What's on in Provence and the Cote d’Azur

France has lots of  garage sales / attic sales / antiques / flea markets throughout the year – check the relevant region on the website www.vide-greniers.org/ for up to date information (‘vide grenier’ literally means ‘empty attic’; other signs to look out for include ‘brocante’ and marché des puces (flea market).

Early in 2010, two young polar bears, Flocke from Germany and Rasputin from Russia, who lived together previously in Nuremberg, moved to live at Marineland in Antibes, where you will be able to go and visit them.

The Luberon Jazz Festival takes place every May in Apt.

The May Festival in Nice (Fête des Mai) includes celebrations every Sunday throughout the month in the Cimiez Jardins and other various venues. This is an ancient festival to mark the moment when the god of spring wakes the god of nature from his winter sleep with dancing, food and wine.

May Day is celebrated annually in St Rémy de Provence with a procession of donkey-drawn floral floats, with musical accompaniment.

On Whit Monday in St Rémy de Provence, witness the amazing spectacle of the Fête de Transhumance, as a flock of about 3000 - 4000 sheep tour the streets, accompanied by goats and donkeys, before taking to the high pastures of the Alpes to graze the summer away. Street markets, music and feasting mark the occasion.

The biggest and most famous film festival in the world takes place in Cannes in May - perfect opportunities for celebrity-spotting...

The Fête du Fromage (cheese festival) takes place every May in the village of Banon, in the Alpes de Haute Provence.

On June 21st each year since 1982 the whole of France has celebrated  the  ‘Fete de la Musique’ (This came as an unexpected surprise to me one year when I was Aix-en-Provence on that date, and the streets were closed to traffic - there were literally musical performances at every turn - the atmosphere was fantastic!) Anyone that can play music is invited to do so, for free, any place they wish. The participants range from amateur to professional or even major celebrities. Watch out for exciting local events at your holiday location….

Jazz à Juan Set in the Pinède Gould in the heart of the holiday heaven that is Juan-les-Pins/Antibes, this annual July  festival is a favourite with performers and spectators alike. 

More jazz - at the annual New Orleans Jazz Competition in Saint-Raphael in July,  bands from across Europe battle it out to win the competition. The heats are held beside the sea and in the Place Coulis. The finals are in the Congress Centre on the Sunday evening.

St-Rémy-de-Provence holds its annual Wine Festival in July - more than 30 French wine producers bring along their wares to sample, and there is a huge craft fair.

One of the most important European jazz festivals with over 500 musicians and 75 concerts is held in Nice in July, in the Roman ruins and gardens of Cimiez .

Classical music lovers will enjoy the Nuits Musicales de Suquet during July, set in the square outside the Eglise de Notre Dame de l'Esperance in Cannes, with superb views over Cannes to the Croisette.

 Carpentras Estivales Festival Carpentras dedicates its annual July festival to the arts in all shapes and forms, with dance, theatre, music and variety performances all over town.

From July 15^th – 7^th August a prestigious classical music and opera festival is held in one of the world’s best preserved Roman theatres in the pretty town of Orange.

Many previous 'Susan Paradise' tenants have sung the praises of the fabulous Cannes Firework Festival (Festivale d'Art Pyrotechnique) where teams from all over the world impress the crowds by competing for the best display of fireworks over the bay. Dates for 2010 are July 14th, 21st and 29th and August 7th, 15th and 24th.

La Fête du Jasmin, the Jasmine festival in Grasse at the beginning of  August  is great fun. Carnival floats made of flowers, quirky street performers, fireworks, dancing. It all  culminates with the battle of flowers on the Sunday afternoon.