From the Mineral & Gem show in Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines to the Verdun sound-and-light spectacle, twelve Grand Est picks for the weekend of June 27 and 28, between medieval pageantry, cinema and street arts.
What's on in the Grand Est this weekend of June 27 and 28? The last weekend of June unfolds a spectacular range, from the Alsatian plain to the Meuse quarries. Our pick of the week goes to the Mineral & Gem show in Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines, the largest mineralogy fair in Europe, and to the monumental Des Flammes à la Lumière sound-and-light show reopening in Verdun on the Great War. Between a Moselle medieval fair, documentary cinema in Nancy, street arts in Sarreguemines, gastronomy by the Ill and gems from the Vosges and Haute-Marne, the lineup ranges wide. Here are twelve handpicked outings.
Mineral & Gem in Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines (68): the largest mineral fair in Europe
Through Sunday June 28, Mineral & Gem turns the centre of Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines into a vast exhibition space of nearly 52,000 sq m. The leading mineralogy and gemmology fair in Europe, second in the world after Tucson, Arizona, it gathers more than 1,000 exhibitors from around the globe. Raw minerals, cut gems, fossils, jewellery and collectors' pieces fill several themed zones at the heart of this former mining town of the Val d'Argent. Enthusiasts rub shoulders with simple onlookers, in an atmosphere where every display case tells a geological story. It's one of the unmissable events of the Haut-Rhin, to be experienced like a dive into the bowels of the Earth. Allow plenty of time: few leave empty-handed.
Des Flammes à la Lumière in Verdun (55): the largest WWI sound-and-light show
From Friday June 26, the Haudainville quarries host Des Flammes à la Lumière, the largest sound-and-light show in Europe devoted to the Great War. Created in 1996, this monumental spectacle mobilises 300 volunteer actors, 900 costumes and 1,300 projectors. Across sixty scenes, it retraces the intertwined fates of soldiers and civilians, French and German, from the Belle Époque to the Armistice and reconciliation. The setting of the former quarries, a stone's throw from the Verdun battlefields, lends the story a rare documentary power. It's a living fresco of memory, worth seeing at least once to grasp the scale of the volunteer effort and the emotion it stirs. A striking evening, best booked in advance.
Nancy International Film Festival (54): documentary in the spotlight
From Friday June 26 to July 5, the Nancy International Film Festival takes over La Manufacture and several venues in the ducal city. Devoted to documentary cinema and the discovery of young directors, the FIFNL offers an international official selection in and out of competition, open-air screenings and meetings with filmmakers. The opening weekend gets things rolling with its first screenings and convivial mood. It's an event for curious cinephiles attached to the real and to emerging voices, in a city ideally suited to strolling between two screenings. A fine alternative to the big fiction festivals, for anyone keen to step off the beaten track of the seventh art.
Rodemack Medieval City Festival (57): the largest medieval fair in Moselle
On June 27 and 28, the fortified village of Rodemack, nicknamed the "Little Carcassonne of Lorraine," hosts Rodemack Cité Médiévale en Fête. Organised for more than forty years by the Association des Amis des Vieilles Pierres, this family event is the largest medieval fair in Moselle. A medieval market, shows, encampments, craft demonstrations and costumed processions plunge visitors into the heart of the Middle Ages, in one of France's Most Beautiful Villages. The ramparts and cobbled lanes offer an authentic backdrop few re-enactments can match. Recommended for families to combine history, spectacle and heritage, a stone's throw from the Luxembourg border. A weekend to turn back time without leaving northern Lorraine.
Festival de la Saint-Paul in Sarreguemines (57): street arts in full swing
From June 26 to 28, the centre of Sarreguemines pulses to the Festival de la Saint-Paul, a street-arts gathering for more than thirty years. Street shows, circus, brass bands, jugglers, stilt-walkers and internationally renowned artists take over the squares and streets of this Moselle pottery town for free. The last weekend of June turns the border town into an open-air theatre, for young and old alike. It's a family-friendly, accessible festival, ideal for wandering from one surprise to the next. The easygoing mood and free entry make it a safe bet for an open-air weekend. Combine it with a look at the industrial and faience heritage that built Sarreguemines' reputation.
FISE Xperience Reims (51): extreme sports at the Porte de Mars
From June 26 to 28, the Porte de Mars esplanade hosts the FISE Xperience Reims, a leg of the French tour of the International Extreme Sports Festival. For three days, the best riders in BMX freestyle, freestyle scooter, skateboard and parkour compete in a fully urban atmosphere. Free and open to all, the event strings together competitions, demonstrations and taster sessions at the foot of the ancient Reims monument. It's a spectacular date for board-sport fans and for families curious to discover these fast-growing disciplines. The energy of the scene, the music and the young crowd give Reims the air of a street-sport capital for a weekend. Worth it for the aerial tricks as much as for the atmosphere.
Miro Festival in Ostwald (67): gastronomy and music by the Ill
From June 26 to 28, on the edge of Strasbourg, the Miro Festival pairs fine dining and music by the Ill, in Ostwald. Born in 2022 from the passion of chef Robin Dorgler, the event brings together chefs from France, Italy and the United Kingdom for masterclasses, while DJ sets and concerts of house, funk, electro and pop liven up the evenings. The green setting and relaxed spirit make it a flavourful interlude, halfway between a culinary festival and a music party. It's an original proposition for curious foodies and lovers of contemporary music, far from the usual formats. A fine way to combine plate and soundtrack in a natural setting, a stone's throw from the Alsatian capital.
Symphonie des Arts in Strasbourg (67): the orchestra under the stars
On June 27 and 28, the Jardin des Deux Rives hosts the Symphonie des Arts, an emblematic summer event of the Alsatian capital. Two days of free open-air concerts draw thousands of spectators, culminating in the Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra performing under the stars. Classical music is offered to the widest audience in a natural setting open onto the Rhine and nearby Germany. It's a moment of popular grace, where people come with family or friends to lay a blanket on the grass and listen to the orchestra at dusk. Recommended for experiencing classical music differently, in a festive, accessible atmosphere, far from the hushed concert hall.
Castel Rétro in Châteauvillain (52): vintage vehicles at the Parc aux Daims
On June 27 and 28, the Parc aux Daims in Châteauvillain, a 272-hectare green setting walled in stone since 1655, hosts Castel Rétro, a gathering for vintage-vehicle enthusiasts in eastern France. Pre-1981 cars, motorcycles, tractors and collector trucks are displayed in an exceptional setting, renowned for the quality of its presentations and the warmth of its welcome. It's a gem for lovers of period machinery and for ramblers after a fine Haute-Marne site. The walled park, its deer and its history add to the charm of this human-scale event. Combine it with a visit to Châteauvillain, a town of character too often overlooked, in the south of the Haute-Marne.
Quai des Bouquinistes in Joinville (52): antique books by the Marne
On June 27 and 28, the Quai des Peceaux and the Parc du Cavé, on the banks of the Marne, host Joinville's Quai des Bouquinistes. Since 2010, this market of antique, secondhand and collector books has gathered professional booksellers, regional authors and cultural associations for a weekend of bibliophile discoveries in the open air. Wandering from one stall to the next, unearthing a rare edition or chatting with a passionate bookseller: the event cultivates an old-world, welcoming charm in a soothing riverside setting. It's a gem for lovers of old paper and for the curious after a quiet outing. The Haute-Marne town of Joinville, rich with its Grand Jardin château, rounds off the visit. A Sunday adrift on water and pages.
Vache de Blues in Boulange (54): the blues in the open country
On June 26 and 27, the Bassompierre pond in Boulange rings with the guitars of Vache de Blues, a festival born in 2001 in tribute to guitarist Patrick Guyot. After fifteen editions in northern Lorraine and a long pause, the event reconnected with its audience in 2025 in this natural site of the border basin. Two days of free open-air concerts, in a convivial and family-friendly mood, give pride of place to the blues in all its forms. It's a gem worth supporting, both for its lineup and for its story of revival. The lakeside setting and warm spirit make it an ideal outing for fans of the genre and newcomers alike. Worth discovering for the sincerity of the project and the beauty of the place.
Festiv'Art Cirk'Ô'Zik in Cheniménil (88): circus and music under a green big top
On Saturday June 27, the Cheniménil stadium turns into a cheerful open-air big top for Festiv'Art Cirk'Ô'Zik, organised since 2004 by the Planète Jeunes association. This Vosges festival blends eclectic concerts and circus arts in a festive, family atmosphere. The afternoon is devoted to circus, juggling, theatre and dance shows for young and old, before a musical evening that extends the party. It's a community-run, convivial gem, carried by volunteers attached to their area. Recommended for families for a full day, at a gentle price, in the heart of the Vosges. The village spirit and the variety of the programme make it a fine discovery far from the big bills, to close out June with music and somersaults.
To explore other regions this weekend, head to our full weekend agenda. Enjoy the last weekend of June in the Grand Est.
