Colors of Nimes - traditions, festivals, mentality and lifestyle

Amazing ancient monuments that have been preserved in the city since the reign of the Roman Empire remain the main symbols of Nimes. It shouldn't come as a surprise that a city with such an interesting historical heritage is distinguished by special cultural traditions. Many interesting festivals and holidays are held in Nimes throughout the year. One of the largest holidays in the city’s calendar is dedicated to the Holy Trinity. The beautiful religious festival lasts as long as six days. Apart from solemn religious ceremonies that take place in the main city churches, guests of the festival will enjoy a lot of entertainment. They'll be able to watch colorful processions passing through the streets, attend music and dance performances, and taste special holiday treats.

Some features of the traditional culture of Nimes are completely different from those of other cities. For example, the townspeople consider flamenco dance, which is not at all common for the rest of France, an important part of their culture. Almost all local holidays are accompanied by beautiful performances of local dance groups. The original historical festival takes place in Nimes in May, the main venue is the Amphitheater - the main ancient attraction in the city. This holiday is dedicated to the culture and traditions that prevailed in the city in the Roman era. Theater performances and gladiator fights, as well as reenactments of important historical events of ancient times, are held here regularly. In recent years, the festival program has expanded to offer more entertaining events for children. The fact of conducting entertainment programs on the ancient stage makes the holiday even more unique.

Travelers visiting Nimes in June will have a chance to participate in the annual festival La Nuit des Jardins dedicated to regional culture and traditions. This summer festival is also held in the open air, one of the main stages for it is equipped in the main city garden. Not only local folk groups but also modern music performers participate in the festival program. Children's playgrounds and attractions are always equipped near the stages where performances take place, and some rides and carousels are also popular among adults. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

The annual Festival de Nimes kicks off in July and is attended by the largest number of guests and artists from abroad. The festival program is very diverse, all its guests will be able to choose entertainment to their liking. A mandatory part of the holiday is bullfighting, as well as horse races, which remain one of the locals' favorite entertainments. Music performances take place every day during the festival, and night fairs are very popular with tourists at this time.

The festival program is so extensive that many entertainment events take place at night. When darkness falls, street markets open to offer customers the best regional products and original souvenirs. Going for a walk in night-time Nimes, you can witness enchanting dance shows and exciting street performances. As part of the main city festival, Nimes' guests are offered special excursion programs. They can visit numerous museums for free, see ancient attractions, and look into the most hidden corners of the city.

Nîmes is the only city in France whose residents are big fans of bullfighting and consider it an integral part of their culture. There is even a thematic museum dedicated to bullfighting - one of a kind in the country. The townspeople have inherited the tradition of bullfighting and love for fiery flamenco dance from the Spaniards.

Now the city has a lot of specialized stores where visitors are offered special clothes and shoes for dancing, and many tourists buy them as souvenirs. At special dance schools and flamenco clubs, everyone can take a couple of dance lessons. Nimes is considered one of the country's most “non-French” cities. Many traditions and customs alien to residents of other cities of France have taken root only here. It'd be interesting to visit Nimes at any time of the year - a series of holidays and festivals is considered never-ending here.