Châteauvallon-Liberté — Summer Festival
Dance, theater, circus, and music at the national stage of Ollioules, under the Provençal stars
About Châteauvallon Summer Festival
Châteauvallon-Liberté: Sixty Years of Open-Air Creation in the Heart of Provence's Var Region
Perched on the limestone hills overlooking Ollioules and the bay of Toulon, the Châteauvallon site is one of France's most unique artistic creation venues. Its open-air amphitheater, carved directly into the limestone rock of the Provençal hills, offers one of the most striking panoramas for a performance space: the view encompasses the surrounding hills, the terraced slopes, and on clear days, the distant sparkle of the Mediterranean.
It is in this exceptional setting that one of the most important summer festivals in the South of France has developed since the 1960s: the Châteauvallon-Liberté Summer Festival. Today managed by the national stage Châteauvallon-Liberté — which also runs Le Liberté in Toulon — this festival is the highlight of the Var region's artistic season, attracting spectators from the Var, PACA region, and all over France each year.
Sixty Years of Creative Freedom
Châteauvallon was founded in 1965 by Pierre Lacroix, a visionary artist who discovered the site and wanted to create an alternative cultural space, outside traditional institutions. With its hills, terraces, natural amphitheater, and the unique light of Provence, Châteauvallon was born as a place of artistic freedom and a meeting point between the arts and nature.
Over the decades, the venue has hosted the greatest national and international artists: renowned choreographers, experimental theater troupes, contemporary circus companies, and musicians from around the world. The festival has helped launch talents who have gone on to mark their time, while remaining true to its initial ambition: to make this Provençal rock a space for encounters between live art and the general public.
Artistic Direction by Charles Berling
Since taking over as director, Charles Berling — actor, director, and an iconic figure in French cinema and theater — has brought new momentum to Châteauvallon. Under his leadership, the national stage has strengthened its commitment to contemporary creation and multidisciplinarity, while preserving the historical link between live art and the Var region. The summer festival has become the culmination of this vision: a crossroads of disciplines, aesthetics, and audiences.
A National Multidisciplinary Festival
What sets the Châteauvallon-Liberté Summer Festival apart is the richness and diversity of its programming. Over several weeks in June and July, the festival offers a comprehensive panorama of contemporary performing arts:
- Contemporary Dance: The most important choreographers on the French and international scene — from Angelin Preljocaj (whose company is based in Aix-en-Provence) to the new generations — present their latest creations in the open-air amphitheater.
- Theater: Demanding productions, contemporary texts or revisited classics, monologues, and performances, led by the most significant artists on the French theater scene.
- Contemporary Circus: Major creation circus companies, which have revolutionized this art form by bringing it closer to theater and dance, find a stage at Châteauvallon that matches their ambitions.
- Music: Concerts from all genres — jazz, world music, chamber music, acoustic electronic — in the nocturnal setting of the amphitheater.
- Digital Arts: In tune with the times, the festival incorporates creations that blend digital technologies, projected images, interactive installations, and hybrid performances.
Open Air as an Artistic Dimension
Châteauvallon's unique characteristic is its open-air amphitheater and the relationship it establishes between the performance, the audience, and the natural environment. Artists who create here often integrate this connection to the open space, the sky, the wind, and the fading evening light: the venue itself becomes a dramaturgical element. The spectator is not just in a hall; they are in Provence, under the stars, facing the landscape.
The 60th Anniversary in 2025
The 2025 edition of the Châteauvallon-Liberté Summer Festival marked a significant symbolic milestone: the 60th anniversary of the site. From June 26 to July 29, 2025, the anniversary program brought together iconic artists from the venue's history and creations reflecting the vitality of contemporary performing arts. This anniversary was an opportunity to trace sixty years of artistic history, honor the artists who built Châteauvallon's reputation, and celebrate a unique cultural adventure in France.
Châteauvallon Summer Festival — edition 2026
The Châteauvallon-Liberté Summer Festival returns from June 26 to July 28, 2026, in the open-air amphitheater of Ollioules. The program, unveiled by the Var national stage, blends opera, dance, theater, and cinema: Madama Butterfly by the Opéra de Toulon as the opening, the legendary Nelken (The Carnations) by Pina Bausch by the Tanztheater Wuppertal (only French dates), Beauséjour by Mourad Merzouki, Carmen by Abou Lagraa, and Les Résistantes with Charles Berling. This edition is the last one presented by the current management.
Summer Festival 2026 — June 26 to July 28
The Châteauvallon-Liberté Summer Festival takes place from June 26 to July 28, 2026, in the open-air amphitheater of Ollioules. After the 60th-anniversary edition in 2025, the Var national stage offers a dense and multidisciplinary program blending opera, dance, theater, and cinema. Director Charles Berling announced that this is the last edition he will present with his team.
A program at the crossroads of arts
The festival opens with the opera Madama Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini, presented by the Opéra de Toulon in a staging by Florent Siaud. Dance is in the spotlight with a major highlight: the Tanztheater Wuppertal presents Nelken (The Carnations), a masterpiece by Pina Bausch, for its only French dates. The program continues with Beauséjour by Mourad Merzouki (Compagnie Käfig), Carmen revisited by Abou Lagraa with the Ballet de l'Opéra de Tunis, and No Mundo which celebrates 30 years of Kubilai Khan investigations by Frank Micheletti.
Theater and cinema
On the theater side, Les Résistantes brings together Charles Berling, Philippe Collin, and Violaine Ballet around the history of women in the Resistance, and Manières d'être vivant by Clara Hédouin adapts the thought of Baptiste Morizot. A cinema cycle around Pina Bausch complements the dance with three films screened outdoors: Les Rêves dansants, Dancing Pina, and Pina by Wim Wenders.
Tickets and the full brochure are available on the Châteauvallon-Liberté website.
Programme Châteauvallon Summer Festival 2026
Friday, June 26, Sunday, June 28, and Tuesday, June 30, 2026
- Madama Butterfly — Opera by Giacomo Puccini, by the Opéra de Toulon, directed by Florent Siaud · Amphitheater
Saturday, July 4, 2026 — 8:30 PM
- Les Résistantes — Participatory theatrical event based on the France Inter podcast, with Charles Berling, Philippe Collin, and Violaine Ballet · Premiere at Châteauvallon
From Thursday, July 9 to Sunday, July 12, 2026 — 10 PM (July 9, 10, 11)
- Nelken (The Carnations) — Pina Bausch, Tanztheater Wuppertal · Dance-theater (1h50) · Only French dates of the tour
Pina Bausch Cinema Cycle — Amphitheater, 7 PM
- Friday, July 10 — Les Rêves dansants, sur les pas de Pina Bausch, film by Anne Linsel and Rainer Hoffmann (2011)
- Saturday, July 11 — Dancing Pina, film by Florian Heinzen-Ziob (2023)
- Sunday, July 12 — Pina, film by Wim Wenders in 3D (Tanztheater Wuppertal)
Thursday, July 16 and Friday, July 17, 2026
- Beauséjour — Mourad Merzouki, Compagnie Käfig · Hip-hop dance to music by Müller & Makaroff (Gotan Project) · Warm up / DJ set from 8 PM
Tuesday, July 21 and Wednesday, July 22, 2016 — 9 PM
- Manières d'être vivant — Clara Hédouin, based on the writings of Baptiste Morizot · Theater · Shared dinner and sound installation from 8 PM
Friday, July 24 and Saturday, July 25, 2026 — 10 PM
- Carmen — Abou Lagraa, Ballet de l'Opéra de Tunis, based on Georges Bizet · Dance
Tuesday, July 28, 2026 — 8:30 PM
- No Mundo — 30 years of Kubilai Khan investigations — Frank Micheletti · Ambulatory dance and DJ set
Official program of the Châteauvallon-Liberté national stage. Brochure and ticketing on chateauvallon-liberte.fr.
Highlights Châteauvallon Summer Festival 2026
- From June 26 to July 28, 2026, in the open-air amphitheater of Ollioules
- Nelken (The Carnations) by Pina Bausch by the Tanztheater Wuppertal — only French dates
- Opening with the opera Madama Butterfly (Opéra de Toulon)
- Dance: Mourad Merzouki (Beauséjour), Abou Lagraa (Carmen), Frank Micheletti (No Mundo)
- Theater: Les Résistantes with Charles Berling, Manières d'être vivant
- Pina Bausch outdoor cinema cycle
- Last edition presented by the current management
Prices Châteauvallon Summer Festival 2026
Practical information — Châteauvallon Summer Festival
Practical Information
Location
Châteauvallon-Liberté — Scène Nationale
795 Chemin de Châteauvallon
83192 Ollioules
Access
By Car: From the A50 highway (Toulon-Marseille), take the Ollioules/Sanary exit. Follow signs for Châteauvallon. Free parking on site.
By Train: Toulon or Ollioules-Sanary station (TER line Marseille-Vintimille). Shuttles are organized from Toulon on performance evenings.
By Bus: Mistral network (Toulon Provence Méditerranée) serving Ollioules. Information at 09 800 840 40.
Ticketing
Online booking on the Châteauvallon-Liberté website. Ticket office open Tuesday to Saturday from 11 am to 7 pm. Phone: 09 800 840 40.
Prices
Prices vary depending on the performance. Reduced rates for young people, job seekers, and recipients of minimum social benefits. Season passes available.
Accommodation
Ollioules and Toulon offer numerous accommodation options. The Toulon Provence Méditerranée tourist office can provide advice.
On-site Dining
Dining facilities are available on the Châteauvallon site on festival evenings. Arrive early to enjoy the venue and have dinner before the show.
Contact
Châteauvallon-Liberté — Scène Nationale
795 Chemin de Châteauvallon, 83192 Ollioules
Tel: 09 800 840 40
Website: www.chateauvallon-liberte.fr
Festival-goer photos
No photo yet. Share yours!
Share your photos
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
Vous avez repéré une erreur ou une information manquante ?
Aidez-nous à garder cette fiche à jour. Toute proposition est relue par notre équipe avant publication.
Festival-goer reviews
No rating yet — be the first!
No review yet. Be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community
Where does it take place — Châteauvallon Summer Festival
Amphithéâtre de Châteauvallon
795 Chemin de Châteauvallon, 83190 Ollioules