Coup de Chauffe
Free street arts festival in the heart of Cognac
2026
About Coup de Chauffe
Coup de Chauffe — edition 2026
The 32nd edition of Coup de Chauffe takes place from September 4 to 6, 2026, in Cognac: around twenty free shows in the city center, with a special focus this year on movement, blending circus and dance. The lineup features Chloé Moglia, Camille Boitel and Sève Bernard, Olivier Debelhoir, Cie Volubilis, Parini Secundo, C'hoari, Les Batteurs de Pavés, and Typhus Bronx. Some shows require a ticket, which is also free, available for booking starting August 28 at 1:30 PM.
32nd edition, September 4 to 6, 2026
Coup de Chauffe returns to Cognac from Friday, September 4, to Sunday, September 6, 2026, for its 32nd edition. Around twenty free performances will take place throughout the city center, from morning until evening, with several events running in parallel almost every hour.
This year, L'Avant-Scène is highlighting movement, bridging the worlds of circus and dance. Circus highlights include: Un soir chez Boris by Olivier Debelhoir, Masacrade by Marcel et ses drôles de femmes, Rouge Merveille by Chloé Moglia, and Définition de l'œuvre d'art comme acte de confiance aux spectateur·rice·s by Camille Boitel and Sève Bernard. Dance highlights include: Cie Volubilis, the Italian duo Parini Secundo, the Breton group C'hoari, L'Instant T by Juan Ignacio Tula, and la horde dans les pavés. They are joined by the theater troupe Les Batteurs de Pavés, who are revisiting Les Misérables, and the dark comedy clown Typhus Bronx.
Venues
Performances will be held at various sites across the city center: the Public Garden, the Orangerie, the Château de Cognac, the Esplanade Clémenceau, the Quai de la Salle verte, the Allée Camille Godard, and the École Kergomard.
Accessibility
This year, L'Avant-Scène is testing several new initiatives:
- Parking spaces reserved for people with reduced mobility near the heart of the festival, in front of the Tourist Office and in the museum courtyard;
- A team of volunteers roaming the festival to engage with the public, identify needs, and provide mediation between spectators;
- Awareness training for technical staff, reception teams, volunteers, and food truck operators regarding invisible disabilities;
- An Information Point dedicated to specific needs, equipped with tools to facilitate access to performances;
- A quiet rest tent set up in the Public Garden, where sensory stimulation (noise, music, crowds, sun, physical contact) is minimized, open to everyone for a moment of respite.
Highlights Coup de Chauffe 2026
- Rouge Merveille, the circus act by Chloé Moglia — Esplanade Clémenceau, Saturday at 3:30 PM and Sunday at 2:30 PM
- Les Misérables reimagined by Les Batteurs de Pavés — all three days, ages 6+
- Trop près du mur, the dark comedy clown show by Typhus Bronx — Château de Cognac, Friday and Saturday at 8:30 PM, ages 14+
- CHECK !, a participatory choreographic trail by Cie Volubilis — Public Garden, Saturday and Sunday, continuous
- Le Circophone, a participatory carousel by Cirque plein d'air — Public Garden, Saturday and Sunday, ages 3+
- Fièvre, by Cie Point Bart, closing the festival on Sunday at 6:30 PM
Programme Coup de Chauffe 2026
Around twenty free performances, from morning until evening, with several events running in parallel almost every hour. Some shows require a ticket, which is also free.
Friday, September 4, 2026
- 4:00 PM, 4:45 PM, 5:30 PM, 7:30 PM, 8:15 PM and 9:00 PM — Au cardinal borgne · Raoul Lambert · Orangerie No. 1 · 30 min · ages 10+
- 5:00 PM — Les Misérables · Les Batteurs de Pavés · Public Garden No. 7 · 50 min · ages 6+
- 6:00 PM — Hit Out · Parini Secundo · Public Garden No. 2 · 20 min
- 6:30 PM — Un soir chez Boris · Olivier Debelhoir · Public Garden No. 3 · 1h15 · ages 6+
- 6:30 PM — L'Instant T · Juan Ignacio Tula · Public Garden No. 2 · 25 min
- 7:15 PM — Concert craditionnel · Les Cop(i)nes · Public Garden, near the bar · 50 min · ages 16+
- 8:15 PM — Masacrade · Marcel et ses drôles de femmes · Public Garden, Nature Theater No. 5 · 45 min
- 8:30 PM — Trop près du mur · Typhus Bronx · Château de Cognac No. 9 · 1h50 · dark clown comedy · ages 14+
- 9:00 PM — BERCEUSES (GANG) · la horde dans les pavés · meeting point indicated on the ticket · 1h
Saturday, September 5, 2026
- 10:00 AM-12:00 PM and 2:00 PM-5:00 PM, continuous — CHECK ! · Cie Volubilis · Public Garden No. 8 · active and participatory choreographic trail · 30 min · ages 10+
- 10:00 AM, 10:45 AM, 11:30 AM, 2:30 PM, 3:15 PM and 4:00 PM — Au cardinal borgne · Raoul Lambert · Orangerie No. 1 · 30 min · ages 10+
- 10:00 AM, 11:00 AM and 2:30 PM — Définition de l'œuvre d'art comme acte de confiance aux spectateur·rice·s · Cie L'Immédiat / Camille Boitel and Sève Bernard · Public Garden No. 4 · 15 min · ages 8+
- 11:15 AM and 3:30 PM — Le Circophone · Cirque plein d'air · Public Garden No. 6 · participatory carousel · 1h30 continuous · ages 3+
- 12:15 PM — Concert craditionnel · Les Cop(i)nes · Public Garden, near the bar · 50 min · ages 16+
- 3:30 PM — Rouge Merveille · Chloé Moglia · Esplanade Clémenceau No. 12 · 35 min
- 4:00 PM — Les Misérables · Les Batteurs de Pavés · École Kergomard No. 10 · 50 min · ages 6+
- 4:30 PM — Miettes · Rémi Luchez · Allée Camille Godard No. 13 · 1h · ages 6+
- 5:00 PM — Stoïk · Les Güms · Public Garden No. 7 · 50 min · ages 5+
- 5:30 PM — Un soir chez Boris · Olivier Debelhoir · Public Garden No. 3 · 1h15 · ages 6+
- 6:00 PM — L'Instant T · Juan Ignacio Tula · Public Garden No. 2 · 25 min
- 6:15 PM — Da Gouskate · C'hoari · Quai de la Salle verte No. 11 · dance and skate · 45 min · all ages
- 6:30 PM — Hit Out · Parini Secundo · Public Garden No. 2 · 20 min
- 8:30 PM — Masacrade · Marcel et ses drôles de femmes · Public Garden, Nature Theater No. 5 · 45 min
- 8:30 PM — Trop près du mur · Typhus Bronx · Château de Cognac No. 9 · 1h50 · ages 14+
- 9:00 PM — BERCEUSES (GANG) · la horde dans les pavés · meeting point indicated on the ticket · 1h
Sunday, September 6, 2026
- 10:00 AM-12:00 PM and 2:00 PM-5:00 PM, continuous — CHECK ! · Cie Volubilis · Public Garden No. 8 · active and participatory choreographic trail · 30 min · ages 10+
- 10:30 AM — L'Instant T · Juan Ignacio Tula · Public Garden No. 2 · 25 min
- 11:00 AM — Hit Out · Parini Secundo · Public Garden No. 2 · 20 min
- 11:15 AM — Définition de l'œuvre d'art comme acte de confiance aux spectateur·rice·s · Cie L'Immédiat / Camille Boitel and Sève Bernard · Public Garden No. 4 · 15 min · ages 8+
- 11:30 AM — Le Circophone · Cirque plein d'air · Public Garden No. 6 · participatory carousel · ages 3+
- 2:30 PM — Rouge Merveille · Chloé Moglia · Esplanade Clémenceau No. 12 · 35 min
- 3:05 PM — Définition de l'œuvre d'art comme acte de confiance aux spectateur·rice·s · Cie L'Immédiat / Camille Boitel and Sève Bernard · Public Garden No. 4 · 15 min · ages 8+
- 3:30 PM — Da Gouskate · C'hoari · Quai de la Salle verte No. 11 · dance and skate · 45 min · all ages
- 4:00 PM — Le Circophone · Cirque plein d'air · Public Garden No. 6 · participatory carousel · ages 3+
- 4:00 PM — Miettes · Rémi Luchez · Allée Camille Godard No. 13 · 1h · ages 6+
- 4:15 PM — Stoïk · Les Güms · Public Garden No. 7 · 50 min · ages 5+
- 5:30 PM — Les Misérables · Les Batteurs de Pavés · École Kergomard No. 10 · 50 min · ages 6+
- 6:30 PM — Fièvre · Cie Point Bart · Public Garden No. 2 · 1h · ages 3+
Prices Coup de Chauffe 2026
Some require a ticket, which is also free: online booking opens on Friday, August 28, 2026, at 1:30 PM at avantscene.mapado.com.
L'Avant-Scène Box Office: 05 45 82 32 78, Monday to Friday from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM · [email protected] · on-site on Fridays from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM (excluding school holidays) and from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM on performance days.
Practical information — Coup de Chauffe
Practical Information
Access
The shows take place in the city center of Cognac and in the Jardin Public. L'Avant-Scène is located at 1 place Robert-Schuman, 16100 Cognac.
- By car: Cognac is accessible via the N141 from Angoulême (45 min) or Saintes (30 min). Parking available in the city center.
- By train: Cognac SNCF station, a 10-minute walk from the city center.
Prices
- Admission: free for all shows
Contact
- Website: avantscene.com
- Address: L'Avant-Scène, 1 place Robert-Schuman, 16100 Cognac
Cognac's street arts festival since 1995
Founded in 1995 by René Marion, Coup de Chauffe has become over three decades one of the unmissable events for street arts in Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Organized by L'Avant-Scène, a national conventioned stage for "Art and creation" in movement arts, the festival is currently directed by Stéphane Jouan.
A weekend of free shows throughout Cognac
Every first weekend of September, Coup de Chauffe takes over the streets, squares, and the lush Jardin Public of Cognac. For three days, companies of street theater, dance, circus, music, and movement arts offer open-air performances, transforming the city into a vast artistic playground. All shows are completely free, allowing as many people as possible to discover street arts.
Over 500 companies hosted since its creation
Since its inception, Coup de Chauffe has hosted over 500 companies and attracts around 30,000 spectators each year. The 2024 edition celebrated the festival's 30th anniversary, confirming its strong presence in the Charente and national cultural landscape. The festival favors contemporary creations, innovative forms, and premieres, offering a showcase for the most creative companies on the street arts scene.
A festival rooted in the city
Coup de Chauffe stands out for its deep integration into the urban fabric of Cognac. Performances take place in the streets, on the squares, in the parks, on the quays, and in unusual locations in the city center, creating a direct and barrier-free relationship between artists and the public. This proximity is the festival's strength and identity.
Where does it take place — Coup de Chauffe
Coup de Chauffe in brief
Other festivals near Cognac
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