What's On in Provence

Provence is not only a mosaic of breathtaking landscapes and picturesque villages, but also a land of remarkable artistic and cultural vitality. Between prestigious festivals, age-old traditions, and vibrant local celebrations, every season brings a host of events that honor Provençal art de vivre and showcase the region’s wealth of talent. While summer sees the highest concentration of festivities, the entire year pulses to the rhythm of open-air concerts, ancestral fêtes, and lively markets well worth discovering.

Avignon – No cultural calendar in Provence would be complete without mentioning the legendary Festival d’Avignon. Created in 1947 by Jean Vilar, it has become one of the world’s foremost performing arts events. Every July, the City of the Popes transforms into a giant open-air theater. The official program takes over historic venues such as the Cour d’Honneur at the Palais des Papes and the Cloître des Célestins, while the equally dynamic Festival OFF fills the streets, squares, and café-theaters with performances. Contemporary theater, dance, circus, music, and visual arts follow one another in an electric, festive atmosphere. Over 1,500 shows are staged each year during the OFF, attracting artists from across France and beyond. As evening falls, terraces fill with animated conversation, and the festive spirit stretches late into the night

Les Suds Festival in Arles –Arles is equally lively in July with Les Suds, an eclectic festival dedicated to world music. For an entire week, ancient Roman arenas, hotel courtyards, and cobbled streets resonate with oriental, Afro-Cuban, gypsy, and Balkan rhythms. The program includes open-air concerts beneath the stars, masterclasses, musical siestas, and traditional Provençal bals. A more intimate winter edition, Les Suds en Hiver, takes place each February — a warm, convivial escape that continues the celebration of global musical cultures.

Médiévales des Baux in Baux-de-Provence – From April to August, the Château des Baux-de-Provence is transformed into a medieval fortress. Forge demonstrations, chivalry tournaments, trebuchet firings, and calligraphy workshops immerse visitors in the world of Provençal lords. On weekends and public holidays, falconry shows and medieval music performances bring the past to life. The village’s streets are adorned with colorful banners and flags, completing this immersive, historical spectacle..

Lavender Festival — Sault - It’s impossible to imagine Provence without its iconic lavender fields stretching to the horizon. Since 1985, the Lavender Festival in Sault has celebrated this emblematic flower every August 15th. The festivities include parades of flower-decorated floats, traditional sickle-cutting competitions, and live distillation demonstrations. The village fills with thousands of visitors, while a bustling local producers’ market offers essential oils, handmade soaps, and lavender-infused honeys. The afternoon continues with Provençal folk dances, costumed processions, and lively brass bands.

Summer Night Markets - From mid-June through September, Provence’s villages come alive after dark. Lourmarin, Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Forcalquier, and Gordes host vibrant evening markets where artisan craft stands, local food producers, and strolling musicians create a festive, summery atmosphere. Under strings of glowing lights, stalls offer handmade jewelry, pottery, linen clothing, and Provençal sweets. Many markets are paired with street performances, open-air jazz concerts, or gypsy music, prolonging warm summer evenings in relaxed, cheerful style.

Fairs and Local Produce Markets - Throughout the year, the Provençal calendar is punctuated by agricultural fairs and gourmet markets. In December, Maussane-les-Alpilles hosts the famous Santon Fair, attracting collectors of these handcrafted clay nativity figurines. In Apt, the early December Candied Fruit Fair celebrates a centuries-old regional specialty, while the town’s Provençal market — held every Saturday morning since the 14th century — remains one of the most beautiful in France.

Fireworks - No Provençal summer would be complete without the dazzling pyrotechnic displays that light up the skies of hilltop villages and small towns for national and local celebrations. On July 14th (Bastille Day) and August 15th (Assumption Day), dozens of communities host impressive firework shows reflected in fountains, rivers, and centuries-old stone façades.

Other Events to Discover

- Cavaillon’s Melon Festival at the end of June honors this sweet, orange-fleshed fruit with tastings, competitions, and a gourmet market filling the town’s streets.
- Les Rencontres de la Photographie d’Arles, from July to September, turns the Camargue town into the European capital of contemporary photography, with exhibitions, outdoor screenings, and workshops.
- Piano en Provence Festival in La Roque d’Anthéron, held in July and August, is one of Europe’s leading piano events, with concerts in exceptional natural settings like the Château de Florans park.
- Transhumance Festivals, especially in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence and Les Baux in spring, perpetuate the age-old tradition of shepherds driving their flocks to summer pastures. Streets fill with sheep and shepherds in traditional dress, followed by open-air banquets and farmers’ markets.
- Harvest Festivals: In autumn, villages across the Luberon and Alpilles celebrate the grape harvest with outdoor feasts, concerts, and tastings of the season’s first wines.
- International Orchid Festival in Bouc-Bel-Air each March gathers growers from around the world to display rare species in a lush, tropical ambiance.
- Banon Cheese Festival in May pays homage to this distinctive goat’s cheese wrapped in chestnut leaves, with cheesemaker competitions, tastings, and an artisan market.
- Musical Evenings in the Vineyards — a roaming festival from June to September combining classical, jazz, and world music concerts held in the Luberon and Alpilles wine estates, often ending with sunset wine tastings.