Last weekend of June in Northern France: Beauvais in armour, Corbie in the streets

The last weekend of June marks the real start of the festive summer in Northern France. On Saturday the 27th and Sunday the 28th, you can hesitate between a reconstructed medieval town in Beauvais, a neo-Tudor castle filled with baroque music on the Opal Coast, and tens of thousands of spectators packed into the streets of Corbie. Our pick of the week goes to the Fêtes Jeanne Hachette, one of the oldest historical festivals in France, free and spectacular right in the town centre. Here are eleven ideas to plan your weekend by mood, from the Thiérache to the northern beaches, by way of the parks of the Somme and the Oise.

Fêtes Jeanne Hachette in Beauvais (60): the medieval town repels the siege

Every last weekend of June, Beauvais commemorates Jeanne Hachette, the heroine who, hatchet in hand, pushed back the troops of Charles the Bold during the siege of 1472. The Fêtes Jeanne Hachette, on Saturday the 27th and Sunday the 28th, rank among the oldest historical festivals in France. The fully free event turns the town centre into a medieval encampment: a market facing the cathedral, costumed troupes, a parade, crafts and demonstrations. This is our pick of the weekend, for its popular scale and its backdrop of Gothic stone. You wander between the stalls, watch the procession and dive into a local history the town carries with pride. An ideal family outing to open the summer.

Fête dans la Rue in Corbie (80): street arts take over the town

On Saturday June 27, Fête dans la Rue turns the centre of Corbie into a vast open-air stage. Since 1995, this international street-arts festival has gathered between 20,000 and 25,000 spectators around shows, concerts, parades and traditional games. Run by the town council, the event is free and reaches into every corner of the Picard town. Street-theatre companies, roaming brass bands and acrobatic performances follow one another from morning to night. The atmosphere is that of a giant village fête, where you meet the artists at the turn of an alley. Best experienced by wandering, with no fixed programme, letting yourself be surprised. One of the finest street-arts gatherings in the region.

Retro C Trop in Tilloloy (80): rock and pop legends under the trees

In the grounds of the Château de Tilloloy, Retro C Trop unfolds three days from June 26 to 28 devoted to the music of the 1950s to the 1990s. Since 2015, this retro and vintage festival has summoned legends of rock, pop and international variety in a festive, offbeat atmosphere. Beyond the concerts, the site offers classic-car exhibitions, retro activities and a vintage village. The setting of the château and its park gives the weekend the air of an elegant country fête. The broad, multigenerational crowd comes as much for the headliners as for the nostalgic spirit. Saturday and Sunday concentrate the big names of the edition. For anyone who loves singing along to hits that have crossed the decades, this is the place to be this weekend.

Fêtes Jean de La Fontaine in Château-Thierry (02): the fabulist's great festival

From June 26 to 28, Château-Thierry celebrates its most famous son with the Fêtes Jean de La Fontaine. Created in 1853 and revived in 1959, these festivities gather thousands of participants each year in the fabulist's birthplace. On the programme: a grand costumed parade with brass bands and street performers, open-air concerts at the Parc Saint-Joseph and a lively event village all weekend. The festival blends literary tribute, local traditions and live performance in a resolutely popular mood. People come as families, follow the procession and settle in at the village. It is one of the great summer gatherings of the Aisne, deeply rooted in the town's identity. Three days to celebrate culture in the open air.

La Ronde des Briques in Guise (02): pop-rock at the foot of the Familistère

On the square of the Familistère Godin, La Ronde des Briques returns on June 26 and 27 for two days of pop-rock. Created in 2023 by the Thiérache Sambre et Oise community of communes, this young festival established itself in record time as the leading musical event in Picardy, with more than 7,000 spectators by its second edition. The setting is exceptional: the Familistère de Guise, a listed utopian social palace, frames the stages. The line-up mixes headliners and discoveries in a warm atmosphere. Friday and Saturday evening concentrate the concerts. An outing that combines extraordinary industrial heritage with the energy of a festival built with passion. To discover before the crowds make it a must.

Festival Rock R4 in Revelles (80): three days of free open-air rock

Born in 1998 in Revelles, the Festival Rock R4 takes over the village's open-air space from June 26 to 28. Run by the R4 association, this entirely free rock festival offers three days of concerts blending local bands, emerging acts and headliners of French and international rock. A committed eco-festival, it draws more than 10,000 festival-goers in a friendly, activist atmosphere. The programming alternates raw energy and discoveries, with no price barrier. The human-scale open-air site cultivates a spirit of collective, eco-responsible celebration. Camping, local food and nearby stages round out the experience. For a rock weekend that won't break the bank, in the heart of the Somme countryside, it is a safe bet for the last weekend of June.

En Nord Beat Festival in Bailleul (59): contemporary music out in nature

At the Parc Legrand Grubbe, the En Nord Beat Festival unfolds three days of contemporary and alternative music from June 26 to 28. Created in 2017 in the Flanders, this human-scale festival welcomes around fifty artists on four stages in a relaxed atmosphere. Rock, reggae, electro, world music and hip-hop make up a deliberately eclectic line-up. The green park setting, at the edge of the Flanders, gives the weekend the feel of a great summer breather. The loyal, young crowd appreciates the lack of excess and the closeness to the artists. Food stalls, chill-out areas and accessible stages complete the picture. An ideal alternative to saturated mega-festivals, for those who want to discover artists in a rural, welcoming setting.

Festival Plein Air in Douai (59): electronic music by the lake

At the Parc de Loisirs Jacques Vernier, the Festival Plein Air gathers the electronic-music fans of the Douai area on Saturday June 27 and Sunday June 28. Since 2021, this event has welcomed thousands of festival-goers each year by the lake for two days of electro across four stages. The line-up mixes international headliners and emerging artists from the electronic scene. The setting, between water and greenery, turns the park into a vast open-air dancefloor. The energy builds from the afternoon right through the night. House, techno and alternative electro sets follow one another across the stages. For those who want to dance all weekend in a natural setting rather than a club, the Plein Air has become the electro event of the north.

Midsummer Festival in Condette (62): baroque's final day at the Château d'Hardelot

At the Château d'Hardelot, the Midsummer Festival closes its week of baroque music, begun at the solstice, on Saturday June 27. Created in 2009 when the château, restored by the regional council, reopened, it explores the musical ties between France and Great Britain through original, singular programming. The setting is exceptional: a neo-Tudor castle set in a park, a stone's throw from the Opal Coast. The final evening often concentrates the most anticipated ensembles of the edition, on period instruments. Intimate capacity, careful acoustics, a refined atmosphere far from the big halls. An elegant interlude to close out June, to pair with a walk towards Hardelot-Plage and its dunes. The meeting point for lovers of rare repertoires.

Musique au bois in Creuse (80): chamber music in a Picard barn

From June 26 to 28, the small village of Creuse hosts Musique au bois, an intimate classical music festival born in 2010. Conceived by young Picard musicians, it is held each year in the Grange de la Ferme d'Antan, a singular rural setting. Over three days, chamber-music, jazz and classical-repertoire concerts follow one another in a warm, confidential atmosphere. The contrast between great music and the rural backdrop is the whole charm of the event. The small, passionate audience enjoys a rare closeness to the performers. Off the prestigious circuits, it is a gem for curious music lovers. Book ahead, as capacity is limited. A timeless interlude in the heart of the Somme.

Woodrock Festival in Urcel (02): French-language song with a village-fête spirit

In the grounds of the Urcel school, the Woodrock Festival takes place on June 26 and 27 for two days of friendly, family-oriented music. Created in 2011 by the Les Rockiens des Bois association, it grew from a wish to bring culture to the countryside. The line-up, entirely devoted to French-singing artists, blends chanson, blues, rock, hip-hop and punk. The spirit remains that of a generous village fête, where people come as much for the music as for the atmosphere. Small food stalls, a human-scale stage and a loyal crowd make for an endearing event. It is a gem for anyone wanting to discover the emerging French-language scene in a simple, warm setting. The opposite of a sanitised festival, one to put on your weekend programme.

Worth a mention too

• Les Rencontres Musicales de Cambrai (59): chamber music and symphonic concerts in the art deco theatre and heritage venues of the Cambrésis, directed by Jean-Pierre Wiart.
• International Garden Festival - Hortillonnages (80): a contemporary art trail to explore by boat or on foot through the floating gardens of Amiens, running until October.
• Polofolies (62): a free, family-friendly summer event in Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise, with concerts, circus, street theatre and a producers' market at the Square de Warstein every Friday evening.

For a broader sweep across other regions, head to our full weekend agenda. Enjoy a festive summer in Northern France.