Nantes cathedral will reopen to the public in September after restoration, more than five years after an arson attack caused extensive damage to the building.
Vendée Globe
The prize-giving ceremony for the tenth annual Vendée Globe sailing race will take place on May 10 in Sables-d’Olonne (Vendée). The solo sailors, who are attempting to circumnavigate the globe without stops or help, set sail on November 10 and the winner is due to arrive back in France in mid-January.
Drakkar
Orkan, a 28m drakkar (Viking-style longship) that can sail at up to 28 knots is expected to set sail to the USA from France in 2025.
It is planned that the boat will sail along the route used by Leif Eriksson, the first known European to have travelled to North America in around 1,000.
The 50th edition of the French equivalent to the Oscars will be at Olympia in Paris on February 28, presided over by Cathérine Deneuve.
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Voting for nominations will open on January 2 and these will be announced on January 29. Julia Roberts will be presented with a César d’honneur for her career.
Nice carnival
France’s biggest carnival will take place in Nice from February 15 to March 2. More than 100,000 people will flock to the city to join in the festivities and see the parade, complete with extravagant floats and costumes. The theme is 'King of the ocean'.
Le Mans race
The 93rd 24 Hours of Le Mans will take place on June 14 and 15. One of the most prestigious races in the world, the winner is the car that has driven the greatest distance over 24 hours.
Concerts in Paris
Many world-famous artists will be performing in Paris this year, including Linkin Park, Robbie Williams, Dua Lipa, Ludovico Einaudi and Lenny Kravitz.
Swimming in the Seine
The Paris mairie hopes to finally offer public swimming in the Seine this year, with three sites due to open in the summer at Port de Grenelle, bras Marie and near Bercy.
The Tour de France will take place entirely in France in 2025Tour de France
Tour de France
The annual cycling race will entirely take place in France for both the women's and men’s versions, for the first time since 2020. It will begin near Lille on July 5, and include stages in Normandy, Brittany, and the Alps and Pyrenees. The final stage, on July 27, will finish on the Champs-Elysées again (In 2024, it moved to Nice due to the Paris Olympics). Northern regions will feature heavily in the itinerary.
