9 things to do in France in Spring 2022

It's officially spring, the weather is warming up and France has lifted many of its Covid restrictions - so if you're in the mood for a mini-break, here are some suggestions.

Published: 1 March 2022 11:53 CET
Updated: 21 March 2022 16:36 CET

Photo by SYLVAIN THOMAS / AFP

Practicalities

First things first, you can find the latest on rules for international travel here.

The health pass/vaccine pass is no longer required for everyday venues in France, likewise the mask rule has been lifted for many indoor public spaces, although masks are still compulsory on all public transport. Find the full details here.

March

Paris Orchid festival – the capital’s Jardin des Plantes is displaying 1,001 orchids (and that’s just a tiny fragment of its total collection) in the gardens’ enormous and beautiful greenhouses until March 21st. Tickets are €7 and you can buy in advance here or on the door.

Members of the Giant Omelette Brotherhood of Bessières cook a giant omelette as part of Easter celebrations. Photo by REMY GABALDA / AFP

April

Easter – Easter falls on April 17th this year, with the two-week school holidays taking place in late April and early May, depending on the zone.

Easter in France has lots of its own traditions – including magic flying church bells – and of course a lot of chocolate, but many towns also have an Easter festival or market over the long Easter weekend (Easter Monday is always a public holiday).

Bessières omelette festival – The town of Bessières in south west France really likes omelettes – every year at Easter they make a giant one with 15,000 eggs. Created in a giant pan, the omelette feeds around 10,000 people. After Covid-related cancellations, the festival is back this year on April 16th, 17th and 18th.

Corsica’s ‘chained man’ – if you’re on the island of Corsica on Good Friday and you see a hooded man chained to a cross, don’t panic. It’s a local Easter tradition and there is always a long list of volunteers to be the ‘penitent’ on the cross.

Easter egg hunts – la chasse aux oeufs (egg hunt) is a popular activity around Easter and many towns have their own event.

Printemps de Bourges – the four-day music festival runs this year from April 19th to 24th in the central French town of Bourges. It has a wide range of acts booked and it’s also a favourite place for scouts to sign new talent, so it’s a good place to hear the ‘next big thing’.

The Berck kite festival. Photo by PHILIPPE HUGUEN / AFP

La Rochelle kite festival – France’s west coast has some stunning long, windswept beaches, perfect for kite-flying. The International Kite and Wind Festival was cancelled last year, but is back from 16-18th April 2022. Some of the best kite pilots in the world will attend for kite-making workshops, kite-surfing displays, land-sailing activities and much more. This event is perfect for families. You can find more information HERE.

Berck kite festival – on the north coast, the town of Berck-sur-Mer has its own kite festival, running from April 23rd to May 1st. This is a big event which a lot of international competitors travel to – full details here.

May

Invasion of Britain (in Nîmes) – if you’ve ever wanted to travel back in time and watch Roman soldiers slaughtering Brits, then the southern French city of Nîmes has this covered for you. This city’s stunning 12,000-seater Roman amphitheatre offers an annual spectacle in May – this year it’s a re-enactment of the Roman Emperor Hadrien’s invasion of Britain in AD 122. The event runs from May 6th-8th – pre-book tickets here.

French Open – the tennis tournament returns to Roland Garros from May 22nd to June 5th. Restrictions could have been relaxed by then, but as things stand the tournament may be without its defending champion Novak Djokovic, who has said that he will not attend if a Covid vaccination is a requirement for players. But there will be lots of other great players and superior catering though, so still well worth the ticket price.

Cannes film festival – The 2022 Cannes Film Festival is scheduled for May 17-28 in 2022. The event, widely considered the most prestigious film festival in the world, was postponed in 2021 due to the Covid pandemic but did eventually go ahead. Visitors to this glitzy even get to rub shoulders with the stars and see multiple film premiers. Tickets generally go on sale in early May and are available via this page.

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