France to host Europe's largest Celtic music festival

France will host Europe's largest Celtic music festival next month.

Between August 1st and 10th the Interceltic Festival will take place, attracting more than 4,500 artists from around the world with their musical talent.

Around 650,000 spectators are expected to attend the ten-day event in Lorient, which was established in 1971 and has since gone from strength to strength.

Fiddle music, bagpipe lessons and ceilidhs will all be part of the celebrations, complemented by a ready supply of Celtic food and drink.

Each year the festival focuses on a different aspect of Celtic culture and for the 2008 event organisers have decided on Wales, giving UK holidaymakers an added interest in the celebrations.

Lorient is easily accessible and can be reached by motorways from Paris and Bordeaux, meaning those who travel to France on a cross-channel ferry could make their own way to the festival.

Furthermore, many of the events taking place as part of the festival are free, making it an inexpensive summer activity.