2020 Reasons to visit the Top French Cities

Rennes - Jacobins Convent
Metz Cathedral
Marseille, Vallon des Auffes
Lille's main square - The Grand Place
Monet - Sur la plage à Trouville
Bordeaux Bassin des Lumières
Château d'Angers - UNESCO World Heritage Site
Press release

If 2019 was a very eventful year for the Top French Cities, 2020 will certainly hold its own with major events and developments like the recently opened MECA in Bordeaux and the city's new Bassin des Lumières to open in the Spring and much more.

Angers, Orléans & Tours, Loire Valley & Western Loire

In 2000 a 170-mile stretch of the Loire Valley and the sister region of Western Loire were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, from Sully-sur-Loire in the Loire Valley to Chalonnes-sur-Loire in the Western Loire.

Bordeaux, Aquitaine

The trendy and rejuvenated neighborhood of Bacalan welcomes April 17, 2020 the Bassin des Lumières, a grand digital exhibition space housed in the former WWII submarine base. It will also neighbor the Cité du Vin and the new Musée Mer Marine, all a 15mn tram ride from the city’s central Place de la Comédie. 2 to 2 1/2 hours from Paris by TGV high speed train.
SCHEDULED TO OPEN APRIL 17 - NOW SCHEDULED TO OPEN JUNE 10, 2020 (MAY 22nd UPDATE)

Le Havre, Normandy

April 3 to September 6, 2020 - Lovers of Monet, Degas, Manet, Pissaro and great artists of the time, will be drawn to Normandy for the 4th edition of the Normandy Impressionist Festival. It will take place throughout the region from April 3 to September 6, 2020. There will big exhibitions in Rouen and Le Havre and other cities, which you may know has one of France’s largest period collections and where Monet painted the iconic Impression Sunrise which was painted in Le Havre.
NEW DATES : NOW SCHEDULED FROM JULY 4 TO NOVEMBER 15

Lille, Northern France

The great Northern capital Lille is the first French City to be named Lille World Capital of Design. The kick-off will be December 7, 2019 and through 2020 by the display of hundreds of innovative design projects affecting every facet of modern-day life. Just one hour from Paris by TGV.
EVENTS POSTPONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

Marseille, Provence

From June 7 to November 1, 2020, Top French City Marseille will be a focal point for contemporary art by hosting the roving European biennial known as MANIFESTA, also a first for France. A dialogue between art and the community, Marseille will be alive in installations, out-door happenings and exhibitions.
SCHEDULED TO OPEN ON THE 28 OF AUGUST

Metz, Lorraine

800th Anniversary of the city's Saint-Etienne Cathedral, nicknamed "The Lantern of God," is renowned for its Chagall stained-glass windows. Celebrations begin December 8, 2019 through December 8. 2020.
WILL RESUME WHEN CONFINEMENT IN FRANCE IS LIFTED - WILL ADVISE
2020 will also be the 10th anniversary of the opening of the Pompidou Metz, the regional wing of Paris' Pompidou Center.

Rennes, Brittany

Contemporary art extravaganza during the Summer of 2020 in Rennes, capital of Brittany, featuring an exhibition of works from the acclaimed Pinault Collection.
POSTPONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

About Top French Cities – www.francepresskit.com

Top French Cities is an association of 29 cities, from regional capitals like Bordeaux to important towns like Avignon and Versailles. They are perfect for young travelers, families and anyone else looking for fun and authentic French experiences that will fit their budget. Most of these cities are university towns with a youthful atmosphere, but all of them reflect the heritage and distinctive flavors of the regions to which they belong. Many are forward-looking too, with historic buildings repurposed to house contemporary art and activity centers like Les Docks in Marseille. Many have created or integrated new, modern museums to contrast with their classical, architectural heritage, like in Nimes, where the cutting-edge Museum of Roman Civilization (Musée de la Romanité) is located across from the historic Roman amphitheater, or in Nantes, where whimsical mechanical creatures are being created, or in the UNESCO World Heritage Site concrete city of Le Havre.

Contact

Marion Fourestier
Atout France-The France Tourism Development Agency
212 745 0967