Events calendar Route de la soie

The Mai Festival May-diterranée of the Toursky Theatre still combines dance, cinema and music. Sensitivity, sensuality, emotions and virtuosity with the voice of Angélique Ionatos! Take a quick look at the detailed program on the website, and pay attention not too soon to book!

The Association for the Active Promotion of Books organizes a monthly day of antique and modern books and documents on the first and third Saturdays of each month (only the first Saturdays in July and August), bringing together about fifteen professional booksellers. Old books, first editions, illustrated books, but also documentary books in the most varied domains up to comic books and detective books of collection.

Since 2010, the Salon des Antiquaires du Pays d'Aix, which has taken place with great success for eight years at the Tholonet, at the foot of the Sainte-Victoire Mountain, is expanding and expanding to become the "Salon des Antiquaires Pays d'Aix - Marseille". This prestigious exhibition has the label "France Ancient Authenticity Quality" and is visited as a true museum. 80 renowned dealers of which 20 galleries of ancient and contemporary art exhibit exceptional works from the th to the th centuries (furniture, paintings of very good signature, sculptures, art objects, argenteries, jewellery, decorations, ancient Chinese and African art etc.).

This gymnastics competition has been held in Marseille for 35 years. This year again, this great event will take place at the Palais des Sports, near the Velodrome stadium. Three days of competition by teams or individuals, of meetings between enthusiasts, amateurs and professionals. The Master Massilia brings together the world's best while the Tournoi des Cigales gives a chance to the regional hopefuls from 9 to 13 years old. Not to be missed, the closing gala and the final by apparatus opposing the 12 best gymnasts of the qualifications. In parallel, animations and stands are there to allow the registrations, the simple information and the sensitization to the handisport

On the occasion of the feast of Santa Francesca Romana, patron saint of motorists, in Rome, all vehicles can be blessed just outside the church of the same name, near the Colosseum. This is enough to prevent any accident! This tradition dates back to 1928 and sees every year institutional vehicles (police trucks...) and emergency vehicles (ambulances...) as well as citizens' personal cars meet. It is even said that some children go there in their small cars: it is better to be prepared!

In 2023, the Acontraluz festival was already seven years old. A musical event that has become a must in the cultural landscape of Marseille. Each year, many international artists meet in various places of the city, with the main stages on the side of the J4 at the Joliette, but not only, since musical and visual animations are organized in the streets of the Phocaean city. The orientation of the festival is rather focused on electronic music, but hip-hop and reggae artists are also part of the attractive evenings. A festive event not to be missed by music lovers. Program and ticketing to be found online.

The city's most famous and emblematic performing arts company, the illustrious Mariinsky Theatre, is offering this remarkable international festival of the Nuits Blanches Stars on the occasion of the Nuits Blanches. From the end of May to the beginning of August, the festival's rich programme presents the best opera dancers and singers of the moment in two mythical venues: the Mariinsky and the Hermitage Theatre. A must for lovers of great music and dance.

The prestigious travelling biennial of contemporary art is packing its bags for a few months in Marseille for its 13th edition. Created in the early 1990s by a Dutch art historian, this biennial event takes place in different European cities. An unmissable event for all art lovers who will not fail to come to Marseille for the occasion. A dedicated place is open on the Canebière for all information and for certain events held there. The program is to be discovered online and is divided into three interconnected axes, mixing multiple actors, students, residents and artists.

Since 1954, this major international violin competition has been contested by the world's greatest soloists and virtuosos in Genoa's Carlo Felice Theater. The winner, who makes it through the qualifying rounds, the semi-finals and wins the final, has the immense honor of being able to play on the famous violin of the master himself, Niccolò Paganini, the Cannone, kept in the Palazzo Tursi museum! All the prize-winning violinists have gone on to have exceptional careers. The ^58th edition will take place in October 2025.

The Teatro dell'Opera di Roma's summer program is now a festival! Opera, dance, theater, pop, symphonic and jazz concerts - in all, some 50 events are on offer between June and mid-August in the monumental setting of the Baths of Caracalla. The Teatro Grande and the Teatro del Portico become incredible backdrops for the shows on offer. Attending an opera at the Baths of Caracalla is a unique experience, so don't hesitate to book your ticket if you're in Rome during this period!

Roma Summer Fest is the major music festival of the Roman summer. Between June and September, the Fondazione Musica per Roma organizes a series of concerts by national and international artists in the Cavea of the Auditorium Parco della Musica, attracting large audiences. From pop and rock to jazz and electronica, the program is rich and varied, and every year big names like Bob Dylan and Sting take part in the festival in 2023. In 2024, Deep Purple, Marcus Miller and Ludovico Einaudi have also been announced.

The idea of mountain biking in the city was born in 1995 with Bike in Lyon. 29 years later, the Lyon Free Bike is a not-to-be-missed event, with over 8,000 mountain bikers criss-crossing the streets of Lyon on a course that changes with each edition, with loops for all levels. It's a family-friendly event where everyone can find a course to suit their level: from the XL to the Discovery course, not forgetting the Rouler pour elles solidarity ride, open to men, to fight women's cancers.

See the city as you've never seen it before! The urban trail was invented in Lyon, a style of running that has spread to other cities, which have become, for a weekend, special running grounds. With its marked relief (we are talking about a difference in altitude of 1,400 m and 6,000 steps for the 37 km, the main event reserved for a maximum of 1,000 runners), Lyon is the ideal city to welcome the best trailers and beginners (from the 8 km to the 37 km, without forgetting the 12 km rando). Always the same advice: register early (as early as December for a spring edition), because the participants are jostling each other at the starting gate.

Marathon runners can discover Rome in an original and sporty way by running the Rome Marathon! The 42.195 km course has been designed in the heart of the Eternal City, so runners don't miss any of its gems. Running next to the Colosseum or on Via dei Fori Imperiali is an experience in itself, believe us! If you are a sportsman, it is therefore an event not to be missed. Be aware that it will be quite difficult to access the city centre during the marathon. Remember, the important thing is to participate!

A festival to which the Romans attach great importance: it is celebrated around the piazza San Giovanni in Laterano. Games, fireworks, music and various events are on the program. Born in 1891, the festa di San Giovanni Battista was celebrated during the summer solstice. During this night, many exorcisms were practiced because the popular belief was that witches fly over Rome, passing over the basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano.

The Parco della Musica auditorium in Rome celebrates the Christmas holidays by hosting the Christmas festival in the auditorium (Natale Auditorium). The site, designed by the famous architect Renzo Piano, looks like a Christmas village with many activities, gastronomic or local craft stands and an ice rink. There are many concerts to attend, including the Roma Gospel Festival, which features the best contemporary gospel choirs, as well as shows (tales, puppets, classical orchestras, etc.).

In summer, Rome seems a little deserted and, apart from the tourist attractions, everything runs slowly... But in recent years, the "Estate Romana" festival has clearly boosted the city during the summer season by offering an open stage with a rich calendar of events and shows. Open-air cinema, concerts, theatrical performances: the programme is interesting and allows you to spend beautiful summer evenings! To consult the program, note that their Facebook page is much more up-to-date than their site.

In Italy, for the night of San Lorenzo, also known as the "Night of Tears of San Lorenzo", tradition dictates that we gather on the beach to admire the shooting stars, sparkling at this time of year. In Rome, there is no beach but a San Lorenzo district celebrating its patron saint! For the occasion, fireworks are fired, processions take place and bands march. San Lorenzo is one of the most authentic districts in Rome, even more so during this popular and festive festival.

A joyful popular celebration that has come back in vogue recently. On Via Andrea Doria, in the Trionfale district (northwest of Rome), donuts (the famous bigné di San Giuseppe) and sweet fried food are sold to the crowd to celebrate Saint Joseph's Day, which is also Father's Day in Italy. Sports events are organized as well as parades of bands and animations for children (make-up...). It is an important event for the inhabitants of the district who gather in large numbers in a good-natured atmosphere.

Today we celebrate the commemoration of the consecration of the first basilica, which dates back to 356, and the successive buildings on the Esquiline, dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The Virgin Mary would have appeared one day to Pope Libera to ask him to build a basilica where the snow would fall. The next day, flakes bleached the area of the current basilica. It is this miraculous event that is celebrated in Rome and, for the occasion, white flower petals are thrown in rain into the Pauline Chapel during a ceremony.

On the occasion of the feast of the Immaculate Conception, the Pope goes in the afternoon to Piazza di Spagna, at the foot of the Column of the Immaculate, since 1854. A religious ceremony and a blessing are performed there. Please note that the feast of the Immaculate Conception is a holiday in Italy. It is therefore likely that some restaurants or stores will be closed. It is also the day when Italians traditionally decorate their Christmas tree.

Whether as a preview or retrospective, from a short auteur film to a blockbuster, all film lovers are invited to meet on the island of Tiberina for this major open-air film festival. Sessions are offered all summer long and very often directors or actors are involved. It is the ideal place to refresh yourself while revising your Italian and international film classics. Consult the program to identify the VO sessions if you do not speak Italian. However, it should be noted that they are quite rare.

Lyon's Hangar du Premier-Film is a must-see for film buffs. Located within the Institut Lumière, it offers visitors the chance to (re)discover films from all eras and geographical origins. Indeed, this historic location is the site of the first Lumière film, shot in 1895. The hangar, once a photographic plate factory, was saved from destruction by film enthusiasts. Today, it houses a 269-seat cinema where films are shown. Visitors can also enjoy the library, bookshop, café and galleries on site. A must-see for all cinephiles!

Their website provides information on news and events.

The Salon Gastronomique Mer et Vigne is a not-to-be-missed event in Lyon. The show features exhibitors working in short circuits, such as producers, craftsmen, winegrowers and oyster farmers. Visitors will have the opportunity to exchange, share and taste quality products. The show offers a wide variety of products, from aperitifs and digestifs to seafood delights and local specialities, both sweet and savoury. For wine lovers, a DRIVE-WINE service is available free of charge. Simply make your purchases on site and collect the cases of wine from storage at the entrance to the main parking lot. Don't miss this unique gastronomic event in Lyon!

Superposition is an art gallery offering a variety of services, including on-site dining. Superposition also offers a program of events, such as exhibitions by local and emerging artists, DJ sets, creative workshops, concerts and yoga. The Superposition association, which runs the gallery, is dedicated to promoting urban culture in Lyon. It supports local artists, enhances public space through art, democratizes art for the general public and occupies places in transition.