Fill your summer with theater, music and dance in Provence where there’s a festival for everyone.
Visiting Provence during the summer festival season is a must-do on everyone’s ultimate travel bucket list. You can expect amazing food, wonderful outdoor theater and great music in spectacular settings. Through July and August, you’ll also find lots of mini festivals and farmers markets throughout the region that are full of regional specialties, the freshest produce, and Provençal goods such as lavender, tablecloths, clothes and more.
The South of France is bursting with rich culture, punctuated every summer by a host of festivals throughout Provence. If you choose to explore the region on your own before or after our Colors of Provence or Essence of Burgundy & Provence itineraries, be sure to check out one of these entertaining events!
Summer Festival Highlights
- Nuits de Fourvière (June 2-July 26, 2025) – Be entertained by any of more than 140 performances of theater, dance, magic, circus, music and more during this celebration at the ancient theaters of Fourvière in Lyon.
- Avignon Festival (July 5-26, 2025) – Head to the courtyard of the Palace of the Popes for one of Europe’s most famous theater festivals, with performances and talks given by renowned actors.
- Bastille Day (July 12, 2025) – Enjoy fireworks and fanfare to celebrate the French National Day, observed throughout France!
- Chateauneuf-du-Pape Fete de la Veraison (Early August) – Travel back to the Middle Ages in this town just north of Avignon with a large arts and crafts market, costumed entertainers, street combats, puppet shows, wandering minstrels and more, plus taste the nectar of Chateauneuf-du-Pape in its wine cellars.
- Arelate, Roman Days of Arles Festival (August 18-23, 2025) – Get a taste of Arles' ancient Roman heritage with this festival that enables you to don a toga, step back in time and enjoy tours, shows and other activities created with the help of historians, archaeologists and educators.
- Nice Jazz Festival (July 24-27, 2025) – Extend your Essence of Burgundy & Provence river cruise into Nice and you can buy tickets to attend this incredible, world-class celebration of jazz first held in 1948. With 28 concerts across the four days of the festival split between the Place Massena and Open-Air Theater, this is sure to be a swingin' good time.
Contact your travel advisor or call 800-626-0126 to reserve your July or August Colors of Provence or Essence of Burgundy & Provence river cruise today!