Carnival of Venice
Every year Venetians star in another Commedia dell’Arte.

Fête du citron (Lemon Festival)
Floats decorated with citrus fruits create excitement in the streets of Menton.

Carnival in Brazil
Samba's everywhere and the party's in full swing in Salvador!

Carnival de Nice
You're invited to join the fun at the biggest carnival on the French Riviera.

Carnival in Dunkirk
Everyone dons their most fabulous costumes and parades through the streets.

Quebec Winter Carnival
An Ice Palace is the venue for the annual Bonhomme Carnaval.

Carnival in Brazil
Samba's everywhere and the party's in full swing in Salvador!

Salvador, Venice, Nice, Cologne… the greatest carnivals in the world!

Carnival: a festive tradition

From the favelas of Rio to palaces in Venice, the origin of carnival can be found in Christianity. It was the last chance for all-out revelry and feasting before Lent and fasting started.

On Shrove Tuesday, the inhabitants of Nice, Cologne, or even Québec, would pour into the streets, singing and dancing. More than a religious celebration, carnival has become, in every corner of the world, a time for everyone to let go and live it up.

Colorful events

When the highly awaited event comes around, everyone gets ready to have a blast!. In the south of France, citrus fruit is the main feature in the fabulous parade of decorated floats during the Fête du Citron (Lemon Festival) in Menton.

Meanwhile, in Salvador (Bahia, Brazil), the place is jumping to the sound of marching bands and samba schools. A wild profusion of colors, music and tasty specialties thrills and dazzles everyone of every age!

Masks on - or off!

Great for letting it all hang out, carnival gives everyone the perfect chance to let their imagination go wild. In Venice and Dunkirk, the art of costume and disguises is handed down from one generation to the next.

Concealed behind a mask or a clet’che (a disguise in Dunkirk), the carnavaleux dance up a storm at the masked ball. Lots of makeup, sequins and anything that glitters are rule number one in creating spectacular costumes!