Carnaval de Lorient
The grand popular and festive parade of Lorient
About Carnaval de Lorient
The Carnaval de Lorient is a popular and festive event organized each year in March by the City of Lorient. For several weeks, schools, leisure centers, cultural and sports associations prepare floats, costumes, and choreographies around a different theme each year. The highlight is the grand Saturday parade, where thousands of costumed participants parade through the streets of Lorient, accompanied by music bands and street circus groups, for an afternoon of collective celebration that concludes with the burning of the Bonhomme Carnaval.
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The Carnaval de Lorient: a popular festival rooted in the city
Each year in March, the city of Lorient transforms into a huge street theater for its Carnival. This unifying event mobilizes thousands of Lorient residents of all ages, from schoolchildren to seniors, from families to associations, in a creative and festive adventure that lasts several weeks.
Collective and participatory preparation
From February onwards, the City of Lorient offers a series of free workshops open to all to prepare for the big day: costume and mask making workshops, singing and dancing rehearsals, float construction, discovery of world recipes, and popular games. These collective creation sessions bring together residents from different neighborhoods and promote intergenerational exchanges.
Schools, leisure centers, and cultural and sports associations are fully involved in the preparation, creating spectacular costumes and original staging related to the annual theme.
The grand parade: an explosion of colors and joy
On Carnival Saturday, it's the big day. The procession sets off in the early afternoon from Rue Victor Massé and crosses the streets of Lorient in an explosion of colors, music, and dances. Music bands and street circus groups accompany the parade, creating a joyful and lively atmosphere. The public is invited to join the celebration, in costume and with face paint.
The parade concludes with a spectacular moment: the burning of the Bonhomme Carnaval, a symbol of the end of the festivities and the renewal of spring.
A different theme each year
Each edition of the Carnaval de Lorient is built around an original theme that fuels the imagination of the participants: cinema, around the world, fairy tales, nature... This theme guides the creation of costumes, floats, and entertainment, offering a renewed and surprising spectacle every year.
Carnaval de Lorient — edition 2026
The Carnaval de Lorient 2026 will have the theme 'Around the World in 80 Days'. The grand parade is scheduled for Saturday, March 28, 2026, starting at 3 PM from Rue Victor Massé. Musicians, street circus groups, and thousands of costumed participants will parade through the streets of Lorient.
Carnaval de Lorient 2026 - Around the World in 80 Days
For the 2026 edition, the Carnaval de Lorient invites participants on an Around the World in 80 Days adventure. From February to March 2026, free workshops for creating costumes, world songs and dances, traditional recipes, and popular games will mark the preparation for the big day.
On Saturday, March 28, 2026, the procession will set off at 3 PM for a colorful parade through the city center, punctuated by music and dances from the five continents, before the final burning of the Bonhomme Carnaval.
Programme Carnaval de Lorient 2026
Carnival 2026 Program
- February-March 2026: Free creative workshops (costumes, masks, world songs, dances)
- Saturday, March 28, 2026 at 3 PM: Grand costume parade from Rue Victor Massé
- End of procession: Burning of the Bonhomme Carnaval
Prices Carnaval de Lorient 2026
Practical information — Carnaval de Lorient
Practical Information
Date
The grand parade of the Carnaval de Lorient takes place every year on a Saturday in late March. Preparatory workshops are held in the preceding weeks, from February to March.
Parade Route
The procession starts from Rue Victor Massé and crosses the city center of Lorient. The start is at 3 PM. The exact route and assembly points are communicated on the official website of the City of Lorient.
Access
By car: Lorient is accessible via the RN165 expressway. Prefer peripheral parking lots as the city center is pedestrianized during the parade.
By train: Lorient station is served by TGV from Paris and TER from Rennes, Quimper, and Vannes.
By bus: The CTRL network serves the entire Lorient urban area.
Price
The Carnaval de Lorient is an entirely free event and open to all. The preparatory workshops are also free.
Tips
- Come in costume and with face paint to fully participate in the celebration!
- Bring warm clothes under your costume (March can be cool in Brittany).
- Families with children are welcome.
Contact
- Official website: www.lorient.bzh/carnaval
- City of Lorient: 02 97 02 22 00
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Where does it take place — Carnaval de Lorient
Centre-ville de Lorient
Rue Victor Massé, 56100 Lorient