Qinhuai Lantern Festival lights up France with Chinese New Year spirit
As the Chinese New Year approaches, the vibrant charm of the Qinhuai Lantern Festival is captivating locals and tourists alike in France.
The 40th China Qinhuai Lantern Festival and the 2nd Sino-French Barcares-Qinhuai Lantern Festival are currently lighting up the city of Barcares in the Perpignan metropolitan area, attracting throngs of visitors eager to experience traditional Chinese festivities.
The Nanjing Qinhuai Lantern Festival, with its 1,700-year history, is one of China's first national intangible cultural heritage events and is among the most celebrated folk festivals during the Chinese New Year in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, and across the country.
In December 2025, the festival officially opened its doors in France. Using lanterns as a medium, the Qinhuai Lantern Festival brings the unique charm of traditional Chinese culture and aesthetics to Europe, right to the doorstep of French citizens.
The festival features seven themed areas with 29 large-scale lantern displays and thousands of colorful lanterns, adorned with warm yellow palace lantern strips and poetic inscriptions.
Running until Feb 28, the festival offers locals a chance to experience the festive atmosphere of the Year of the Horse up close. Since its opening, the festival has attracted 190,000 visitors from France and neighboring countries such as Spain.
The festival site is alive with the sounds of lion dances, the sight of dazzling lanterns, exquisite intangible cultural heritage displays, and the melodious tunes of traditional Chinese opera, leaving visitors in awe.
In the interactive experience zone, booths featuring velvet flowers, paper cutting, gold foil, and fabric art are bustling with activity. Food stalls offering Nanjing delicacies such as Jinling pork buns, Nanjing roast duck, and beef potstickers have become must-visit spots for tourists.
The Qinhuai Lantern Festival has been showcased in over 50 countries and regions worldwide. It has developed a sustainable model of covering costs through ticket sales and derivative income.
In 2024, the 60th anniversary of China-France diplomatic relations was marked by the "Glorious China (Ceret-Nanjing) Qinhuai Lantern Festival", included in major national cultural exchange projects.
It attracted 200,000 visitors and generated approximately 3 million euros in revenue, showcasing the inclusivity and innovation of Chinese culture and promoting the harmonious coexistence of diversity.
Through its unique artistic expression, the Qinhuai Lantern Festival tells the story of China, fosters cultural exchange, and brings to life the vision of beauty in diversity under the glow of its radiant lanterns.
