From the Lire à Limoges book fair to the Roaring Twenties of Sarlat Swing It, eleven hand-picked New Aquitaine events this weekend, from Périgord to the Basque Country.
What to do in New Aquitaine on the weekend of June 6-7? The region covers every register: one of France's ten biggest book fairs, a medieval town turned Charleston ballroom, the country's only street-magic festival. Our pick of the week goes to Lire à Limoges, which gathers over 200 authors in the city centre. The same weekend, Sarlat Swing It plunges the jewel of the Périgord Noir back into the Roaring Twenties, while AbracadaVianne turns a Lot-et-Garonne bastide into a village of illusionists. A tour from the Limousin to the Atlantic.
Lire à Limoges (87): 200 authors in the heart of the city
From Friday June 5 to Sunday June 7, Lire à Limoges takes over Rue du Pont Saint-Martial and the city-centre venues. Created in 1984, the fair ranks among the ten biggest book events in France and draws close to 18,000 visitors. The programme brings together over 200 authors of general literature, crime fiction, comics, children's books and regional writing, for a weekend of signings, talks, workshops and panels. Entry is free and the line-up stays deliberately eclectic, open to both big names and debut novelists. A good plan for Saturday during the day, when the signing tables are at their busiest. Arrive early for the most sought-after autographs.
Musiques Métisses in Angoulême (16): world music closes its edition
From Thursday June 4 to Saturday June 6, Musiques Métisses wraps up its edition at 6 rue du Point du Jour in Angoulême. Founded in 1976 by Christian Mousset under the name Jazz en France, it is one of the oldest world-music festivals in the country. Each year the line-up gathers artists from every corner of the globe in a spirit of cultural crossroads. Concerts, encounters and shared moments run through to Saturday night, the festival's high point. A reference for anyone following the African, Latin and Eastern scenes. Saturday concentrates the headliners: the day to aim for to catch the festival at its peak.
Sarlat Swing It (24): the medieval town in Roaring Twenties mode
On Saturday June 6 and Sunday June 7, Sarlat Swing It takes over Place de la Liberté and the lanes of Sarlat-la-Canéda. For one weekend, this medieval jewel of the Périgord Noir slips into the atmosphere of the 1920s to 1950s: jazz and swing concerts, parades, Charleston, Lindy Hop and Balboa demonstrations. You'll find vintage clothing stalls, period hairdressers and classic cars, all set against golden stone that suits the party perfectly. The match between the musical line-up and Sarlat's heritage is the identity of this still little-known event. Best combined with a stroll through the market and the squares of the old town.
AbracadaVianne - Magic Festival (47): France's only street-magic gathering
On Saturday June 6 and Sunday June 7, AbracadaVianne transforms the medieval bastide of Vianne on Place des Marronniers. Launched in 2025 by magicians Erick Lantin and Valérie Beaulieu, winners of the Mandrake d'Or, the festival bills itself as the only street-magic event in France. For one weekend the village fills with international performers: close-up in the lanes, grand illusions, workshops and entertainment for all ages. The setting of ramparts and stone arcades adds to the sense of enchantment. A young, original and family-friendly format, worth discovering before word of mouth makes it a fixture. Shows spread across the two days, free roaming through the bastide.
Sparklers Festival at Château de Commarque (24): electronica in the Périgord cliffs
On Saturday June 6 and Sunday June 7, the Sparklers Festival settles at Château de Commarque, a troglodyte and castral site in Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil. Created in 2022, this biennial electronic-music festival hosts around fifteen international and local artists, in both DJ sets and live shows, amid the forests and cliffs of the Périgord Noir. Capped at 1,000 festival-goers, it cultivates intimacy and a strong connection to the landscape, far from the huge crowds of major electro festivals. The site, a listed historic monument, lends a rare dimension to the night-time line-up. With limited capacity, booking is essential for anyone hoping to experience it this year.
Fête de la Cerise in Itxassou (64): the black cherry of the Basque Country in the spotlight
On Sunday June 7, the village of Itxassou celebrates its Cherry Festival around the Atharri pelota court. Held since 1952 by the Itsasuarrak association, this country day honours the black cherry, the emblematic fruit of the inland Basque Country. On the programme: tastings and direct sales from producers, Basque pelota contests, Basque strength games, traditional dances and a large country meal. It's one of the most authentic gastronomic and folk festivals of the Basque spring calendar, run by the villagers themselves. Easy to pair with a walk through the Nive valley, a few kilometres from Cambo-les-Bains.
Festival Médiéval Sud Gironde in Landiras (33): chivalry and an artisan market
On Saturday June 6 and Sunday June 7, the Festival Médiéval Sud Gironde, also known as Bestofmédiéval, pitches camp at the Domaine du Bois Cabiros in Landiras, about thirty minutes from Bordeaux. The wooded site turns into a medieval town: chivalry shows, jousting, an artisan market, reenactment encampments and entertainment for the whole family. The event bets on historical immersion in a natural setting, a format increasingly popular with Gironde families. Food on site, an easy-going atmosphere and easy access from the N524. An ideal day out in the open air, period costume welcome.
Festival Chahuts in Bordeaux (33): the spoken-word arts take to the street
From Friday June 5 to Saturday June 13, the Festival Chahuts unfolds its spoken-word arts from the Saint-Michel community centre at 25 rue Permentade. Created in 1991, this Bordeaux event blends storytelling, theatre, dance, poetry, performance and music, in the streets as well as in the cultural venues of the Saint-Michel district. Most shows are free and the programme champions boldness and the meeting of audiences. The first weekend, June 6-7, kicks off the edition with strolling acts and short open-air pieces. A good moment to catch the festival's spirit before it builds intensity the following week.
Les Océanes de la Radio in Biscarrosse (40): the giant stage of the first Saturday in June
On Saturday June 6, Les Océanes de la Radio turn the Boulevard des Sables in Biscarrosse-Plage into a giant open-air stage. Run for over thirty years by the local radio Fréquence Grands Lacs, this free festival gathers more than 10,000 spectators facing the ocean every first Saturday of June. The FM radio platform, unique in Aquitaine, books French-speaking and international artists in a seaside-season opening atmosphere. Free access, evening concerts, a family crowd on the seafront esplanade. A chance to open the Landes summer on the coast, before the big crowds arrive.
Less Playboy is More Cowboy in Poitiers (86): indie emergence at Le Confort Moderne
From Saturday June 6 to Monday June 8, Less Playboy is More Cowboy takes over Le Confort Moderne at 185 rue du Faubourg du Pont-Neuf in Poitiers. Since 2010, this multidisciplinary festival run by the association L'Oreille est Hardie champions emergence and experimentation: rock, noise, electro, concerts, exhibitions and performances make up a deliberately trailblazing line-up. Three days to discover artists few mainstream festivals still dare to book, in a landmark cultural venue in the Vienne. An event made for the curious about the independent scene, far from consensual headliners. Affordable tickets, club atmosphere and free-access exhibitions.
La Bambino Party in Hourtin (33): the great children's gathering of the Médoc
On Saturday June 6 and Sunday June 7, La Bambino Party takes over the Île aux Enfants at Port d'Hourtin, on the shores of the largest natural freshwater lake in France. Run by the Médoc Atlantique tourist office and the town, the event is aimed at children aged 3 to 12 with shows, play structures, workshops and lakeside entertainment. It's the major family highlight of the Médoc Atlantique pre-season, in a rare natural setting. Easy access; bring a hat and sunscreen for the day by the water. A calm interlude, away from the big crowds of the Atlantic coast.
Worth a mention too
- Les Gaminades in Montmoreau (16): two days of young-audience shows, circus, theatre and puppetry in the town-hall park, in southern Charente, on June 6 and 7.
- Sorbidean Festibala in Hasparren (64): a week of theatrical creation at the Eihartzea park, with open rehearsals and premieres, from June 6.
For a wider sweep, head to our full weekend agenda. Enjoy your New Aquitaine trip.
