7 events not to miss in France in 2024

Among the events not to be missed in France in 2024, the City of Light welcomes the Olympic and Paralympic Games and athletes from around the world. The festivities kick off on the Seine on July 26th and come to a close on August 11th for the Olympics. Historic sites in Paris, such as the Stade de France and the Champ de Mars, will be the stage for spectacular sporting performances.

From Bordeaux to Saint-Étienne, passing through Lyon, Marseille, Nice, Nantes, Lille, and Châteauroux, not to mention French Polynesia and the legendary Teahupo'o wave for surfing, the entire France will be the scene of fiery competitions in the most iconic sports venues.

The Olympic sports calendar

As with every edition of the Games, for over 100 years, the Cultural Olympiads will be held alongside the Olympics. We recommend the flagship project Archi-Folies 2024, which encourages students from national higher schools of architecture and landscape to design and create 20 temporary pavilions, each representing a sports federation, in Parc de la Villette in Paris.

In spring 2024, we will mark the 150th anniversary of the very first Impressionist exhibition, which was instrumental in founding the movement. To commemorate this key date, the Musée d'Orsay will lend artworks to around thirty museums across France. Discover the exhibition "Paris 1874" from March 26th to July 14th, 2024, and "Impressionism Across the Fields" from May 16th to 17th, 2024.

In Normandy, don't miss the Normandie Impressionniste 2024 festival, from March 22nd to September 22nd, 2024. On the agenda: exhibitions and events showcasing the harmonious coexistence of works of art.  Among the 150 events that are planned, James Abbott McNeil Whistler, Robert Wilson and David Hockney will be celebrated

Opened in the fall of 2023,  Cité internationale de la langue française (the International City of the French Language, preserved and restored by the National Monuments Center, is nestled in the Château de Villers-Cotterêts, in the Hauts-de-France region. A delight for enthusiasts of the French language and those eager for Francophone culture. In 2024, you will have ample opportunity to discover this unique place and engage in its interactive journey through the French language, arranged in 15 rooms, a voyage into the heart of this rich and complex language.

You have the opportunity to visit the castle, its "King's staircase," and the Saint-Nicolas chapel, and enjoy a live performance under the grand glass roof!

2024 marks the 80th anniversary of the Normandy Landings and the Battle of Normandy. Between remembrance and celebrations, festivities will take place throughout the year with a packed program in Normandy, around June 6th. Admire fireworks displays at major landing sites, enjoy a giant picnic on Omaha Beach, dance at Liberation balls, and witness the international parachuting of several hundred soldiers above Sainte-Mère-Église. It's a time to honor the bravery and sacrifice of those who fought for freedom, while also celebrating peace and unity.

On January 13, 2023, the Ministry of Culture labeled Pays de Montbéliard Agglomération (PMA) as the French Capital of Culture 2024. The program includes the Temples itinerary, the Château des Ducs de Wurtemberg, and the Peugeot Adventure Museum.

Since the fire on April 15, 2019, which completely destroyed the spire, the roofs of the nave and transept, as well as its framework, Notre-Dame de Paris has been closed to the public. The reopening of the cathedral is scheduled for December 8, 2024, and promises to be a very emotional moment for Parisians. Meanwhile, know that the label "Notre-Dame de Paris: Towards Reopening" gathers cultural events, exhibitions, conferences, and events dedicated to the cathedral throughout the year 2024.   Learn moe in Notre Dame's calendar of events.