For twenty five years now, the first weekend of December has been synonymous with Téléthon all over France. Organized by the Association française contre les myopathies (the French Muscular Dystrophy Association), also known as AFM, the fund-raising operation is without contest the most important yearly national charity event in the country, raising close to 100 million Euros every year. It combines a 30-hour TV show and tens of thousands of local events across France so to make a donation or to learn about the many festivities organized in your area, make sure to check the Téléthon's website. Aside from this good cause, may other events are also organized all over the Riviera and as usual we have compiled a list of ideas that we think may appeal to all of you.

Tonight (Friday) at 8pm, the cathedral in Monaco will host a concert entitled '3000 candles and 3 voices' by Ensemble Vars Musica, in aid of the fight against AIDS.

Also tonight in Antibes, Bluewater Yachting with the Riviera International Singers invite you to join them for a Carol Concert in the cathedral in the old town. The concert is a fundraiser for the Antibes Lifeboat and is most definitely worth supporting. Tickets for the evening are priced at €10 for adults and €5 for children, and every cent is going directly to the lifeboat.

If you like Mahler, the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Mark Wigglesworth with the Rundfunkchor Berlin, will perform Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection" this Sunday at 6pm at the Grimaldi Forum.

Wirh Christmas just around the corner, do not miss the Foire aux santons of Mouans-Sartoux. This amazing exhibition is the greatest and most ancient fair dedicated to the traditional provencal art of making Christmas crib figures in the Alpes Maritimes. Running until the 24th of December, thousands of "santons de Provence", of all shapes, sizes and colors will be on display.

Staying in Mouans Sartoux, the International Club of the Riviera are holding their annual seasonal event, the X'mas
Fusion Gala at the Grange at 7.00pm on Saturday. A sumptuous buffet dinner of international and traditional festive fare will be served with plenty of musical entertainment during the evening.

If you are in Cannes this Saturday, why not go see French singer, Julien Doré, winner of the fifth season of the television show Nouvelle Star, who will perform at 8:30pm at the Théâtre Croisette.

Running until the 6th of January 2012, Hôtel Métropole in Monte-Carto is paying tribute to Lewis Carroll with a "Christmas in Wonderland" theme, in all public areas of the hotel, including the buzzing bar and the Restaurant Joël Robuchon Monte-Carlo, and Yoshi, Joël Robuchon's first Japanese restaurant are set to be transformed. The decorations will include a huge Christmas tree decorated in powder pinks and lime greens and adorned with golden touches, rock candies, giant biscuits and pocket watches!

For ten years now, 'La Nuit du Gospel' at the Nikaia in Nice has allowed European audiences to get familiar with artists from the Black American scene. This Thursday at the Nikaia, the bill will feature Craig Adams & the Voices of New Orleans, among many other artists.

Art lovers, you may want to check out the new Jean Cocteau Museum in Menton which holds a temporary exhibition dedicated to Jean Sabrier, a Bordeaux based artist, who gives new perspectives to paintings through art history. It will also give you the opportunity to admire more than 2,000 works from the multi-talented Cocteau.

In Nice, Galerie Oscar celebrates 6 months of existence with an exhibition of non-figurative works by accomplished artist Sibilla Bjarnason.

On the sporting front, the Cagnes Hippodrome is kicking off its winter season this Monday, while the two local soccer teams, AS Monaco and OGC Nice are respectively hosting Metz at 8pm tonight and Rennes at 8pm on Saturday.

That's it for this week. We hope December will be off to a great start for you. As usual, keep checking our Facebook page for your daily slice of Riviera life.

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