Your Month-by-Month Guide
Explore the vibrant cultural life of the Dordogne and surrounding regions in Southwest France. From traditional village fêtes and food festivals to lively music events and vintage celebrations, there's always something happening nearby.
Use our detailed month-by-month guide for 2026 to plan your visit around the festivals that interest you most. Many are within easy driving distance of Beaux Souvenirs, and we're always happy to provide insider tips on the best ones to attend.
Comic book art on the buildings of Angouleme
January
- Bande Dessinée (Comic Strip Festival) - Angoulême (Charente) The 3rd largest comic festival in the world, held over 4 days at the end of January. A massive event attracting international artists and fans. 1 hour 15 minutes from Beaux Souvenirs bdangouleme.com
- Truffle Festival - Sarlat (Dordogne) Third week of January celebration of the Périgord Black Truffle with market stalls, demonstrations and tastings. 1 hour 10 minutes from Beaux Souvenirs
- La Fête de la Truffe - Sorges (Dordogne) Last Sunday in January. Home to the Truffle Museum, this festival attracts massive crowds with demonstrations, cooking competitions and a giant banquet. 30 minutes from Beaux Souvenirs
February
- Horse Racing & Events - Arnac-Pompadour (Corrèze), France's National Stud holds horse racing and equestrian events every month from February through October. 1 hour from Beaux Souvenirs
Floralies at Saint-Jean-de-Cole
March
- Fest de L'Oie (Goose Festival) - Sarlat-la-Canéda (Dordogne) Two days in early March with geese parading through the town, cookery demonstrations and celebrating all things goose. 1 hour 10 minutes from Beaux Souvenirs sarlat-tourisme.com
April
- Châteaux en Fête - Throughout the Dordogne, the Last two weeks of April, when over 80 Dordogne châteaux open their doors for special festivities and tours. Various locations, many within 30-60 minutes of Beaux Souvenirs chateauxenfete.com
May
- Fête de la Fraise - Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne (Corrèze) Second Sunday in May, celebrating strawberries, including the making of an 8-foot strawberry tart! 2 hours 13 minutes from Beaux Souvenirs
- Fête des Fraises et des Fleurs - Vergt (Dordogne), third weekend in May. Dordogne's strawberry capital hosts this strawberry-and-flower festival, attracting up to 15,000 visitors. 1 hour 13 minutes from Beaux Souvenirs
- Fête des Fromages Fermier - Rocamadour (Lot) Whit Sunday cheese festival in the stunning hilltop village. 2 hours 15 minutes from Beaux Souvenirs
- Les Floralies - Saint-Jean-de-Côle (Dordogne) Second weekend in May. Huge floral festival in one of France's most beautiful villages, attracting over 10,000 visitors. 25 minutes from Beaux Souvenirs - highly recommended! floralies-saintjean.fr
World Music Festival in Perigueux
Snail Festival in La Coquille
June
- Rendez-vous aux Jardins - Throughout France June 5 - 7. Over 2,200 gardens, from historical to private, open across France (and 20 other European countries) to promote all aspects of gardening. Various locations rendezvousauxjardins.culture.gouv.fr
- Jazz Pourpre en Périgord - Bergerac (Dordogne) 11 - 14 June 2026, featuring jazz concerts across the town. 1 hour 35 minutes from Beaux Souvenirs
- World Music Festival (Fête de la Musique) - Throughout France, June 21st celebrates all types of music with numerous free events across the country, including Périgueux, Limoges and local villages. Various locations
July
- Félibrée - Abjat-sur-Bandiat (Dordogne) - 2026. Location: Three-day festival celebrating Occitan du Périgord (local language and culture). Now in its 105th year, held July 3 - 5, 2026. 18 minutes from Beaux Souvenirs
- Cognac Blues Festival - Cognac (Charente) Six days in early July. This festival has been running since the 1990s, featuring top blues artists. 1 hour 46 minutes from Beaux Souvenirs bluespassions.com
- Fête de l'Escargot (Snail Festival) - La Coquille (Dordogne) Second weekend of July, celebrating the humble snail. 10 minutes from Beaux Souvenirs - our nearest town!
- Tour de France - Périgueux Stage (Dordogne) France's iconic bike race stops overnight in Périgueux on July 11, 2026. A rare opportunity to experience the Tour de France atmosphere. 55 minutes from Beaux Souvenirs
- Bastille Day - Throughout France, July 14th. France's national holiday is celebrated with village fêtes, communal gatherings, music and spectacular fireworks displays. Celebrations in Mialet and the surrounding villages
- Festival des Jeux du Théâtre - Sarlat (Dordogne): The last two weeks of July. Now in its 73rd year, it features over 18 theatre shows with prominent actors and directors. 1 hour 46 minutes from Beaux Souvenirs festival-theatre-sarlat.com
- Festival International des Arts du Mime et du Geste (MIMOS) - Périgueux (Dordogne) June 30-4 July 2026. Founded in 1983 in honour of mime artist Marcel Marceau, celebrating nonverbal performance including mime, puppetry, clowning and hip-hop. 55 minutes from Beaux Souvenirs odyssee-perigueux.fr
- Fête du Cognac - Cognac (Charente) 23 - 25 July 2026. Massive 3-day music festival featuring prominent names - yet to be released for 2026. 1 hour 20 minutes from Beaux Souvenirs lafeteducognac.fr
Vintage Days in Perigueux
July-August
- Summer Musical in Bergerac - Bergerac and surrounding area (Dordogne), First two weeks of August. Live music and traditional dance against the backdrop of historic sites and monuments. 1 hour 35 minutes from Beaux Souvenirs
- The Vézère Festival - Brive area (Dordogne) Month-long classical music festival in all its forms, running from July 16 to 19, 2026. Various venues, 1 hour 36 minutes from Beaux Souvenirs festival-vezere.com
- Vintage Days - Périgueux (Dordogne) Last weekend in August. Three-day celebration of everything vintage, from fashion and dancing to car parades with over 100 vintage vehicles. Shops and restaurants contribute to an incredible atmosphere. 51 minutes from Beaux Souvenirs - one of our favourites! perigueuxvintagedays.com
September
- Heritage Days (Journées du Patrimoine) - Throughout France, September 19 - 20. Many places of interest that are generally closed to the public are open for viewing, including châteaux, government buildings, and private estates. Various locations
- Hot Air Balloon Festival - Rocamadour (Lot) Last weekend in September. Massive festival in a stunning hilltop location. 2 hours 17 minutes from Beaux Souvenirs
October
- Fête de la Châtaigne (Chestnut Festival) - Dournazac (Haute-Vienne) Last weekend in October, celebrating chestnuts with tastings, products and demonstrations. 12 minutes from Beaux Souvenirs
- Rue des Métiers d'Art - Nontron (Dordogne) brings together the best artisans in a delightful setting. THE show for rural arts and crafts. 26 minutes from Beaux Souvenirs
November
- Fête de la Pomme (Apple Fair) - Sainte-Anne Saint-Priest (Haute-Vienne), November 5th, celebrating all things apple. 1 hour 25 minutes from Beaux Souvenirs
- Gourmet Book Festival - Périgueux (Dordogne) November 13 - 15, 2026. Authors promote their cookbooks through food tastings, local produce, and cookery demonstrations. 52 minutes from Beaux Souvenirs
- La Foire aux Dindons (Turkey Festival) - Varaignes (Dordogne), November 11th, with turkeys running through the village, plus bourru (young wine) and chestnut celebrations. 43 minutes from Beaux Souvenirs
- Beaujolais Nouveau Day - Throughout France, the Third Thursday in November celebrates the first bottled wine of the year. Celebrated in restaurants and bars across the region. Various locations
December
- Christmas Markets - Limoges (Haute-Vienne) and Périgueux (Dordogne) Throughout December. Traditional Christmas markets feature crafts, gifts, food, and a festive atmosphere. 45 - 55 minutes from Beaux Souvenirs
- Foire aux Chapons (Capon Festival) - Blond (Haute-Vienne) December 13th. More than 10,000 visitors attend to see the Brotherhood procession and capon racing. 1 hour 4 minutes from Beaux Souvenirs
The Chestnut festival in Dournazac
Perigeuex Annual Book Festival
Plan Your Visit Around the Festivals
Many of these festivals offer an excellent reason to time your stay at Beaux Souvenirs. We keep the gîte information up to date and are always happy to help with recommendations, directions, and booking tips. Whether you're drawn to food festivals celebrating truffles, strawberries and chestnuts, music events from jazz to classical, or unique cultural experiences like Vintage Days in Périgueux, there's always something special happening nearby. Some of our closest favourites include the Floralies in Saint-Jean-de-Côle (25 minutes), the Snail Festival in La Coquille (10 minutes), and the Chestnut Festival in Dournazac (20 minutes). From these intimate village celebrations to world-famous events like the Angoulême Comic Festival, you'll find festivities throughout the year that showcase the rich culture, traditions and gastronomy of Southwest France.
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Things to See & Do
Mialet
The charming village of Mialet is located in the Dordogne, South West France in the Aquitaine region.
Top 12 Attractions
There are so many places to visit and things to do in our area. To give you a little taster we have created a list of our top 12 favourites.
What to See in Our Region
There are countless places to visit within a 2-hour radius of Miallet. Here are the main sites including drive time and distance.
Where & What to Eat
Eating out is a fabulous experience in this part of France and there is a huge variety of establishments to choose from.
Festivals & Events
Annual calendar of festivals & events in the Dordogne and nearby departments.
Sports & Outdoors
The North Dordogne or Perigord Vert is a perfect location for those with a great affinity to the great outdoors.