Après le Dégel
Festival of Movement Arts in Châteauroux
About Après le Dégel
The Movement Festival in Châteauroux
Après le Dégel was born in 2022 from a desire by Équinoxe, Scène Nationale de Châteauroux, to create a highlight dedicated to the arts of movement. Its name, an homage to the former "Barrière de dégel" festival, evokes the resumption of movement after a period of frost, a metaphor for spring renewal and cultural revival.
Circus, Dance, and Performance
The festival places the disciplines of movement at the heart of its programming: contemporary circus, dance, performances, street arts, and hybrid forms. Each edition explores these disciplines from a different angle. In 2025, dance was particularly highlighted, from family celebration dances to essential major choreographies, while retaining what makes the event unique: funny shows, creations, an explosive concert on Saturday evening, and a fanfare at the market.
An Open and Accessible Festival
Designed as a true end-of-season celebration for everyone, Après le Dégel offers a large majority of free shows in public spaces, close to the residents. The festival takes over the squares, streets, parks, and cultural venues of Châteauroux, transforming the city into an open-air stage for nearly two weeks.
A Committed National Stage
Équinoxe, Scène Nationale de Châteauroux, is a nationally recognized creation and performance venue. A member of the Territoires de Cirque network, the institution develops a demanding and popular program throughout the season. The Après le Dégel festival is its spring highlight, bringing together emerging and established artists in a festive and friendly atmosphere.
An Expanding Event
Since its first edition in 2022, the festival has continued to grow. The fourth edition in 2025 extended over two full weeks, from May 14 to 27, demonstrating the public's and artists' enthusiasm for this event, which has become a major fixture in live performance in the Centre-Val de Loire region.
Après le Dégel — edition 2026
5th edition of the festival Après le Dégel in Châteauroux, from Tuesday, May 26 to Sunday, May 31, 2026. On the theme Voyage, voyages!, Équinoxe — Scène Nationale offers nearly a week of shows dedicated to movement: circus, dance, performances, and street arts. The heart of the festival is the weekend of May 30-31 on the Parvis, with free access, also featuring two indoor plays (PÈRES and Fugue).
5th edition: Voyage, voyages!
For its fifth edition, the Après le Dégel festival places travel at the heart of its program. From Tuesday, May 26 to Sunday, May 31, 2026, Équinoxe — Scène Nationale de Châteauroux takes over the Parvis, the stage, and several downtown locations for a spring celebration dedicated to circus, dance, theater, and performances.
A big free weekend on the Parvis
On Saturday, May 30 and Sunday, May 31, the Équinoxe Parvis transforms into an open stage. Acrobatics, hip-hop dance, street theater, magic, freestyle, brass band, concert: about twenty proposals follow one another with free access, for all audiences, continuously from 11 a.m. to over 8 p.m. The program includes Pasterne, How much we carry, Au commencement était la chute, Aristide et Bastien, Hot Dog, Héroïnes, Somos, and the concert Malabaaar closing Saturday evening.
Indoor shows
Regarding ticketing, the festival offers two indoor plays: PÈRES by Compagnie Babel (object theater, May 26-27 at 8:30 p.m.) and Fugue by Mélodie Joinville (dance, Friday, May 29 at 8:30 p.m. in the Jean-Yves Gateaud hall). Équinoxe rates (7 to 29 €). Also offered are Thomas Perriau Bébon's Premières recherches in the lobby, with free access from May 26 to 31.
Practical information
Online ticketing at billetterie.equinoxe-chateauroux.fr or by phone at 02 54 08 34 34. The complete festival brochure can be downloaded from the Équinoxe website.
Programme Après le Dégel 2026
Tuesday, May 26 and Wednesday, May 27, 2026
- 7 p.m. — Premières recherches · Hall · Thomas Perriau Bébon (free)
- 8:30 p.m. — PÈRES · Plateau · Compagnie Babel, object theater, 1 hr (7-29 €)
Thursday, May 28, 2026
- 7 p.m. — Premières recherches · Hall (free)
Friday, May 29, 2026
- 7 p.m. — Premières recherches · Hall (free)
- 8:30 p.m. — Fugue · Salle Jean-Yves Gateaud · Mélodie Joinville, dance, 1 hr (7-29 €)
- 10 p.m. — Berceuses (GANG) · Parvis · acrobatic circus, 45 min (free)
Saturday, May 30, 2026 — big free day on the Parvis
- 11 a.m. — Fanfare pop street · Place de la République · jazz brass band, 1 hr (free)
- 11 a.m. — TOmBouCTou · Mail Saint-Gildas · father-son tightrope walking, 50 min (free)
- 2 p.m.-7 p.m. — Au Cardinal borgne · Parvis · magic, 30 min (free, continuous)
- 2:30 p.m.-6 p.m. — Pasterne · Parvis · acrobatics, 35 min (free)
- 3:15 p.m.-6:45 p.m. — How much we carry · Parvis · immersive circus, 35 min (free)
- 4 p.m. — Aristide et Bastien · Parvis · hip-hop, 30 min (free)
- 4:30 p.m. — Hot Dog · Parvis · burlesque acrobatics, 30 min (free)
- 5:30 p.m. — Au commencement était la chute · Plateau · acrobatics, 50 min (free)
- 8 p.m. — Malabaaar · Parvis · concert, 1 hr 15 min (free)
Sunday, May 31, 2026
- 2 p.m.-7 p.m. — Au Cardinal borgne · Parvis · magic (free, continuous)
- 2:30 p.m.-4 p.m. — How much we carry · Parvis · immersive circus (free)
- 3 p.m. — Héroïnes · Parvis · street theater, 50 min (free)
- 3:50 p.m.-4:45 p.m. — Stupid pony gun girl / Avant la tempête · Parvis · performances, 15 min (free)
- 4:30 p.m.-5 p.m. — La Team foot freestyle · Parvis · freestyle football, 10 min (free)
- 5 p.m. — Somos · Plateau · collaborative dance, 25 min (free)
- 5:45 p.m. — madame, monsieur, bonsoir ! · Parvis · comic theater, 1 hr 15 min (free)
- 7 p.m. — Au commencement était la chute · Plateau · acrobatics (free)
Highlights Après le Dégel 2026
- 5th edition on the theme Voyage, voyages!
- Big free weekend on the Parvis on Saturday, May 30 and Sunday, May 31
- Nearly 20 free-access shows (circus, dance, street theater, magic, concert)
- Two indoor creations: PÈRES (object theater) and Fugue (dance)
- Malabaaar concert closing Saturday evening
- Pop street brass band at Place de la République and father-son tightrope walking on Mail Saint-Gildas
Prices Après le Dégel 2026
Practical information — Après le Dégel
Practical Information
Access
The festival takes place in various locations in Châteauroux, with Équinoxe, Scène Nationale as the central point.
- By car: Châteauroux is accessible via the A20 from Paris (2h30) and Limoges (2h).
- By train: Châteauroux SNCF station, served by the Paris-Austerlitz/Limoges/Toulouse lines. Équinoxe is a 10-minute walk from the station.
Schedules
- Shows spread over two weeks, during the day and in the evening
- Detailed program available on the Équinoxe website
Prices
- Many free shows in public spaces
- Indoor shows: Équinoxe prices (from 6 to 25 euros depending on the shows)
- Online ticketing available
Ticketing
Équinoxe - Scène Nationale de Châteauroux
Tel: 02 54 08 34 34
[email protected]
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Where does it take place — Après le Dégel
Équinoxe - Scène Nationale de Châteauroux
Avenue Charles de Gaulle, 36000 Châteauroux