5 Best Performing Arts in Provence, France

At this antique and modern art fair, held for two weeks in April, some 20,000 people from all over the world come to view the treasures and pick up a little something for back home.

Held annually over three weeks in July, the Festival d’Avignon has brought the best of world theater to this ancient city since 1947. Avignon's version of fringe, the OFF Festival ( www.festivaloffavignon.com) is staged at the same time. The two combined host more than 1,600 performances, with the main venue being the Palais des Papes. Tickets go on sale around mid-June and sell out quickly.

On various nights in July and August, six countries compete in an amazing 25-minute musical fireworks display that lights up both the water and the sky. The fireworks are set off from barges 400 meters offshore from the Baie of Cannes. You can watch beachside for free among the masses of locals who come early.

In July, movers and shakers in international photography gather at the Théâtre Antique for five days of specialized colloquiums and other events. Ordinary folks can take in 35 exhibitions of mostly unpublished work that are held in various heritage sites throughout town from July to September. Tickets, which range from €5.50 for a single entry to €37 for a pass, can be purchased online or from various locations in Arles, including the festival office. The app is super helpful.

In the first week of June, the Match Race regatta sets sail across 23 km (14 miles) of coastline. The event marks the official opening of the classic yachting season, with other regattas in Cannes and St-Tropez in September, and features beautiful old teak and brass sailing vessels, metric classes, and maxi-cruisers more than 20 meters long.