in the heart of Paris. Doesn't get much better than this!
  → Information…
• NUIT DES MUSÉES
  Just another event that makes Paris great! Free museum entrance, plus they stay open until the wee hours.
  May 2024
  → Information…

June – Juin

• WHIT SUNDAY & WHIT MONDAY – FRENCH NATIONAL HOLIDAY
  Fifty days after Easter Sunday
• MAKEUP IN PARIS
  It's a festival of cosmetics attended by trend setters, manufacturers and lovers of makeup.
  Carrousel du Louvre
  → Information…
• PARIS JAZZ FESTIVAL
  A magical international jazz event in the beautiful gardens of Parc Floral.
  Parc Floral de Vincennes
  → Information…
• FETE DE LA MUSIQUE
  Free music concerts take to the streets and parks of Paris to celebrate the summer solstice.
  June 21, 2024
  → Information…
• SALON INTERNATIONAL DE LA MAISON DE POUPÉE
  That's right, it's the International Dollhouse Show, attracting vintage dolls house collectors from around the globe.
  Internationale Universitaire de Paris
  → Information…
• FÊTE DES TUILERIES – PARIS FUNFAIR
  It's like the fairgrounds of your childhood – trampolines, bumper cars & cotton candy.
  Late June to August, 2024
  Tuileries Gardens & Place de la Concorde
  → Information…
• LA MARCHE DES FIERTÉS DE PARIS – LGBT PRIDE Check the calendar for exact times and the parade route
  Rue des Archives, 4th Arrondissement
  → Information…

July – Juillet

• TOUR DE FRANCE
  Your chance to see the dramatic final day as the cyclists circle the Champs Elysées.
  Late June & July
  → Information…
• PARIS JAPAN EXPO
  Lovers of Japanese culture will unite to celebrate, manga, martial arts, animation & J-music.
  Paris Nord Villepinte Exhibition Center
  → Information…
• VERSAILLES FESTIVAL
  Concerts, dance, recitals and fireworks – you won't want to miss this spectacular event.
  July to September
  → How to Visit Versailles…
• BASTILLE DAY
  Vive la liberté! In Paris, the military parade starts at 10 AM on the Champs-Elysées. The Eiffel Tower fireworks show starts at 11 PM.
  July 14
  French National Holiday
  → Guide to Bastille Day Celebrations…
• PARIS QUARTIER D'ETE FESTIVAL – NEIGHBORHOOD FESTIVAL
  See 100 free dances, music and theatre performances in neighborhoods across Paris.
  July & August, 2024
  → Information…
• PARIS PLAGES
  Can't make it to the beach? No worries, the beach will come to you. 30 days of summer, 1350 tons of sand, 2 miles of Seine banks, and 250 umbrellas.
  July to August, 2024
  

August – Août

• ASSOMPTION – ASSUMPTION DAY
  A huge religious holiday in France. We usually forget the date and are surprised when most stores and services are closed. (We forget every year.) August 15, 2024
  French National Holiday
• ROCK EN SEINE
  Although most Parisians have headed to the country for their August holidays, you can join those who have remained in the city… to rock out!
  Pont de St-Cloud
  → Information…
• FESTIVAL PARIS L'ETE – ARTS, SCENES & SUN
  100 performances, 40 locations throughout Paris near monuments, in parks and public squares. What a way to celebrate summer in the city!
  July & August
  → Information…
• ÉTÉ DU CANAL – SUMMER ON THE CANAL
  The Canal de L'Ourcq celebrates the summer with a fun program of dance, concerts, water activities including boat cruises, films screenings, and street art. Canal de L'Ourcq is a trendy part of the Parisian canal network in the 19th Arrondissement.
  July & August
  → Information…

September

• JAZZ DE LA VILLETTE
  A festival of soul, funk & eclectic sounds that attracts 30,000 music lovers.
  First days of September
  Parc de la Villette
  → Information…
• PARIS DESIGN WEEK
  Discover the best in design with the international design community in a program of talks, cocktails, and exhibition
  2nd week in September
  Various venues
  → Information…
• MAISON & OBJET
  Decoration, design, furniture, accessories, textiles, fragrances & tableware.
  2nd week in September
  → Information…
• EUROPEAN HERITAGE DAYS
  The public is invited to step inside monuments normally off limits — the Senate, Elysée Palace, private chateaux, and others.
  → Information…
• LONDON TO PARIS BIKE RIDE
  Cycle through English villages, rural France to the final destination, the Eiffel Tower!
  Mid September
  → Information…

Christmas as Hôtel de Ville, photo from Ville de Paris

October – Octobre

• FÊTES DES VENDANGE À MONTMARTRE
  It's the only wine harvest & festival in Paris, held near the one remaining vineyard in Montmartre!
  → Information…
• ART CONTEMPORAIN
  A world of wonderful contemporary art displayed at the fabulous Grand Palais. Fascinating.
  Late October
  Grand Palais
  → Information…
• LE SALON DU CHOCOLAT
  It's the biggest celebration of chocolate in the world. And you don't want to miss the chocolate fashion show!
  Late October
  Porte de Versailles
  → Information…
  → Our Guide to Salon du Chocolat…

November – Novembre

• LA TOUSSAINT – ALL SAINT'S DAY
  A Christian day of remembrance of all saints and martyrs.
  November 1
  French National Holiday
• ARMISTICE DAY
  France honors its war dead with a military parade from the Arc de Triomphe down the Champs-Elysées.
  November 11
  • Arc de Triomphe, Place Charles de Gaulle
  • November 11
  • 11:00 AM: Wreath-Laying Ceremony
  • 9:00 PM: Vigil Ceremony
  French National Holiday
• BEAUJOLAIS NOUVEAU
  Fireworks, festivals, music start on the 3rd Thursday in November to mark the arrival of the new vintage of Beaujolais.
• PARIS PHOTO
  More than 130 international photo galleries exhibit historical and contemporary works
  Grand Palais Éphémère
  → Information…

December – Decembre

• Christmas Markets
  Celebrate the season by visiting a few of the many annual markets throughout the city with items for Noel!
  Throughout December
  → The Big List of Christmas Markets in Paris…
• WHERE TO SEE THE BEST CHRISTMAS WINDOWS
  • Galeries Lafayette, 9e
  • Printemps, 9e
  • Le Bon Marché, 7e
  • BHV in the Marais
  • Faubourg Sainte-Honore, 2e
  • Avenue Montaigne, 8e
  • Forum des Halles, 2e
  • Place Vendôme, 1er
• NOËL – CHRISTMAS DAY
  December 25
  French National Holiday

French National Holidays

It's important for your planning to know when the national holidays fall since offices, many stores, and most museums are closed on many or all of these days. We know that's a bit vague, but it's difficult to create a definite listing of what will be open. It's best to check before simply showing up.

• New Year's Day, January 1
• Good Friday – French National Holiday
• Easter Sunday
• Easter Monday – French National Holiday
• Fête du Travail, May 1
• Ascension Day,in May
• WWII Victory Day, May 8
• Whit Monday, June 6, 2023
• July 14, Bastille Day
• August 15, Assumption Day
• November 1, All Saints Day
• November 11, Armistice Day
• December 25, Christmas Day