Festival Convivencia

The slowest festival in the world

Since 1997, the Festival Convivencia has offered a unique musical experience: a 30-meter barge-stage sails on the Canal du Midi in Occitanie, transforming ports and nautical stops into open-air concert venues. At a contemplative speed of 5 km/h, the festival covers about 400 km in three weeks, from stopover to stopover, offering one or two evenings of free world music concerts at each port.

The La Redorte stopover: an evening by the canal

Among the festival's fifteen or so stopovers, La Redorte holds a special place. This wine-growing village in the Minervois region, crossed by the Canal du Midi, welcomes the barge-stage at its port for an evening of open-air concerts. Spectators settle on the canal banks, under the century-old plane trees, to discover artists from around the world. In 2024, La Mòssa set the port of La Redorte vibrating on July 17th, while in 2025, Rita Rita (Brazil/Occitanie) made a stop there on July 17th as well.

World music and river heritage

Convivencia's programming celebrates global musical diversity, with artists offering repertoires ranging from traditional African music to Mediterranean sounds, from Latin American rhythms to contemporary European creations. The festival emphasizes musical encounters and cultural crossovers, reflecting the spirit of 'convivencia' — the harmonious coexistence of cultures — which gives it its name.

Beyond music, the festival promotes the river heritage of the Canal du Midi, a UNESCO World Heritage site, by offering activities related to biodiversity, the history of the canal, and local heritage at each stopover.

A free, traveling, and committed festival

All Convivencia concerts are free and without reservation, allowing everyone to access quality musical programming. Since 2025, the festival also offers festive bike tours allowing participants to follow the barge from stopover to stopover by cycling along the canal. This initiative is part of the festival's ecological commitment, prioritizing soft mobility and proximity to nature.