Hideaway in France - gîtes in the Pyrénées near Carcassonne

Festivals and Fairs

Summer in the South of France is full of festivals and fairs, and there are over a hundred in the Midi-Pyrénées alone! See the official festivals website (in French only). We've tried to summarise the huge range of events and here is just a selection of local attractions - there are many more which don't make it onto the offical website.

These are some of the events which take place every year, there are many more 'impromptu' events which occur in the nearby towns and villages, mainly during July and August.

Approximate Date	Town/Village	Style/Link	Description
Jan - March	Limoux	Street carnival	Festival de Fécos - 11am, 5pm and 10pm, every Sunday
Easter	Mirepoix	Jazz	'Swing à Mirepoix'
May & Oct	Pamiers	Classical	Festival of Gabrielle Fauré (classical composer born in Pamiers 1845)
24 June	Many locations	Fireworks festival	Festival of St Jean commemorated with firework displays
14 July	Carcassonne	'City in flames'	One of the best firework displays in France on Bastille day
mid July	Mountains	Tour de France	The tour de France passes through the mountains
late July	Foix	Jazz festival (website in French only)	14 'pay' concerts, open Jazz in the cafes and bars
late July	Mirepoix	Medievals festival	A celebration of the medieval history of the town
Early August	Mirepoix	Puppetry	International puppetry festival, more than 20 performances
mid August	Prat Bonrepaux	Rock festival	Open air country music festival, between Foix and St Girons
Mid September	Mirepoix	Street carnival	'Grand festival of the Cathedral of St Maurice'

Religious Festivals

Most French villages host festivals on the major religious holidays:

• Easter (Paques)
• Ascension day (40 days after Easter)
• Pentecost (50 days after Easter)