All the good reasons to visit France in 2025

Reopened in December 2024, Notre-Dame de Paris had been closed to the public since the fire of 15 April 2019, which completely destroyed the spire, the roofs of the nave and transept, and the roof structure.

Today, thanks to the combined efforts of passionate men and women working in workshops all over France, Notre-Dame has been restored to its former glory. Viollet-Le-Duc's 93-metre spire once again looks down on Paris, and the cathedral's interior is brighter than ever. Needless to say, 2025 should be a very busy year for the cathedral that has watched over Paris since 1345. So don't hesitate to plan your visit and book your ticket via the dedicated app. 

On 5 January 2025, the majestic Opéra Garnier celebrated its 150th anniversary. Throughout the year, this legendary venue will be offering a rich and varied programme of concerts, exhibitions, meetings, new publications and themed guided tours. It's a great way to showcase the Palais Garnier, Charles Garnier's architectural masterpiece, its artistic heritage and its current role in opera and choreography. With 172 performances per season, the Opéra remains a benchmark venue for opera, ballet, concerts and recitals. Emblematic and mysterious, Garnier can also be visited for the simple pleasure of seeing its backstage areas, and crossing paths with a few ghosts...

Caen is celebrating its millennium in style in 2025. To mark the occasion, the city is organising a number of special events. Take a look around Caen, for example:

• on 20 March, for the inauguration of the château, which will be reopening its doors after two years of restoration.
• from 21 to 28 March, for the History Days and the launch of an immersive show at the château. 
• from 27 to 29 June, when the sea will be part of the celebrations, with 48 rigs moored in the port and on the Quai de Normandie.
• And finally, from 10 to 21 December, when this exceptional anniversary will come to a close in the city centre with a series of illuminated displays highlighting the city's rich heritage.

What a programme!

In 2025, Aix-en-Provence celebrates Paul Cézanne through a series of events that bring his legacy back to life. These include the international exhibition ‘Cézanne au Jas de Bouffan’, from 28 June to 12 October 2025, at the Musée Granet in Aix-en-Provence. Through an exceptional selection of around a hundred paintings, drawings and watercolours, this retrospective will plunge you into the intimate world of the artist. This Cézanne 2025 year is also an opportunity to (re)discover the sites that so inspired the master. His home, Jas de Bouffan, his studio, his favourite landscapes such as Mont Sainte Victoire and the Carrières de Bibémus.

From 1 to 30 September 2025, the Pont-Neuf will be transformed into a monumental grotto by JR. The installation will commemorate the 40th anniversary of Christo and Jeanne-Claude's transformation of the Pont-Neuf into a monumental work of art. In 1985, the bridge was wrapped in 41,800 m² of fabric, secured by 13 km of ropes, to become an ephemeral sculpture admired by three million visitors. To mark this anniversary, the artist JR, in collaboration with the Fondation Christo et Jeanne-Claude, will be presenting Projet Pont Neuf, an immersive installation transforming the bridge into a grotto with large rock formations temporarily linking the two banks of the Seine, visible day and night.

The Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain is moving to the heart of Paris in the 1st arrondissement, 2 place du Palais-Royal. The institution, which celebrates its 40th anniversary in October 2024, will move into its new home at the end of 2025, in a building designed by the architect Jean Nouvel. In the run-up to the opening of this new showcase to the public, the Fondation Cartier has created an installation that can be seen on the bay windows of its future spaces, honouring the artists with whom it has worked throughout its history: Jean Nouvel, Agnès Varda, Claudia Andujar, Takeshi Kitano, Patti Smith, Sheroanawe Hakihiiwe, Marie Losier and Ron Mueck.

In March 2021, the Grand Palais will close its doors to embark on a major phase of renovation. Already completed in the Nave, which reopened to coincide with the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the rest of the building will continue to be renovated until spring 2025. On June 6 2025, the long-awaited complete reopening of the Grand Palais will be accompanied by the inauguration of galleries previously closed to the public. 

From 19 March to 30 June 2025, the Centre Pompidou will be spotlighting black artists in France between 1940 and 2000. This major new exhibition, entitled ‘Black Paris’, will showcase fifty artists of African descent, from Africa to the Americas, many of whose works have never before been shown in France. It's an exhibition not to be missed, especially as it will be one of the last chances to visit the museum before the building is completely closed in the autumn for renovations lasting 5 years.

Read: Top not-to-be-missed exhibitions in Paris 

There's so much on offer in France! Paris and Aix-en-Provence aren't the only cities offering high-quality events. Here is a selection of not-to-be-missed exhibitions in France and in Parisian museums. 

The history of Roland Garros began in 1891 with the French clay-court championships, reserved for French players and held at various venues, but 1925 marked a major turning point in the biography of the famous tennis court. By opening up the competition to foreign players, Roland Garros (which was not given its name until 1927) gave birth to the French Open and marked the golden age of French tennis. In 2025, more than ever, you'll have the chance to come and applaud the world's greatest players. Don't forget your polo shirt! 

The EuroGames 2025 in Lyon is committed to inclusion, diversity and eco-responsibility in and through sport. The challenges of this unique and essential competition are to inform and raise awareness to combat discrimination in sport, by bringing together people from different backgrounds and minimising our environmental impact. On the programme: competitions (38 sports on offer), events, conferences, parties... It all takes place from 23 to 26 July 2025 in Lyon.

After several foreign starts in previous editions, the 2025 Tour de France will once again set off from France on 5 July. More specifically, the grand start will take place in Lille, in the Hauts-de-France region, for the fifth time in the Tour's history. This will be followed by 3 stages in the beautiful department of Nord, promising an unforgettable 112th Tour de France.

Read: 5 minutes to find out all about the Tour de France 

In 2025, the start of the Women's Tour de France will be in Vannes, Brittany on Saturday 26 July, for two 100% Breton stages: the first stage in the heart of Morbihan and the second through Finistère. This fourth edition marks a turning point in the history of the Tour de France Femmes, as for the first time it will be contested over nine days of racing, two days more than in previous editions so you can cheer on your favourite female riders!

Read: Major sporting events in France

He's THE chef everyone's been talking about since his appearance on Top Chef in 2023. In February 2025, Danny Khezzar will open a unique restaurant in western Paris, like himself, perched 14 metres high and surrounded by a cloud of water. The chef of the famous Michelin-starred Bayview by Michel Roth (located in Geneva, Switzerland) has launched a competition on social networks to find the name of the restaurant, which will eventually be called ‘Monsieur Claude’, in tribute to his grandfather. It's all there for the taking! On the menu for this unusual French bistro: no-holds-barred cuisine, French and Swiss produce, live music every night (from variété to reggaeton)... We're in for a treat!

Address: Place Line Renaud, Rueil-Malmaison (west of Paris).

Read: 11 locavore restaurants to try out in Paris

The first ‘Emulsion’ festival will be held on 7 and 8 June 2025 in Belle-Île-en-Mer (Morbihan). Two joyous days during which local produce - from land and sea - will take pride of place on the island. On the menu: a market of local producers, guest chefs, large convivial tables and a great musical stage. Yum!

‘From the Heart to the Hand: Dolce&Gabbana’ takes over the Grand Palais from 10 January to 31 March 2025. Conceived by historian Florence Müller, this exhibition highlights the unique creations of Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, and explores the brand's characteristic elegance, extravagance and humour. ‘From the Heart to the Hand’ is also a tribute to the brand's many inspirations: art history, architecture, music, cinema, folklore, theatre... A “dolce Vita” exhibition that's a pleasure to stroll through.
 

For the first time in its history, the Louvre is hosting Louvre Couture, an exhibition devoted entirely to fashion, from 24 January to 21 July 2025. The iconic Parisian museum will be showcasing its treasures of classical art alongside the creations of the greatest couturiers and promising young talents. It's a historic moment, full of glamour and culture. So Paris!

A useful and attractive centre of excellence for fashion and design in Biarritz - that's the programme announced by Héméra for the Villa Fal, due to reopen in spring 2025. Set in the heart of the Basque Country, this new place to work, meet and share ideas on fashion and design will be housed in a Palladian-style villa surrounded by landscaped grounds of almost 1 hectare. France certainly doesn't pay to wait!

Address: 1 bis rue Francis Jammes, Biarritz.