From the opening of the Carcassonne Festival to the flavours of Lot of Saveurs in Cahors, twelve Occitanie picks for the June 27-28 weekend, between ramparts, vineyards and Catalan giants.
What's on in Occitanie this weekend of June 27 and 28? The cultural summer shifts up a gear: the Carcassonne Festival opens at the foot of the ramparts, contemporary dance is in full swing in Montpellier, and Sète tips into electro with the launch of the Worldwide Festival. Our pick of the week goes to Médié-Nages, a medieval fête tucked beside Lake Laouzas in the Monts de l'Espinouse: a setting that changes everything. On the terroir side, Lot of Saveurs lays out its Grand Banquet in Cahors and Les Tablées de Vic gathers the Michelin-starred chefs of the Bigorre. Here is our selection, from big stages to village gems.
Festival de Carcassonne (11): the opening at the foot of the medieval City
The Festival de Carcassonne raises the curtain on June 26 and runs through July 31, at the foot of the ramparts of the UNESCO-listed City. With more than 200,000 spectators each summer and around 150 shows across some ten stages, it is one of the largest live-performance gatherings in the south of France. The opening weekend launches the programme: variety concerts, rock, theatre and great voices follow one another in a unique medieval setting. Worth catching for an evening at the foot of the towers, where the setting is already half the show. Part of the programme remains free, as part of the festival's outdoor strand.
Festival Montpellier Danse (34): choreographic creation at the Domaine d'O
Opened on June 20, the Festival Montpellier Danse continues through July 4 and so spans the whole weekend. Created in 1981, it ranks among the most prestigious contemporary dance festivals in the world. It stages its works at the Domaine d'O and across several metropolitan venues, bringing together established choreographers and emerging voices from five continents. The Domaine d'O itself, between pinewood and open-air stages, is part of the experience: you watch today's dance outdoors. A great choice for anyone following choreographic creation, with a consistently sharp line-up. Book ahead, as some pieces sell out fast.
Montauban en Scènes (82): contemporary music at the Jardin des Plantes
From June 25 to 28, Montauban en Scènes takes over the Jardin des Plantes in Montauban for Tarn-et-Garonne's great contemporary-music gathering. Created in 2015, the festival draws more than 30,000 spectators around some twenty national and international artists, with a programme blending pop, soul, hip-hop, electro and world music. The leafy setting and human-scale capacity make it both family-friendly and demanding. The closing weekend concentrates the headliners, ideal for an open-air concert in a warm atmosphere. Worth catching for an urban-pop line-up in a green setting, right by the town centre.
Les Siestes Électroniques in Toulouse (31): electro in the open air
From June 25 to 28, Les Siestes Électroniques sets up its decks in Toulouse for four days of electronic music and ambient. Created in 2015, the festival cultivates a trailblazing identity, between sharp sets, open-air listening sessions and discoveries from the international scene. The formula blends contemporary programming with suspended moments, in a relaxed atmosphere far from the genre's big bashes. A great choice for electronic-music fans seeking a curious bill rather than a parade of headliners. The weekend extends the edition across the pink city, between concerts, deckchairs and sonic explorations, for a resolutely summery end of June.
Worldwide Festival in Sète (34): electro, soul and jazz by the water
The Sète Worldwide Festival opens on June 28 and runs through July 5. Founded by British DJ and producer Gilles Peterson, this singular event blends electronic music, soul, jazz and world music in the island town dear to Brassens. Between concerts at the Théâtre de la Mer facing the Mediterranean and beach sessions, the festival has built an international reputation on its trailblazing programming and seaside setting. The opening Sunday sets the tone for a full week of music by the water. Worth catching for fans of groove and sharp selections, in one of the finest settings on the Languedoc coast.
What A Trip ! Festival in Montpellier (34): the travel and adventure film festival
From June 22 to 29, the What A Trip ! Festival stops in Montpellier, around the Centre Rabelais and the Peyrou esplanade. A benchmark for travel and adventure film in Occitanie, it offers documentary screenings, talks with directors, photo exhibitions, lectures and open-air concerts. Created in 2016, the event draws nearly 43,000 visitors and sets up a Travel Village in the heart of the city. The weekend falls mid-festival, perfect for combining film screenings with a summer stroll. A great choice for the curious-minded and for lovers of images that make you want to set off, in a friendly and accessible atmosphere.
Lot of Saveurs in Cahors (46): the Quercy's gourmet gathering
On June 27 and 28, Lot of Saveurs takes over the Allées Fénelon in Cahors to celebrate Lot gastronomy. Created in 2009 by the Grand Cahors, this popular festival brings together chefs, certified producers and food lovers around the produce of the Quercy terroir: truffle, walnuts, saffron, melon, farm lamb, foie gras and Cahors wines. The event's high point, the Grand Banquet, gathers hundreds of guests at long tables under the plane trees. Worth catching for an epicurean outing in the heart of the medieval city, between tastings, cooking demonstrations and a village-fête atmosphere. A taste of gourmet Quercy packed into two convivial days.
Les Tablées de Vic (65): starred chefs under the Vic-en-Bigorre market hall
From June 25 to 28, Les Tablées de Vic turn Vic-en-Bigorre into a capital of popular gastronomy. Created in 2015, the festival gathers each late June some twenty chefs — several of them Michelin-starred — under and around the town's emblematic market hall. On the menu: culinary creations showcasing Bigorre terroir produce and short supply chains, in a festive, family atmosphere. It is one of France's first popular gastronomy festivals, where you can eat exceptional cooking at an accessible price. A great choice for those who want to taste the work of great chefs outside the restaurant, at a friendly fête at the foot of the Pyrenees.
Diades Catalanes - Trobada de Gegants in Perpignan (66): giants and Catalan folklore
On June 27, Perpignan hosts the Trobada de Gegants, a great gathering of Catalan popular culture. Colles geganteres (giant troupes) and colles de bestiari (fantastical beasts) from the Roussillon and Catalonia converge on the Palais des Congrès and the town centre for a day of processions, parades (cercavilles), giant dances and Catalan folklore. The monumental figures parade to the sound of grallas and drums, in a cross-border tradition that is very much alive. Worth catching to discover the vitality of southern Catalan culture, free and family-friendly. A colourful street spectacle, a reminder of how much Perpignan looks toward Barcelona as much as Paris.
Médié-Nages in Nages (81): the Middle Ages beside Lake Laouzas
Our pick of the week. On June 27 and 28, Médié-Nages takes over the village of Nages, perched in the Monts de l'Espinouse beside Lake Laouzas. Organised by the association "Nages à travers les âges", this free medieval festival brings the Middle Ages back to life: knights in armour, troubadours, falconers, craftspeople and historical encampments settle into an exceptional natural setting, in the heart of the Haut-Languedoc Regional Nature Park. Its singularity lies in the backdrop, between water and mountain, which turns the re-enactment into real immersion. Worth catching for a family outing far from the crowds, where young and old cross paths with knights and craftspeople in an unspoiled Tarn village.
Festival de Poésie d'Auvillar (82): words in one of France's most beautiful villages
On June 27 and 28, the Auvillar Poetry Festival takes over this village listed among the Most Beautiful Villages in France, perched on a promontory overlooking the Garonne. Public readings, encounters with poets, performances and workshops unfold under the 18th-century round market hall and through the medieval lanes. Poetry resounds in a rare heritage setting, between golden stone and views over the valley. A great choice for lovers of living literature and hushed atmospheres, far from the big, noisy festivals. An intimate gem where setting and words echo each other, ideal for a contemplative pause in the heart of Tarn-et-Garonne.
Le Grand Rendez-Vous in Nasbinals (48): circus and street arts on the Aubrac
From June 26 to 28, Le Grand Rendez-Vous enlivens the Aubrac plateau, at Nasbinals in Lozère. Run by the association La Rosée du Matin, this live-performance festival blends circus, street arts, concerts and local gastronomy in a high-altitude natural setting. Free open-air shows and indoor concerts follow one another in a friendly, family atmosphere, in the heart of one of the finest landscapes of the Massif Central. Worth catching for those who want to combine cultural outings with the great outdoors, far from the big gatherings. A mid-mountain gem where the Aubrac backdrop, its summer pastures and granite villages add to the charm of the fête.
Worth a mention too
- Festen'Oc (09): free Occitan culture, musicians, singers and dancers, in the village of Saurat in the Ariège this weekend.
- Estiv'Alès (30): concerts, night markets and shows in the Tempéras arena, for the launch of the Alès summer.
For a wider sweep, head to our full weekend agenda. Enjoy your trip across Occitanie.
