France in October 2026: Every Festival & Major Event

What's Happening in France This October 2026: Festivals, Concerts & Events

October is a genuinely packed month in France, and it opens right as term settles in. Here's everything confirmed for this month, in date order, with what it actually costs and how to get there. 

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1. Throughout October: Céline Dion's Historic Paris Residency 

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The single biggest concert event of the year in France. After an extended break from live performance, Céline Dion returns to the stage with a 16-date residency at the Plénitude Arena (formerly Paris La Défense Arena) in Nanterre, running from 12th September through 17th October 2026. The October dates are: Friday 2, Saturday 3, Wednesday 7, Friday 9, Saturday 10, Wednesday 14, Friday 16, and Saturday 17, all at 8:00 PM. All 2026 dates officially sold out, but fan to fan resale is open through the same official platforms (AXS, Ticketmaster, Fnac Spectacles) that originally sold them, official prices ranged from around €100 to €600 depending on seating. Getting there: RER A to La Défense, then a short walk, or Line 1 to the same stop. If you miss this run, Céline Dion has already added ten further dates for May 2027 at the same venue.

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Dimensions France Tip: Only Buy Resale Through Official Platforms 

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For sold out Céline Dion dates, only resale through AXS, Ticketmaster, or Fnac Spectacles is guaranteed valid. Tickets bought elsewhere are not accepted at the door and cannot be reissued in your name.

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2. 2nd to 12th October: Fête de la Science (Free, Nationwide) 

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France's national science festival, in its 35th year, brings over 5,500 free events to more than 1,100 towns across the country, organised by the Ministry of Higher Education and Research. This year's theme, "Saveurs savantes" (Learned Flavours), explores the science behind food, taste, and cooking through lab visits, science cafés, planetarium shows, and hands-on FabLab workshops. Most activity concentrates around the two central weekends, 3rd–4th and 10th–11th October, and many local "villages des  sciences" only open for a single day, so check your city's exact schedule via fetedelascience.fr before heading out. Best for: an easy, free, genuinely interesting day out, especially if your programme is in a science, health, or engineering field. 

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3. 7th to 11th October: Fête des Vendanges de Montmartre 

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One of Paris's three biggest annual public events, and it's entirely free. Now in its 93rd year, this festival celebrates the harvest of the Clos Montmartre, Paris's own vineyard on the Butte, first planted in the 12th century and replanted by local residents in 1933. The 2026 edition's theme is music, running across eight neighbourhoods of the 18th arrondissement, from the Clos Montmartre to La Chapelle. Highlights include the Ban des Vendanges (the traditional opening proclamation), the Grande Parade of costumed wine and food guilds, the Parcours du Goût food and wine trail at the foot of the Sacré-Cœur, a 5km night run through the Butte's steep streets, and a closing ball. Getting there: Métro Line 2 or 12 to Anvers, Abbesses, or Château Rouge. Best for: a free, only in Paris cultural weekend that goes well beyond wine. 

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4. 10th–18th October: Festival Lumière (Lyon) 

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France's major heritage cinema festival, and a genuine festival in every sense: founded in 2009 by the Institut Lumière and directed by Thierry Frémaux (also the Cannes Film Festival's general delegate), it celebrates Lyon's place as the birthplace of cinema, where the Lumière brothers held the first public film screening in 1895. The 18th edition runs across roughly 50 venues in Lyon and its wider metropolitan area, with hundreds of screenings spanning restored classics, rare prints, and previews, many introduced in person by visiting directors and actors. The festival's centrepiece, the Prix Lumière, goes to Joel and Ethan Coen this year, presented on Friday 16thOctober alongside a full retrospective of their films; the festival closes on Sunday 18th October with a screening of The Big Lebowski at the Halle Tony Garnier. Getting there: Lyon is under 2 hours from Paris by TGV. Most screenings are ticketed individually and reasonably priced; a full programme and ticketing schedule is published progressively on the festival's site in the weeks before opening. Best for: film lovers, and anyone who wants to see Lyon, France's second city, at its most culturally alive. 

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5. 11th October: Harmonie Mutuelle 20 km de Paris 

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A major annual road race, in its 48th edition, starting at the Pont d'Iéna and finishing at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, with the 20km route passing Trocadéro, the Arc de Triomphe, the Bois de Boulogne, Roland Garros, and the Grand Palais. The race starts at 9:00 AM on Sunday 11th October, with bib pickup only available on the preceding Friday and Saturday, not on race day. Registration runs from €71 (early-bird tiers already sold out), with reduced rates for licensed athletes and para-athletes. Best for: runners who want one of the most scenic, landmark heavy courses in Europe, or spectators who want a free, high-energy morning watching it from the route. 

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6. 12th–18th October: Mondial de l'Auto (Paris Motor Show) 

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Europe's biggest car expo returns for its 91st edition at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, spanning five halls and around 70,000 m² of indoor space plus 15,000 m² outdoors. More than 60 manufacturers and 100 exhibitors are confirmed, including Renault, Peugeot, Citroën, Alpine, Audi, Volkswagen, Škoda, and a returning Mercedes-Benz. Monday 12th October is press and industry only; the show opens to the public from Tuesday 13th through Sunday 18th October, with a nightly laser show and, new for this edition, public test rides in an autonomous vehicle. Getting there: Métro Line 12 to Porte de Versailles. Tickets start from €20 for a weekday adult ticket, booked online in advance, on-site ticket counters are limited and charge more. Best for: anyone with even a passing interest in cars, this is one of the largest of its kind in the world. 

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7. 22nd–25th October: Paris Games Week 

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France's biggest video game festival, marking its 15th edition under the theme "Playground Edition," also at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles. Expect playable previews, esports competitions, cosplay, and a new "Hors les Murs" programme bringing gaming events into Paris and the wider region in the weeks before the show itself opens. Confirmed titles so far include Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, Rayman Legends Retold, and Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3. Tickets range from €15 (early-bird) to €29 for a dated adult day pass, with reduced rates for under-26s and a family pass covering two adults and two young people. Best for: gamers and pop culture fans looking for a lively, indoor way to spend a day during the Toussaint break.

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Practical Note: Toussaint School Holidays Start 17th October 

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France's autumn school holidays (vacances de la Toussaint) run from Saturday 17th October to Monday 2nd November 2026, the same dates nationwide across all three school zones (A, B, and C). If you tutor, au pair, or have host-family plans, or if you're simply wondering why the country feels quieter in the last two weeks of the month, this is why. University term dates are set separately by each institution and don't always follow the same calendar.

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8. Free and Low-Cost Extras This Month 

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• Free national museum entry: Under-26 non-EU students get free entry to the permanent collections of France's national museums, including the Louvre, Musée d'Orsay, and Centre Pompidou, a good option during the quieter weeks either side  of the Toussaint break. 

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• Stargazing and planetarium shows: many Fête de la Science venues (see above) run planetarium and observatory sessions specifically built around the shorter, darker October evenings. 

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• Regional food markets: Montmartre's grape harvest weekend (see above) draws vendors and food producers from across France, a good low-cost way to sample regional food without travelling. 

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• Cheap train travel: SNCF's Carte Avantage Jeune (under 27) knocks 30–60% off intercity trains, useful if any of this month's events pull you outside your home city. 

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Quick Reference: October 2026 Events at a Glance 

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