About Normandy - guide to some of Normandys events

To assist you planning your holiday in Normandy, About Normandy’s calendar of events lists a selection of Norman festivals, fairs and shows. 2011 brings the 1100^th anniversary of Normandy and highlights include Bayeux’s Medieval Festival, the nativity at Christmas-time at St Hilaire du Harcouet and the annual D-Day memorial services where veterans in particular remember fallen comrades. Whatever the reason for your holiday or break in Normandy, don’t forget to use the accommodation links to find Holiday France Direct’s holiday rentals in Normandy.

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JANUARY 2011

february 2011

march 2011
4^th – 8^th March	mardi gras carnival, granville Normandy holiday accommodation near Granville Granville has celebrated Mardi Gras since 1872. Festivities include floats and, on the final day, revellers wear masks to disguise themselves.
5^th – 7^th March	tree and plant fair, lisieux Normandy holiday accommodation near Lisieux » Redecouvrir le Potager – rediscover kitchen gardening
19^th – 21st March	la foire au boudin, mortagne-au-perche Normandy holiday accommodation near Mortagne au Perche

april 2011
29th – 1^st May	Houlgate kite festival Normandy holiday accommodation near Houlgate » Annual festival held on Houlgate beach.
Date tbc	franco-british plants and gardens, chateau de crosville Normandy holiday accommodation near Chateau de Crosville » Held at Chateau de Crosville-sur-Douvre on the Contentin Peninsula. Over 80 exhibitors including nurseries and landscape gardeners, both French and British.
Annual	deauville easter festival Normandy holiday accommodation near Deauville » Superb series of classical concerts form part of Deauville’s annual Easter Fair.
Annual	easter fair, caen Normandy holiday accommodation near Caen » Lots of rides and stalls in the Parc des Expositions in Caen. The biggest fair of its kind in Normandy.
Year round	art exhibition, honfleur Normandy holiday accommodation near Honfleur » The Greniers a Sel gallery, Honfleur hosts painting and sculpture exhibitions all year long.

May 2011
1^st weekend May	normandy festival of aoc products, cambremer Normandy holiday accommodation near Camembrer » 2 day event with stalls, tastings and cooking demonstrations using some of Normandy’s finest produce.
14^th – 15^th May	FOIRE DES ANDAINES, ST MICHEL DES ANDAINES Normandy holiday accommodation near St Michel des Andaines » 5km of stalls with thousands of bargains with antiques, bric-a-brac and ‘vide grenier’, literally ‘empty attic’, the equivalent of a car boot sale.
27^th – 29^th May	mont st michel bay marathon Normandy holiday accommodation near Mont St Michel » Annual marathon attracting up to 5,000 runners.
28th -4^th June	30th Festival “Jazz sous les Pommiers”, cOUTANCES Normandy holiday accommodation near Coutances » Jazz sous les Pommiers (Jazz under the Apple Trees) is an annual international event which offers a wide range of jazz performances, from both well-known musicians to new young performers. The Festival, in medieval Coutances, usually attracts more than 30,000 people over the week, with performances at 5 venues. Street events are free except for ‘dimanche en fanfare.’ Staged events are payable.
Whitsun	PELERINAGE DES MARINS Normandy holiday accommodation near Honfleur » Each Whitsun, Honfleur pays tribute to its sailors when local fishing boats decorated with flowers and ribbons go out from the old port to the Seine Estuary to be blessed. Additionally, there is a delightful procession to the Chapelle Notre Dame de Grace when children carry models of the decorated boats. The event is accompanied by performances and food stalls.
Annual	GERANIUM FAIR, BEUVRON-EN-AUGE Normandy holiday accommodation near Beuvron-en-Auge » Visit pretty Beuvron-en-Auge to see the town’s squares, streets and houses decorated with geraniums.

June 2011

6th June

D-Day Anniversary

Normandy holiday accommodation near the D-Day beaches »

D-Day Anniversary, June 6, a date that will live on throughout history as the day the Allies launched their assault to re-take northern France from the Nazi occupation. With various anniversary events taking place across the D-Day beaches, such as Omaha, Gold and Juno, the D-Day anniversary is a dignified and special tribute to the men and women who gave their lives in WW2.

9^th June – 29^th Sept

LES JEUDIS DU PIN, LE HARAS NATIONAL DU PIN

Normandy holiday accommodation near Le Haras du Pin »

Horse show set to music, including carriage driving, mare and goal, and donkey and foal. Thursdays. Also on Tuesday, 19^th and 26^th July and 2^nd, 9^th and 16^th August.

15^th – 19^th June

Romantic film festival, Cabourg

Normandy holiday accommodation near Cabourg »

The Annual Romantic Film Festival at the little coastal town of Cabourg is an opportunity to catch up with your favourite romantic film hits. An open-air event, it’s a film festival with a difference.

17^th – 19^th June

FREEDOM RACES, CAEN

Normandy holiday accommodation near Caen »

Held every year, the freedom races attract thousands of people who run in remembrance of those who died in the D-Day Landings.

Races include a children’s one and a women-only event as well as the full marathon.

18^th – 19^th June

FESTIVAL la sante au naturel, st philbert sur risle

Normandy holiday accommodation near St Philbert sur Risle »

Festival with 5 themed exhibitions, botanic walks and traditional Norman music and dance.

June – September

MEDIEVAL FESTIVAL OF MORTEMER

Normandy holiday accommodation near Mortemer »

Huge medieval festival, theatre, ghost evenings and more at Mortemer Abbey in the heart of Lyons Forest.

Date tbc

joan of arc festival, rouen

Normandy holiday accommodation near Rouen »

Festival commemorating Joan of Arc, including medieval markets, local produce and music and street theatre.

Date tbc

deauville annual regatta

Normandy holiday accommodation near Deauville »

An international week of sailing attracting yachts from all parts of Europe.

July 2011
Annual	Medieval festival, Bayeux Normandy holiday accommodation near Bayeux » July sees Bayeux’s annual medieval festival. Visitors can expect to see knights, damsels, jugglers, acrobats and jesters and the event comprises a medieval market, street performances, concerts, parades and a medieval ball.
Annual	Trouville Sea Festival Normandy holiday accommodation near Trouville » Each year, the Normandy port of Trouville has a 2 day festival to celebrate the importance of its mackerel catch. On the first day of the festival, mackerel dishes are served up to the accompaniment of sea shanties. On the second day, there is a Mass in memory of those who have died at sea and a wreath-laying ceremony, and then the possibility of rides on fishing boats decorated with flowers.
Annual	Livarot Cheese Fair Normandy holiday accommodation near Livarot » Livarot, famous for its cheese with the same name, holds an annual Cheese Fair to showcase the best local cheeses. Situated as it is in the heart of the Camembert area, Livarot also has a Cheese Museum. The Fair includes an awesome competition to see who can eat the most cheese at one sitting!
July and August	NOCTURNAL WALKS, MONT ST MICHEL Normandy holiday accommodation near Mont St Michel » With lighting effects and music, a night time visit to Mont St Michel is a must.

August 2011
1^st Weekend Aug	FESTIVAL OF HUNTING AND FISHING, CARROUGES Normandy holiday accommodation near Carrouges » Three day festival held in the grounds of Carrouges Castle with team displays, fishing, exhibitions and competitions. Night-time show daily.
2nd Saturday Aug	Carrot Festival, Creances Normandy holiday accommodation near Creances » The importance of Normandy’s agricultural industry is evidenced in the annual Carrot Festival held in Creances each year when the local farming community celebrates with performances, music and a market.
Annual	MUSIC FESTIVAL, TATIHOU Normandy holiday accommodation near Tatihou » Open air concerts on the island of Tatihou plus quayside at St Vaast-la-Hougue. Events are centred around the tides as it is possible to access Tatihou on foot at low tide. Young and old cross the sands wearing beach sandals, Wellingtons or bare feet, and there are guides to direct those who don’t know the route.
Annual	normandy horse show, st lo Normandy holiday accommodation near St Lo » Show jumping, dressage and more, held at the Haras Nationale near St Lo.

SeptEMBER 2011
3^rd – 12^th Sept	American Film Festival, Deauville Normandy holiday accommodation near Deauville » The chic resort of Deauville hosts its glamorous film festival every September giving an opportunity to star spot and of course see a variety of films.
25^th Sept	sainte-terese day, lisieux Normandy holiday accommodation near Lisieux » On the last Sunday of September each year, pilgrims go to Lisieux to remember the anniversary of Sainte-Terese’s death (30^th September 1897). Following morning mass, there is a very large procession and a display of Sainte-Terese’s relics. Visitors can go to both the Basilica and to Sainte-Terese’s shrine plus the centre for pilgrims (Ermitage Sainte-Terese).
Date tbc	Fete de la Crevette, Honfleur Normandy holiday accommodation near Honfleur » The fete de la Crevette in Honfleur is a yearly celebration of the maritime importance of the harbour. The queen of the event is the little grey shrimp, the “petite grise”, which is a local speciality. Highlights of the festival include concerts of sea shanties, a shrimp peeling competition, stands and a gathering of old sea vessels.

October 2011
23^rd Oct	soloceans Normandy holiday accommodation near Caen » Single-handed round the world boat race starting out from Caen. Identical mono-hulls and controlled costs ensure competitors are on an equal footing.
Annual	PARIS-DEAUVILLE RALLY, DEAUVILLE Normandy holiday accommodation near Deauville » Pre 1940s vintage cars race from Place Vendome, Paris to Deauville. Includes gathering and exhibition of vintage cars.
Annual	APPLE FAIR, VIMOUTIERS Normandy holiday accommodation near Vimoutiers » Vimoutiers is in the heart of Pays d’Auges where apples are one of the most important crops and essential ingredients for both cider and apple brandy, the latter known as calvados. Locally, calvados is drunk between the courses of a main meal, a tradition known as the ‘trou normand.’ The Apple Fair in Vimoutiers provides visitors with an opportunity to buy and sample apples and apple products, and the event includes competitions for the most beautiful apple and the best tasting cider.
Annual	scallop fair, villers-sur-mer Normandy holiday accommodation near Villers-sur-Mer » Annual event celebrating the scallop, plus music, dance and wine-tasting.

November 2011
Annual	LE GOUT DU LARGE FESTIVAL, PORT EN BESSIN Normandy holiday accommodation near Port en Bessin » Scallop and seafood festival plus European sea shanty festival, Port en Bessin
Annual	st martins fair, st hilaire du harcouet Normandy holiday accommodation nr St Hilaire du Harcouet » A 5 day fair with markets, funfair and agricultural show. A large event that can attract up to 150,000 visitors.

december 2011
1^st – 24^th Dec	christmas market, caen Normandy holiday accommodation near Caen » Cross with Brittany Ferries to Caen/Ouistreham and take in Caen’s Christmas Market held in the Place de Theatre where you will find Christmas goodies and gifts from around the globe.
1^st – 31^st Dec	christmas at chateau de crosville Normandy holiday accommodation near Chateau de Crosville » The Chateau is decorated for Christmas, Father Christmas is in situ and the shop full of Christmas gifts.
3^rd – 31^st Dec	christmas festivities, falaise Normandy holiday accommodation near Falaise » Falaise, birthplace of William the Conqueror, celebrates the run-up to Christmas with Christmas concerts, Christmas market, street artists and fireworks.
11^th – 13^th Dec	lisieux christmas market Normandy holiday accommodation near Lisieux » Traditional Christmas market with singing to celebrate the arrival of Father Christmas.
13^th, 18^th, 22^nd, 26^th – 28^th Dec	Living Creche, St Hilaire du harcouet Normandy holiday accommodation nr St Hilaire du Harcouet » St Hilaire du Harcouet comes alive in December as the nativity story is told through a series of tableaux. 40 actors, 15 animals and a text usually read by a famous voice. Up to 10,000 people watch the 35 minute performances of the living crèche.
26^th Dec	street theatre festival, deauville Normandy holiday accommodation near Deauville » Unusual street theatre festival, known as Noel au Balcon, this year celebrating Deauville’s 150^th birthday.
31^st Dec	normandie parade, deauville Normandy holiday accommodation near Deauville » Deauville heralds Normandy’s 1100^th anniversary – 911 to 2011 – with a parade starting at 17.30 at Place du Casino.
Annual	CHRISTMAS MARKET, ROUEN Normandy holiday accommodation near Rouen» Rouen’s Christmas market takes place in the Place de la Cathedrale and offers crafts and Norman specialities including cheeses, cider and calvados. The market also attracts arts and crafts from the south of France giving the opportunity to purchase honey, lavender and olives from Provence and santons, traditional provencal nativity figures. In addition to the Christmas market, why not look for for special gifts and presents in Rouen’s delightful shopping streets?


	PLEASE CHECK PRECISE DETAILS AND DATES WITH EVENT ORGANISERS BEFORE MAKING YOUR HOLIDAY AND TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS.