In the UK we celebrate Mardi Gras with pancakes, but in many places around the world they celebrate with parties. Enormous, colourful, magical parties that need to be seen to be believed. While Rio de Janeiro and New Orleans are perhaps the most well-known, you don't need to travel to the other side of the world to celebrate - France is home to some of the best carnivals in Europe. 

Two of France's most celebrated carnivals are held in Dunkirk and Granville on France's Northern coast.  

Dunkirk's carnival is one of the noisiest, busiest and weirdest carnivals in France, and easily one of the best in the whole country, if not Europe. The carnival takes place every weekend from 21 January to 11 March, so there are plenty of opportunities to visit and take part in the festivities. There are balls, bands and processions every weekend, colourful and elaborate costumes that make cosplay look like child's play, and some of the strangest traditions you'll ever see (including a herring throw from the balcony of the town hall).  

The Normandy town of Granville celebrates its 149th carnival in 2023, and so popular and culturally important is Granville's carnival that in 2016 it was added to UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Beginning on 17 February the people of Granville come together for five days of celebrations, with bands, parades and partying that lasts long into the night. The carnival begins with the mayor of Granville handing the keys to the city to the Carnival King, a giant papier mâché figure who traditionally leads the festivities and ends with a procession of satirical floats and elaborate costumes that heads down to the harbour where the Carnival King is 'tried' and burned on a pyre, followed by a huge confetti battle in the streets! 

Take a trip to Dunkirk or Granville this year with DFDS and immerse yourself in the extravagance and spectacle of carnival for yourself this Mardi Gras. The ferry company operates up to 54 daily ferry crossings from Dover to Calais and Dunkirk. Travel with your vehicle and up to four passengers on a day return from £39 or a 3-day short break from £99 return.  

For easy access to Granville, travel on the Newhaven-Dieppe route directly to Normandy from just £80 for a car and two people. 

Visit the company's duty-free shop at Calais before your return crossing and save up to 50 per cent off UK high street prices on everything from cases of wine and beer to your favourite perfumes, gifts, and LEGO.  

For more information or to book visit www.dfds.com. 

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For further press information, please contact: 

Michelle Ulyatt / Adam Toombs / Charlotte Burnap / Karen Bayfield  

Roch PR Ltd 

T: +44 1304 807744 

E: dfdsteam@rochpr.com   

About DFDS: 

DFDS provides ferry and transport services in and around Europe, generating annual revenues of EUR 2.3 bn.  

To over 10,000 freight customers we deliver high performance and superior reliability through ferry & port terminal services, and transport and logistics solutions. DFDS delivers high reliability to more than 10,000 freight customers through ferry and port terminal services and transport and logistics solutions.  

For more than five million passengers, it provides safe overnight and short sea ferry services.  

Our 8,000 employees are located on ships and in in offices across 20 countries. DFDS was founded in 1866, is headquartered in Copenhagen, and listed on Nasdaq Copenhagen.  
 
In the UK, DFDS operates passenger ferry services on routes from Dover to Calais, Dover to Dunkirk, Newcastle to Amsterdam and Newhaven to Dieppe. 
 
DFDS has been named 'Europe's Leading Ferry Operator' for 11 years running (2012-2022), as well as the 'World's Leading Ferry Operator' for the last 12 years (2011-22). 
 
DFDS currently operates up to 54 sailings a day between Dover and Calais and Dunkirk.  DFDS also offers two daily sailings between Newcastle and Amsterdam. In addition, the UK network includes a passenger and freight service between Newhaven and Dieppe, which has four daily sailings and is owned by Transmanche Ferries. 
 
For further information about DFDS, or to find out about the latest sailing times, fares and offers across all routes from the UK, visit www.dfds.com.