Bêtes et Sorcières Festival
Halloween Festival at Malbrouck Castle in Manderen-Ritzing
2026
About Bêtes et Sorcières
The Bêtes et Sorcières Festival is the signature autumn event at the Château de Malbrouck in Manderen-Ritzing, located in the north of the Moselle region. The Moselle Department, which owns and manages the site, decks out the fortress in autumn and Halloween-themed decor, offering a haunted castle experience complemented by evening performances. In 2025, the three-day festival was a complete sell-out, drawing 4,000 visitors. In 2026, the event expands to a two-week run, from October 17th to 31st.
Bêtes et Sorcières — edition 2026
The Bêtes et Sorcières Festival takes place from Saturday, October 17th to Saturday, October 31st, 2026, at the Château de Malbrouck in Manderen-Ritzing. The Moselle Department decks out the fortress in autumn and Halloween colors, featuring a walk-through experience in a haunted castle. The event concludes with two special evenings on Friday, October 30th, and Saturday, October 31st, from 5:00 PM to midnight, featuring terrifying shows followed by a little monsters' ball.
2026 Edition
The 2026 edition spans fifteen days, from Saturday, October 17th to Saturday, October 31st, a significant expansion from the previous three-day weekend format. The castle is open from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM between October 17th and 29th, though it will be closed on Mondays, October 19th and 26th. On October 30th and 31st, opening hours shift to 5:00 PM until midnight.
The Moselle Department has announced a walk-through experience through the castle, decorated for the autumn and Halloween season, centered around local legends. The highlights of the festival are the evenings of October 30th and 31st, which require reservations and feature terrifying performances followed by a little monsters' ball.
Specific activity details, show schedules, and the names of the performing companies have not yet been released. In 2024, the full schedule was published eighteen days before the opening.
The exhibition "Méliès, la magie du cinéma," which has been running since April 3rd, remains open until October 31st, 2026, covering the entire duration of the festival.
Highlights Bêtes et Sorcières 2026
- The two closing evenings on Friday, October 30th, and Saturday, October 31st, from 5:00 PM to midnight (reservation required)
- Terrifying shows followed by a little monsters' ball on those same evenings
- "Méliès, la magie du cinéma" exhibition, open until October 31st
Programme Bêtes et Sorcières 2026
From Saturday, October 17th to Thursday, October 29th, 2026
- 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM — Walk-through experience in the castle decorated for autumn and Halloween · closed on Mondays, October 19th and 26th
- Ongoing — Exhibition "Méliès, la magie du cinéma," open until October 31st
Friday, October 30th and Saturday, October 31st, 2026
- 5:00 PM to midnight — Festival highlights, by reservation only: terrifying shows followed by a little monsters' ball
This is the extent of the information provided in the castle's 2026 cultural season program. The Moselle Department has not yet released specific activity details, show times, or company names.
Prices Bêtes et Sorcières 2026
Practical information — Bêtes et Sorcières
Access
Château de Malbrouck, rue du Château, 57480 Manderen-Ritzing, in the north of the Moselle region, near the German and Luxembourgish borders. Free parking and electric vehicle charging stations are available on-site.
2026 Festival Hours
From October 17th to 29th, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. The castle is closed on Mondays, October 19th and 26th. On October 30th and 31st, the site is open from 5:00 PM to midnight, by reservation only. The ticket office closes one hour before the castle.
2026 Festival Admission
From October 17th to 29th: €7 full price, €5 reduced price, free for children under 12. On October 30th and 31st: €10 full price, €5 reduced price, free for children under 6. The reduced rate applies to those aged 12-25, students, and job seekers upon presentation of valid ID. Tickets for the regular 2026 season do not include festival admission.
On-site
Light refreshments available. Wivisites audio guide available for download. Dogs are not permitted inside the castle. The Department estimates a 2-hour visit for the castle outside of festival periods.
Contact
Château de Malbrouck: +33 (0)3 87 35 03 87, [email protected]. Full season program available at moselle-culture.fr.
The Château de Malbrouck
The castle was built in the early 15th century by Knight Arnold VI de Sierck on the Meinsberg hill, overlooking the village of Manderen from a height of 110 meters. At the time, it was known as the Château de Meinsberg. The name "Malbrouck" appeared in the 18th century, a reference to the Duke of Marlborough, who stayed at the castle in 1705 during the War of the Spanish Succession. Classified as a Historical Monument in 1930, the structure was damaged during the Second World War. The Moselle General Council purchased the ruins in 1975, began restoration work in 1989, and the castle reopened to the public in 1998. Today, it is one of the Department's "Passionnément Moselle" sites.
The castle has a trapezoidal layout with four towers (three square and one round with a cut side) connected by curtain walls 12 to 18 meters high and 2 to 4.80 meters thick. The site is also classified as a Remarkable Natural Area, situated in the heart of the Three Borders region, just a few kilometers from Germany and Luxembourg.
The Festival
The castle is decorated for Halloween, and visitors can explore the towers and corridors while following a path inspired by local legends. In both 2024 and 2025, the festival spanned three days, from Friday to Sunday. The 2025 edition, held on October 24th, 25th, and 26th, featured a mix of entertainment, interactive workshops, walk-throughs, and a pyrotechnic show; it sold out completely with 4,000 visitors.
The 2026 edition features a new format: it runs from October 17th to 31st, with daytime access until October 29th, followed by evening events on October 30th and 31st.
Where does it take place — Bêtes et Sorcières
Bêtes et Sorcières in brief
History of Bêtes et Sorcières
Edition 2025 Oct 2025Other festivals near Manderen-Ritzing
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