Beaujolais Nouveau Launch: every year, on the third Thursday of November the new Beaujolais wines are tasted, and then released for sale to the public around the world. This is always a special day for the French, as it marks the official release of the wine, and there is always much speculation on how well it compares to that of the previous year. The wine is tasted as the precursor to a lavish meal. Young wine drinkers look forward to this day as well, with special events held in bars, club and nightlife venues around the country.

Festival of Lights: the windows of Lyon’s homes are illuminated by candlelight during the Festival of Lights held on 8 December each year. The small candles are tributes to the Virgin Mary, and this tradition dates back to 1852 when a statue of the Virgin Mary was to be unveiled. Because of a fierce storm, the event was postponed, but immediately after the storm passed, the residents of the city spontaneously placed lighted candles in the windows of their homes – and joined their neighbours in the streets to celebrate. Today this illumination has become a four-day series of events, with contemporary lighting installations attracting thousands of visitors to the city.