Brittany's biggest festival ends as crime writers descend on Concarneau

The weekend of July 18-19 closes a major chapter of the Breton summer. The Vieilles Charrues take their final bow in Carhaix-Plouguer, after four days of musical mass gathering. Meanwhile, Concarneau swaps its fishing harbour for crime plots, and Fouesnant brings out its Celtic circles for its oldest local fête.

Looking for something quieter? Our favourite is a low-key date: the Nuits de Largoët, which sets Breton music and legends at the foot of a medieval fortress in Elven, far from the big stages. Here's our sweep from Finistère to Morbihan, between headline acts and heritage gems.

Les Vieilles Charrues in Carhaix-Plouguer (29): the grand finale of France's biggest festival

Through July 19, Les Vieilles Charrues are living out their final stretch on the Kerampuilh site. Created in 1992, this festival draws more than 250,000 festival-goers each summer over four days. The line-up stays eclectic: rock, pop, electro, rap and French chanson all share the bill. Run from the outset by a volunteer association, it has become a symbol of festive Brittany, drawing crowds from across France.

This weekend marks its close. The final two days often carry the most anticipated headliners and a particular fervour: it's the last chance to soak up the atmosphere before the site empties out until next year. Well worth it for anyone who loves live music on a very large scale.

La Gacilly Photo Festival (56): Europe's largest open-air photo gallery

Through October 4, the La Gacilly Photo Festival turns the Morbihan village into an open-air gallery. Created in 2004 by Jacques Rocher, it is the largest open-air photography festival in Europe, expecting more than 300,000 visitors over the season. Around thirty monumental exhibitions take over the streets, squares and gardens: fine-art photography, photojournalism and reportage all blend together, entirely free of charge.

Why not visit before the peak-summer crowds arrive? This mid-July weekend is a good time to wander the lanes, between showers or visits to neighbouring villages. Allow two to three hours to walk the whole village on foot.

Le Chien Jaune Crime Fiction Festival in Concarneau (29): real crime writing on the quays

From July 17 to 19, Le Chien Jaune pitches its marquee on the Quai Carnot in Concarneau, the town immortalised by Simenon. Since 1995, this crime-fiction festival has gathered some twenty authors, illustrators and comic-book artists for three days of talks, signings, panels and workshops around detective fiction. Entry is free and open to all, right in the middle of the walled town.

This weekend is the entire 2026 edition. Head to the quays to catch an author at a signing, or follow a debate on crime and investigation. An ideal literary stop for noir-fiction fans, between two visits to the fortified town.

Monumental Projections on the Parliament of Brittany in Rennes (35): a video mapping show that launches this weekend

From July 18 through August 22, the façade of the Parliament of Brittany in Rennes lights up every evening with a free monumental projection show. Designed by Rennes-based company Spectaculaires – Allumeurs d'images, this video mapping plays with the monument's architectural details and its 120,000 stones to tell a new story, renewed each year.

The show actually kicks off this Saturday, July 18, organised by Rennes Métropole and Destination Rennes: a premiere right in the city centre, free and family-friendly. A fine way to end a Rennes evening, looking up at a transfigured Parliament square.

Fête des Pommiers in Fouesnant (29): Cornouaille's oldest traditional fête

On July 18 and 19, the Fête des Pommiers takes over the Place de la Mairie in Fouesnant. Held every third Sunday of July, this fête, among the oldest traditional celebrations in Cornouaille, honours apple trees, cider and Breton traditions. Parades of Celtic circles, cider competitions, fest-noz and a big fireworks display fill the programme.

Organised by Fouesnant's Comité des Fêtes since 1912, it draws thousands of visitors who come to watch traditional costumes and bagpipe bands parade through the streets. A family, popular event, best enjoyed by day for the parades and late into the night for the fest-noz and fireworks.

Festival of Sacred Music of Saint-Malo (35): sacred repertoire in the corsair city

From July 16 through August 9, the Festival of Sacred Music of Saint-Malo offers concerts in the town's religious buildings. The Saint-Vincent cathedral and Saint-Malo's churches host a repertoire spanning centuries, from baroque music to contemporary works.

This weekend falls right at the start of the edition: a good time to discover the programme before it settles into its summer routine. The setting, between ramparts and stained glass, offers a distinctive acoustic, appreciated by classical-music lovers and passing visitors to the corsair city alike.

Classic à l'Ouest in Crozon (29): chamber music at the edge of the world

From July 15 to 28, Classic à l'Ouest unfolds across the heritage sites of the Crozon peninsula. Founded in 2021 by cellist Barbara Chambellant, this chamber-music festival invites renowned artists to share great works of the chamber repertoire in chapels and churches steeped in history.

This July 18-19 weekend sits right in the middle of the programme, with several concerts to catch between the cliffs and moorlands of Finistère. A demanding, intimate proposition, far from the big amplified stages, for anyone who loves classical music in unlikely settings.

Festival du Conte de Baden (56): the last weekend for oral storytelling

Through July 19, the Festival du Conte de Baden brings together professional and amateur storytellers from across France. Founded in 1997, this celebration of Brittany's oral tradition unfolds in two parts: a winter festival in February, and this summer edition, in a spirit of shared conviviality.

This weekend closes the 2026 edition. It's the last chance to attend the evenings where legends and tales are told in the Morbihan commune of Baden. An original format for those who prefer words to musical notes, whether with family or fellow story lovers.

Les Nuits de Largoët in Elven (56): our favourite, at the foot of a fortress

Our gem of the weekend plays out in Elven. On July 17 and 18, Les Nuits de Largoët sets Breton music and live performance in the exceptional setting of the medieval Largoët fortress. Organised by the Bagad Elven since its first edition in 2021, the festival offers a weekend of concerts, shows, tales and legends, inside a 15th-century keep.

Why is it our favourite? For its spectacular setting and its still-modest scale: few Brittany festivals offer such a backdrop for such an accessible entry ticket. Best experienced at dusk, when the keep's stones stand out against the sky.

Laboh Festival in Bohal (56): a village fête on a human scale

On July 18, the Laboh Festival brings the small Morbihan commune of Bohal to life. Created in 2025 by Bohal's Comité des Fêtes, this human-scale music festival showcases local artists in a spirit of sharing and solidarity.

The entry ticket, set at 6 euros, gives 1 euro to a charity. For its first edition, the festival bets on accessibility and local roots rather than headliners: a simple, warm evening, powered by the energy of a village fête committee.

PAKA Festival in Grand-Champ (56): a musical world tour in two days

On July 18 and 19, the PAKA Festival sets up two stages in Grand-Champ, fifteen minutes from Vannes. Since its creation in 2022, this family-friendly, eco-conscious festival offers a musical journey around the globe with more than 20 artists and DJs. Reggae, African groove, cumbia, Middle Eastern sounds, electro and surprising fusions follow one another.

The natural setting and eco-conscious approach make it a different option from Brittany's traditional big stages, for a crowd curious about world music. A full weekend to spend on site, between daytime concerts and electro nights.

Worth a mention too

• Musique à Groix (56), through August 8: an international summer academy and thirteen orchestral, choral and jazz concerts on the island of Groix.
• Partir en Livre in Rennes (35), through July 19: the last weekend of the national children's book festival, with free open-air readings and workshops.

To discover other regions this weekend, head to our full weekend agenda. Enjoy your Brittany trip.