With August and the traditional French exodus to the beach just ahead, visitors might wonder just what there is to do in Paris, or in France generally. The truth is that while many stores and restaurants take extended vacations, many are open, and it’s also a time for special events to entertain both foreign and French vacationers.
The Paris Plages (above), artificial beaches along the Seine, are open through the month, as is open-air cinema at the Parc de la Villette in Paris. August 28-30 brings a 3-day Rock en Seine festival to the capital.
But enough Paris (did I really say that?)! The rest of the country is featuring events during August also, including a festival headlined by Snoop Dogg in Brittany (8/7-8), an all-month classics festival in Comminges, a huge festival of Celtic culture in Brittany (8/7-16), and the Fetes de Bayonne, (7/29-8/2), featuring Basque dances, street performances, parades and fireworks.
There are even two reasons to hit one of the less-visited French regions, Corsica. From 8/1 to 8/7, there’s a film festival at Lama, and in Ajaccio, Napoleon’s birthplace, they are celebrating his birthday…even though it’s the 200th anniversary of his final defeat at Waterloo.
More information, and links, are available at TheLocal.fr
