Vacations & Events | A French Collection

Saint Honoré Day or Bread Day

Saint Honoré the Patron Saint of Bakers and Pastry Chefs

France is rather special in that it holds dear to its customs and has a rich tradition of assigning saints as special guardians and protectors of just about every aspect of our lives. There is even a patron saint of bakers and pastry chefs called Saint Honoré.

Saint Honoré is the saint or protector of all bakers and pastry chefs and with just about every village or town boasting at least one boulangerie (bakery), and cities with substantially more, Saint Honore is indeed a very busy Saint!

Place des Vosges – The Oldest Square in Paris

Place des Vosges - The Oldest Square in Paris

Place des Vosges is famously one of the most elegant residential squares in Paris. It’s an exclusive and much sought after address with its distinctive red and sand coloured stone and tile matching buildings, with large windows that overlook its beautiful enclosed park.

While living in this prestigious and glamorous Square is not possible for the majority of us; the park with its fountain, playground, large trees and manicured lawns are available for anyone to enjoy. Peaceful all year round, but particularly charming in spring and autumn, I love to visit Place des Vosges when in Paris.

European Heritage Day – Journées du Patrimoine

European Heritage Day - Journées du Patrimoine

Have you ever wanted to look behind the closed doors of French government and wander the corridors of normally closed châteaux?

Well you can, on each third weekend of September during the annual Journées du Patrimoine, or European Heritage Days. Over the weekend the public are welcome to explore some of France's most exclusive locations as part of the 'portes ouvertes' (open doors) event that takes place across Europe.

Brocante de Durtal – Durtal Antique Fair

Market stall with people near pink blossom tree at Durtal Antique market

Recently shared on social channels was a beautiful golden rattan chair I found at the Durtal Antique Fair in the Loire Valley. I thought I’d share more about this incredible market with you. It's coming up again in a few months, so now is a good time to plan your visit.

The Durtal Antique Fair

Each September at Durtal you’ll find an amazing antique fair that entices local, regional and international visitors. I drove for over three hours to get to Durtal from my village as I’d read so much about this incredible fair and the really good quality of all the stalls. More than a whopping 450 exhibitors come from far and wide to show off their wares here. The market gets over 20,000 visitors in one day, so it's a biggie on the antique market trail.

The event overtakes the town’s streets and extends along the walls of the city’s castle. Officially the Rendez-Vous International de la Curiosité et de Brocante de Durtal (Durtal International Flea Market Fair), it’s also more casually known as Brocante de Durtal or Durtal Brocante. I love decorating my home in Brittany with vintage and antique items and share more on the best ways to find them in my post Finding French Antiques and Vintage Items in France. Take a peek into my home on Instagram @my_french_village_home

National Rosé Day and Provence

Bottle of Rosé wine with glass of rosé wine

When Rosé is mentioned, most people likely think of Provence. That's probably because Provence is recognised as the birthplace of Rosé wine and new varieties are still compared to those created in the South of France. Let's find out more about the world's favourite pink drink and the day it's celebrated across the globe - National Rosé Day.

National Rosé Day

When is National Rosé Day celebrated?

Celebrated by some on the second Saturday in June, and others on 14 August each year, Rosé day is a fun day on the calendar whether you celebrate it in June or August. Some even say that it's the whole month of August that we should be celebrating, so I'll leave this one up to you!

There's even an official hashtag to use if you want to share your pink bubbly photos - #NationalRoséDay

Violet Festival (Fête de la Violette), Toulouse

Violet Festival Fête de la Violette Toulouse

Each February the annual Violet Festival or Fête de la Violette is held at Toulouse. The city celebrates the violet flowering season with a series of events dedicated to its favourite flower and national emblem, the violet.

Violet Festival or Fête de la Violette at Toulouse

Toulouse is even called the 'City of the Violet'. The city is said to be the world capital of the violet flower and it's carried the emblem of the sweet purple flower for centuries.

The festival is centred around Toulouse's grandiose main square, the Place du Capitole. The grand capitole (city hall) has graced the square since around 1750 and with its elegant facade is a popular tourist location. The complex also includes the National Theatre of Toulouse and is the historic centre of the town.

Honfleur Museums

Honfleur Museums - Enter the artistic world of Honfleur

Honfleur is a stunning town centred around the Vieux-Bassin (old bassin) whose water is fed from its port at the mouth of the Seine Estuary. Famous for its timber-framed townhouses that reflect in the water when bathed in the glow of the morning sun, the town is very popular.

Honfleur has a rich maritime heritage that goes back to Roman times and offers loads of attractions to visitors. It's very easy to spend a day in Honfleur leisurely walking, browsing the craft shops and art galleries and relaxing in the harbour cafés. There's even the largest surviving wooden church in France, Église Sainte-Catherine, just a very short stroll from the Vieux-Bassin and main hub of restaurants and boutiques.

What’s on in May in France

Bonjour! May is a cracker of a month in France with loads of festivals to join in on and events to attend.

What's On in May in France

I’ve put together a bunch of them to help you make the most of this month if you’re in France, or you can save this post to help you plan for your next trip in May. Dates change a little each year with annual events, but a quick search on the internet will provide you with updated dates. (This post is published May 2024)

Right, let’s get straight into what’s on and where...