As if the sizzling temperatures weren’t hot enough, Cannes La Bocca and Menton are kicking it up another notch.

Sexy Samba

You hear Rio, you think Sugarloaf Mountain, samba, cuties with booties, and La Bocca, right? Well, if that has not yet been your standard association, that will change this year as Cannes’ western-most community is hosting Cannes Bocca Fiesta through 31st August. The seven-week Brazilian-themed summer festival is packed to the gills with activities ranging from music and dance to flower parades, mini Olympics and beach volleyball tournaments.

Let yourself be lured to the dance floor by flamboyant traditional Batucada music, or listen to concerts by internationally renowned musicians like Renata Rosa or talent waiting to strike it big like Roda do Cavaco. Watch amateur athletes from both countries face off in friendly competitions, or just hang out with pals from here and there around a BBQ…. It’s all easy-going and fun, and in this ambiance, all you need is a caipirinha in your hand to be transported from La Bocca to La Copacabana without ever stepping on a plane.

The full programme is available on the Ville de Cannes website.

Tantalising Tango

If you prefer the sultry rhythm of tango over the feverish pitch of samba, then Menton is your destination. A favorite annual tradition by now, Buenos Aires is coming to visit from 15 to 17 July, bringing with it its music, dance, and culture which is so deeply rooted in Southern European heritage and yet so exotic. Emotion, passion, and sensuality meet melancholic nostalgia at the 14th Menton Tango Encuentros event.

Throughout the three day festival, silky smooth Argentinian tango dancers showcase their skills, and the public is encouraged to join in, be it in free afternoon classes for experts and beginners, or around an apéro tango with Latin American food specialities. The evening programme offers highlights of Argentinian culture: Milonga Hyperion Ensemble is opening the ball, quite literally, on the 15th, animated by internationally renowned Niçois DJ Céline Devèze. Saturday, 16th is dedicated to Milonga Atipica Milonguera, a French-Argentinian music and dance formation with a mission to contemporize tango. And the closing ball on Sunday, 17th, is animated once again by DJ Céline Devèze, famous for her knack of mixing tango with international dance music. A typical national dinner under the stars on all three nights offers a range of the country’s culinary treasures. ¡Vámonos bailàr amigos!

Find the full programme on the Tango Menton website.

Lead image courtesy Tango Menton