France in October 2026: concerts, fairs and school holidays

9–18 October

Jazz sur Seine starts on 9 October. Lyon’s Lumière runs 10–18 October; Paris MaMA runs 14–16 October. The motor show admits visitors 13–18 October, with 12 October reserved for press.

For the autumn holiday, choose an outing with our Halloween in Paris guide: family activities, theme parks and an overnight festival have different rules.

19 October to Halloween

Bigflo & Oli: 19–20; The Strokes: 22; Art Basel: 23–25; Duran Duran: 28; Jungle: 30; Simple Plan: 31. Dream Nation runs on the nights of 30–31 October in Villepinte.

Family planning dates

School zones A/B/C break after classes on 17 October and return on 2 November. Clocks change on 25 October. Budget separately for event tickets, transport and accommodation.

Adjust your trip

Match this date to your actual arrival and departure. A cultural outing, family day and business trip have different constraints; identify which appointment must stay fixed before adding other activities.

Share the exact dates

Share the complete date, year and location with your companions rather than just “this weekend”. For an international meeting, add the time zone and check the time on each booking.

Keep an alternative

Book the essentials of your trip, then keep a nearby activity without a fixed time as an alternative. This helps if a journey takes longer or a performance has no places left.

Sources checked on 9 October 2026

The links below lead to the organisers or public services cited in this guide. Before booking, consult the page for your actual visit; an announced programme does not guarantee availability or that every session will go ahead.