Annual festival reaches out to people from all walks of life

Every year at the start of summer, Hong Kong takes on a markedly Gallic hue. Le French May is one of the city's longest-running festivals, having started in 1993, and also one of the most popular, reaching out around the city to appeal to people from all walks of life.

The theme for this year's fest, which runs from May 1 until the end of June, will be "Dreams and Wonders", a title which gives some idea of the wide-ranging programmes on offer.

One of the most eagerly anticipated highlights will be an exhibition of the works of Claude Monet, one of France's most acclaimed artists and a founding member of the Impressionist movement, whose paintings addressed such diverse subjects as rural scenes and the Parisian train station of Saint Lazare.

Other events include classical music concerts, jazz sessions, dance performances ranging from ballet to hip-hop, a circus, a mini film festival, and opportunities to sample the best of French food and wine.

The two-month festival encompasses 120 events, and has become a major part of Hong Kong's cultural scene, winning a Gold Award for Arts Promotion from the Arts Development Council in 2008, and being recognised as one of the most significant arts festivals in Asia. "Le French May aims to touch everything, to be everywhere and for everyone," says Le French May's CEO Julien-Loïc Garin.

"Touching everything means showcasing the most diversified art forms, from heritage and contemporary arts, paintings and design, to classical music and hip-hop dance, cinema and new circus.