What To Do in France in October

Autumn is setting in for good and October means spooky month. But not only! As the weather greys, time to head indoors and stroll through the many fascinating exhibitions on show this month in France.

Animaux Fantastiques, Louvre-Lens, Sep 27 – Jan 15

Griffins, unicorns and dragons take over the Louvre Lens gallery to explore our enduring fascination with mythical creatures across the ages.

Colorfield journeys – Cheminements colorfield, Paris, Oct 3-14

This exhibition from Franco-British artist Russel Boncey is an invitation to roam freely through the artist’s highly colorful world, where the early influences of German expressionism lead to his current more personal style of painting.

Disneyland’s Halloween, Oct 5 – Nov 1

It’s time for Disney villains to shine! A wickedly-fun Halloween atmosphere at Disneyland Paris promises ‘gleefully grinning pumpkins, dead-fun decorations, bone-tingling skeletons and the most adorable ghosts, with lots of fa-boo-lous fun for souls of all ages’. A spookily good time awaits the whole family.

Stage Jewels of the Comédie Française, Paris, Oct 6 – Feb 4

Housed in the Hôtel de Mercy-Argenteau, an 18th-century mansion in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, L’Ecole School of Jewellery Art will be opening its doors to the public. To celebrate, its first exhibition will be focusing on the jewellery worn on stage for Comédie Française plays, featuring 120 accessories, pieces of art and documents that are for the most part sourced from the theater’s collections.

Vendanges de Montmartre, Paris Oct 11-15
For its 90th edition, the wine festival, ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, pays homage to the values of sports: respect for oneself, others and the environment. Tchin tchin!

La Rochelle Jazz Festival, Oct 12-15
The 26th edition of the popular festival promises an international line-up of jazz and blues artists, including Billy Valentine, Kendra Morris, Laurent Coulondre, and the group Sixun.

The treasures of Notre-Dame, Paris, Oct 18 – Jan 24

As restoration work on the cathedral enters its final phase, the Musée du Louvre is devoting an exhibition to the treasures of Notre-Dame de Paris. The collection of priceless artefacts brings together the objects and vestments used for the liturgy, as well as relics and reliquaries, manuscripts and other items. Featuring more than 120 works, this exhibition offers a condensed account of the 1,000-year history of the Trésor, from its origins in the Middle Ages to its resurrection in the 19th century stewarded by Viollet-le-Duc during the Second Empire. Unmissable.

Jean et la Winery, La Chapelle-de-Guinchay, Oct 21 – Nov 18

For the first time in its history, Maison Jean Loron is organizing an immersive show entitled Jean et la Winery, inspired by the personal story of the founder of the Maison. Inviting spectators to wander through the emblematic places of the property, from the historic winery to the century-old cellars, the extravagant performance of the actors takes participants on an unexpected wine tourism discovery.

Nuits de Champagne, Troyes, Oct 22-28
The city of Troyes takes us on a journey through song, across an artistic universe inspired by cross-generational repertoires. This year’s festival theme is rock opera Starmania.