麻豆传媒映画

1. Celts coming together

For ten days and ten nights, the Festival Interceltique in Lorient brings together more than 5,000 musicians, singers, dancers, visual artists, academics and film-makers from around the world to celebrate shared Celtic heritage.

This includes performers from Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Cornwall, the Isle of Man, Galicia, Asturias and (naturally) Brittany, as well as from the Celtic diaspora around the world. For this year鈥檚 editions, the theme is Les Cousins d鈥橝m茅rique (American Cousins) with invitees from Acadia to Louisiana, via Quebec, New Brunswick, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Boston and New York.

The first Sunday is notable for the Grand Parade of Celtic Nations, which attracts over 80,000 spectators to the streets of Lorient. Up to 950,000 visitors and spectators come each year.

Runs from August 1-10. Book tickets for specific shows .

Read more: Centre Pompidou renovation: get to know this 'inside out' Paris site

2. Photo festival is So British!

Since 2004, the streets and parks in the Breton village of La Gacilly (Morbihan) have been transformed every summer into a huge, easily accessible open air photographic exhibition space.

Today it is Europe鈥檚 biggest open air art gallery, with up to 300,000 avid photography lovers enjoying images from around the world, with recurrent themes of environmental and societal issues.

This year鈥檚 festival also features a separate theme called 鈥�鈥�, with works by ten British snappers including Don McCullin, Martin Parr, Terry O鈥橬eill. 

鈥淭he British photographers we are honouring this summer have this singular style. They鈥檙e so British because they know how to cleverly capture a soul: the soul of an era, the soul of a country, the human soul,鈥� say organisers.

Runs until October 1. Entry, 鈧�7.50.

Read more: Six exhibitions to see in France this summer

3. Well Worth a visit

Born in Bourne, Lincolnshire, Charles Frederick Worth (1825-1895) has been described as the forefather of haute couture. 

Not only did he found a fashion house that became the epitome of Parisian luxury, but Worth was also a pioneer 鈥� he was the first designer to replace the fashion dolls with live models in order to promote his garments to clients, who included European royalty such as Empress Eugenie, wife of Napoleon III.

A sprawling retrospective of his work comes to the grand galleries of the Petit Palais in Paris, with 400 works (including clothing, objects and accessories, paintings and graphics) telling the House of Worth story. 

鈥淚t promises to be an exceptional exhibition, given the fragility of the pieces on display, the number of silhouettes (almost 80) and the way in which a world in the making and its legacy are portrayed, based on extensive documentation,鈥� says the museum. Tea-gown, circa 1896-1897, pictured below.

runs until September 7, entry costs 鈧�17. 

Read more: Artwork borrowers: the return of the artoth猫que in France

4. An illuminating escapade

If it鈥檚 nocturnal enchantment you seek, then the 惭茅迟补尘辞谤辫丑鈥檈补耻鈥檚别蝉 night boat trips around illuminated buildings on the rivers Mau and Nau in Ch芒lons-en-Champagne (Marne) are perfect.

To mark the show鈥檚 10th anniversary, a brand new animated fresco was unveiled on the Pont des Mariniers, on Saturday July 4. 

, a nautical journey of light and sound, sails every evening in August, price 鈧�18.