From the closing night at the Grange de Meslay to the Game Fair in the Sologne and Rêvoluktion One's dancefloor inside the Château de Valençay, ten picks for a weekend of sharp contrasts.
The weekend of June 13 and 14 sees several major cycles close while others open in Centre-Val de Loire. The Grange de Meslay Festival wraps its final evening on Sunday after three weeks of chamber music in a 13th-century tithe barn. Sixty kilometres away, the Game Fair pulls its last visitors through on Sunday after drawing 92,000 nature enthusiasts to the Sologne. Our pick of the weekend goes to Rêvoluktion One, an electronic music festival installed in the courtyard of the Château de Valençay — a deliberate clash between Renaissance architecture and an open-air dancefloor that captures something real about the Loire Valley's creative vitality. Six departments, ten events, five worlds: from literature to goldsmiths' crafts, from jazz to a children's stage.
Grange de Meslay Festival in Parçay-Meslay (37): the closing concert before the long break
Founded in 1964 by Sviatoslav Richter, the Grange de Meslay Festival plays its final evenings this weekend, on June 13 and 14, before the 13th-century tithe barn closes until next year. Three weeks of chamber music, piano recitals and internationally acclaimed ensembles have filled the stone nave ten minutes north of Tours. This 2026 edition has faithfully carried forward the Russian pianist's legacy, in acoustics that performers themselves describe as exceptional. The Sunday evening concert closes the season in the intimate spirit Richter intended: no vast hall, no giant screen, just stone, music and wooden benches. Book ahead — the last tickets go quickly.
Game Fair in Lamotte-Beuvron (41): 92,000 visitors and 65 hectares of Sologne countryside
France's largest hunting, nature and outdoor activities show closes on Sunday at the Parc Équestre Fédéral in Lamotte-Beuvron, after three days across 65 hectares of the Sologne. Founded in 1981, Game Fair brings together some 600 exhibitors representing 5,000 brands in themed villages: hunting, fishing, falconry, sport shooting, game cooking and outdoor gear. Gundog demonstrations, raptor training sessions and gastronomic areas featuring wild produce and terroir recipes make it an immersion into French hunting culture that reaches well beyond the regular shooting crowd. Sunday is family day, with children's activities and wildlife displays as the show winds down.
Rêvoluktion One in Valençay (36): electronic music moves into a Renaissance château
Rêvoluktion One sets up its dancefloor in the courtyard of the Château de Valençay on June 13 and 14, a listed 16th-century monument that was once the residence of Prince Talleyrand. The Luçay – Media & Fun association transforms this Indre landmark into an electronic music stage, with an immersive sound system and light shows that play off the Renaissance facades. The line-up blends techno, house and progressive electro, in a controlled capacity that keeps the intimacy of the setting. It's a cultural bet that breaks the mould: you come to dance where Napoleon held his diplomatic congresses. The tension between the château's architectural rigour and the energy of the night sets is the festival's strongest argument.
Meusnes in Jazz in Meusnes (41): jazz and Touraine wines on a family estate
The grounds of the Château de Quinçay in Meusnes welcome the Meusnes in Jazz edition on Saturday June 13, a day of concerts spanning jazz, soul, blues and electro-swing on a family wine estate active since 1860. The line-up features French ensembles rooted in the contemporary jazz scene, set against a bucolic backdrop where Touraine and Touraine-Chenonceaux appellations accompany the brass. Entry is affordable, the vibe is relaxed, and the intimate scale means musicians and festival-goers cross paths easily around the tables. A model of a terroir festival that doesn't need big names to work — it relies on the quality of the setting and the musical curation.
Hey Gamins! in Chécy (45): free family festival on the banks of the Loire
Created in 2012 by the town of Chécy and L'Astrolabe, Orléans' contemporary music venue, Hey Gamins! takes over the Base de loisirs du Val des Pâtures on the Loire on June 13 and 14. Over two days, this completely free festival aimed at young audiences offers high-energy concerts, creative workshops, outdoor readings and off-the-wall entertainment. The 2026 programme blends music and circus arts for the under-12s, though the accompanying adults will not be bored — the invited artists know how to play on the line between childhood wonder and absurdist humour. The riverside setting, ten kilometres from Orléans, makes it an ideal family outing with a picnic on the lawn between shows.
Le Grand Unisson in Saint-Jean-de-la-Ruelle (45): the Orléans Métropole's free festival
Founded in 1990, Le Grand Unisson closes its 2026 edition on Saturday June 13 at the Stade de l'IRESDA in Saint-Jean-de-la-Ruelle, after two days of entirely free outdoor concerts. The Orléans Métropole's first contemporary music festival, 'Le Grand U' brings together around 10,000 festival-goers each year around an eclectic programme mixing nationally recognised artists on the main stage with local discoveries on the second. Total free entry, a laid-back atmosphere and genre diversity — pop, reggae, electro and more — make it one of the most popular events in the Loiret. Saturday is usually the biggest night: arrive early for a good spot.
Les Nouvelles Traversées de Noirlac in Bruère-Allichamps (18): opening night at the Cistercian abbey
Les Nouvelles Traversées open their 2026 edition on Sunday June 14 in the Abbaye de Noirlac, a 12th-century Cistercian monument ranked among the best-preserved in France. This festival of medieval, Baroque, traditional and contemporary music returns for its thirtieth consecutive year to this stone setting with unmatched natural acoustics. The opening programme sets the tone for three weeks running through July 4: ensembles from across Europe, an approach that balances musicological depth with accessibility for non-specialist audiences. A Sunday afternoon at Noirlac, in the soft half-light of the chapter house, is one of the most singular sonic experiences in Centre-Val de Loire.
Touche du Bois Festival at Le Grand-Pressigny (37): puppetry and clown on a meadow stage
Founded in 2022 by Compagnie Lait au Rhum, the Touche du Bois Festival holds its second edition on June 12 and 13 at the Pré du Petit Moulin, in the Indre-et-Loire village of Le Grand-Pressigny, a short walk from the medieval fortress. This biennial multidisciplinary festival celebrates wood as material and symbol — carved puppetry, clowning, street theatre and live craftsmanship come together in a village fête atmosphere. The programme, built around collective creation and living crafts, prioritises emerging companies and short pieces performed directly on the grass. A discovery for those who prefer the raw energy of a collective-run festival over the polished formats of larger events.
Fête de l'Or in Saint-Amand-Montrond (18): goldsmithing and craft arts in the heart of Berry
On June 13 and 14, the Fête de l'Or celebrates at the Pyramide des Métiers d'Art one of the least-known specialities of Centre-Val de Loire: Saint-Amand-Montrond is France's third gold jewellery centre after Paris and Lyon. The event spotlights goldsmiths, stone-setters, polishers and engravers from the area, with demonstrations of craftsmanship, direct sales from local workshops and activities around precious metals. It's a heritage gem that reveals a thriving economic sector in rural Berry, an hour from Bourges. The Pyramide's professional training setting lends the event a grounded, craft-first character that makes the visit genuinely instructive.
Plumes en Berry at Château de Chabenet (36): a book fair beneath a medieval keep
On Sunday June 14, Plumes en Berry gathers around thirty authors, illustrators and publishers from the Centre-Val de Loire region in the grounds of the Château de Chabenet, a 15th-century fortress overlooking the Creuse river at Le Pont-Chrétien-Chabenet, near Argenton-sur-Creuse. This annual book fair bets on closeness between readers and creators: signings, panel discussions, readings and workshops unfold across the castle rooms and park, with particular attention to regional literature and independent publishers. For those already exploring the Creuse valley this weekend, the château is a remarkable stop in its own right — the moat and keep offer an intact medieval setting that far outclasses the average urban book fair venue.
Also worth a look this weekend
- Guitare en Cher in Civray-de-Touraine (June 13) — open-air guitar festival on the banks of the Cher, acoustic to rock, €5 entry
- Foire aux Vins de Quincy (June 13-14) — 40 AOC Quincy winemakers, tastings and direct sales around Sauvignon Blanc
To browse all festivals running this weekend across every region, head to our full weekend agenda. Enjoy your time in the Loire Valley.
