Festival de Carcassonne
The great summer festival in the heart of the medieval City
About Festival de Carcassonne
A Major Festival in the Heart of the Medieval City
Since 2006, the Carcassonne Festival has established itself as one of the major cultural events in the south of France. Every summer, from late June to late July, the Cité médiévale de Carcassonne transforms into a vast open-air performance venue. The Théâtre Jean-Deschamps, a 3,000-seat amphitheatre nestled within the ramparts, welcomes the greatest national and international artists in an absolutely unique setting. In 2025, the festival celebrated its 20th edition with over 13 sold-out Festival IN shows.
An Eclectic and Ambitious Program
The strength of the Carcassonne Festival lies in the diversity of its program. The Festival IN offers about twenty major paid concerts at the Théâtre Jean-Deschamps and in the Cour d'honneur du Château Comtal: French variety, international rock, classical music, opera, dance, theatre, and open-air cinema. In 2025, artists like Gojira, Judas Priest, Alanis Morissette, Julien Doré, Robert Plant, and Eddy Mitchell graced the stage. The 21st edition (summer 2026) notably welcomes Ludovico Einaudi, Franz Ferdinand, the Sex Pistols feat. Frank Carter, Kool and the Gang, Christophe Maé, Chris Isaak, Tom Odell, Booba, Bigflo & Oli, Zaz & Claudio Capéo, Airbourne, Asaf Avidan, Feu! Chatterton, and Gaëtan Roussel.
The Festival OFF: Culture for All
Parallel to the Festival IN, the Festival OFF offers about a hundred entirely free shows in the Bastide Saint-Louis. The squares and plazas of the lower town — Place Carnot, Square André-Chénier, Hôtel de Rolland, Église Saint-Vincent — transform into open stages hosting local and national artists in all genres: jazz, rock, French chanson, rap, world music, street arts, and young audience shows. The OFF embodies the popular and festive dimension of the festival, accessible to all without condition.
An Exceptional Heritage Setting
The Carcassonne Festival benefits from an incomparable setting: the Medieval City, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1997, with its 52 towers and double ring of ramparts. The Théâtre Jean-Deschamps, inaugurated in 1908 for the first theatrical performance in the City (La Fille de Roland), offers remarkable acoustics and a breathtaking view of the illuminated ramparts. This marriage between millennial heritage and contemporary creation makes the Carcassonne Festival a unique artistic and sensory experience in France.
Festival de Carcassonne — edition 2026
The 21st edition of the Carcassonne Festival takes place from June 26 to July 31, 2026 in the heart of the UNESCO-listed medieval city. More than 150 shows, including a hundred free ones, are scheduled: Festival IN at the Théâtre Jean-Deschamps and in the Cour d'honneur of the Château Comtal, Festival OFF in the Bastide Saint-Louis. Headliners announced: Ludovico Einaudi, Sex Pistols feat. Frank Carter, Franz Ferdinand, Kool and the Gang, Booba, Christophe Maé, Tom Odell, Zaz, Bigflo & Oli, Feu! Chatterton and Chris Isaak.
21st Carcassonne Festival — Summer 2026
The Carcassonne Festival 2026 offers an edition lasting over a month, from June 26 to July 31, 2026, mixing open-air cinema at the Château Comtal, classical concerts, opera, theatre, dance, rock, French song, rap, and funk. The Festival IN program includes 21 paid shows at the Théâtre Jean-Deschamps (3,000 seats) and in the Cour d'honneur of the Château Comtal. The free Festival OFF takes over the Bastide Saint-Louis with about a hundred performances.
2026 Headliners
Among the major events: Ludovico Einaudi opening on July 1st (sold out), Carmina Burana on July 12, Feu! Chatterton on July 15 (sold out), Chris Isaak on July 16, Bigflo & Oli on July 17, Christophe Maé on July 18 (sold out), Airbourne on July 20, Tom Odell on July 22, Booba on July 23, Franz Ferdinand on July 27, the Sex Pistols feat. Frank Carter on July 28, Zaz and Claudio Capéo on July 30 (sold out), and Kool and the Gang closing on July 31 (sold out).
Open-air Cinema at Château Comtal
The festival kicks off on June 26 with three cinema evenings at 10:00 PM in the Cour d'honneur of the Château Comtal: C'est moi… Marlène Jobert, Marchal par Marchal — portrait intime and Charles Aznavour en Arménie.
Programme Festival de Carcassonne 2026
Festival IN — Full Program 2026
June — Cinema at Château Comtal
- Friday, June 26 · 10:00 PM — C'est moi… Marlène Jobert · Cour d'honneur du Château Comtal
- Saturday, June 27 · 10:00 PM — Marchal par Marchal, portrait intime · Cour d'honneur du Château Comtal
- Sunday, June 28 · 10:00 PM — Charles Aznavour en Arménie · Cour d'honneur du Château Comtal
July — Théâtre Jean-Deschamps & Cour d'honneur
- Wednesday, July 1 · 9:30 PM — Ludovico Einaudi · Théâtre Jean-Deschamps · SOLD OUT
- Thursday, July 2 · 9:30 PM — Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 — A Painted Symphony · Théâtre Jean-Deschamps · SOLD OUT
- Saturday, July 4 · 9:30 PM — Laurent Gerra se met à table ! · Théâtre Jean-Deschamps
- Sunday, July 5 · 9:30 PM — Barbara, du bout des lèvres (dance) · Théâtre Jean-Deschamps
- Monday, July 6 · 9:30 PM — Jean-Paul Rouve in Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme · Cour d'honneur du Château Comtal · SOLD OUT
- Tuesday, July 7 · 9:30 PM — Esther Abrami · Cour d'honneur du Château Comtal
- Thursday, July 9 · 9:30 PM — Jean-François Zygel sets the City of Carcassonne to music · Cour d'honneur du Château Comtal
- Saturday, July 11 · 9:30 PM — Thierry Lhermitte in La Rencontre · Cour d'honneur du Château Comtal
- Sunday, July 12 · 9:30 PM — Carmina Burana (opera) · Théâtre Jean-Deschamps
- Monday, July 13 · 9:30 PM — Ben Mazué · Théâtre Jean-Deschamps
- Wednesday, July 15 · 9:30 PM — Feu! Chatterton · Théâtre Jean-Deschamps · SOLD OUT
- Thursday, July 16 · 9:30 PM — Chris Isaak · Théâtre Jean-Deschamps
- Friday, July 17 · 8:30 PM — Bigflo & Oli (opening act: Fredz) · Théâtre Jean-Deschamps
- Saturday, July 18 · 9:30 PM — Christophe Maé · Théâtre Jean-Deschamps · SOLD OUT
- Monday, July 20 · 8:30 PM — Airbourne (opening act: Dätcha Mandala) · Théâtre Jean-Deschamps
- Tuesday, July 21 · 9:30 PM — Héléna · Théâtre Jean-Deschamps
- Wednesday, July 22 · 9:30 PM — Tom Odell · Théâtre Jean-Deschamps
- Thursday, July 23 · 9:30 PM — Booba · Théâtre Jean-Deschamps
- Friday, July 24 · 9:30 PM — Gaëtan Roussel · Théâtre Jean-Deschamps
- Saturday, July 25 · 8:30 PM — Alonzo + Bouss · Théâtre Jean-Deschamps
- Monday, July 27 · 9:30 PM — Franz Ferdinand · Théâtre Jean-Deschamps
- Tuesday, July 28 · 8:30 PM — Sex Pistols feat. Frank Carter (opening act: Les Wampas) · Théâtre Jean-Deschamps
- Wednesday, July 29 · 9:30 PM — Asaf Avidan · Théâtre Jean-Deschamps
- Thursday, July 30 · 8:30 PM — Zaz + Claudio Capéo · Théâtre Jean-Deschamps · SOLD OUT
- Friday, July 31 · 9:30 PM — Kool and the Gang · Théâtre Jean-Deschamps · SOLD OUT
Festival OFF — Bastide Saint-Louis
About a hundred entirely free shows in the Bastide Saint-Louis (Place Carnot, Square André-Chénier, Hôtel de Rolland, Église Saint-Vincent…): concerts (jazz, rock, French song, rap, world music), street arts, and young audience programming. Details of the OFF dates are published by the festival throughout the summer.
Highlights Festival de Carcassonne 2026
- 21st edition spread over more than a month, from June 26 to July 31, 2026
- Three opening cinema evenings in the Cour d'honneur of the Château Comtal (June 26-28)
- International headliners: Ludovico Einaudi, Sex Pistols feat. Frank Carter, Franz Ferdinand, Kool and the Gang, Chris Isaak, Tom Odell, Airbourne, Asaf Avidan
- Great French voices: Christophe Maé, Zaz & Claudio Capéo, Booba, Bigflo & Oli, Ben Mazué, Gaëtan Roussel, Héléna
- Theatre and great music: Jean-Paul Rouve in Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme, Thierry Lhermitte in La Rencontre, Carmina Burana, Esther Abrami, Jean-François Zygel
- Free Festival OFF: ~100 shows in the Bastide Saint-Louis
Prices Festival de Carcassonne 2026
Practical information — Festival de Carcassonne
Practical Information
Access
The Carcassonne Festival takes place in the Cité médiévale and in the Bastide Saint-Louis in Carcassonne (11000).
- Théâtre Jean-Deschamps: Cité médiévale, 11000 Carcassonne
- Cour d'honneur du Château Comtal: Cité médiévale, 11000 Carcassonne
- By car: A61 motorway (Toulouse-Narbonne), Carcassonne Ouest exit. Free park-and-ride facilities with shuttles.
- By train: Carcassonne SNCF station (TGV from Paris in 5h, TER from Toulouse in 1h).
- By plane: Carcassonne-Salvaza Airport (Ryanair flights from several European cities).
Prices
- Festival IN: 49 to 89 € depending on the show and seating category
- Festival OFF: Free
Usual Dates
From late June to late July (from June 26 to July 31 in 2026).
Ticketing
- PAC Billetterie: Centre de Congrès du Dôme, Carcassonne
- Phone: 04 68 11 59 15
- Email: [email protected]
- Online: festivaldecarcassonne.fr, Fnac Spectacles, See Tickets, Ticketmaster
Contact
- Website: festivaldecarcassonne.fr
- Phone: 04 68 11 59 15
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Where does it take place — Festival de Carcassonne
Théâtre Jean-Deschamps
Cité Médiévale, 11000 Carcassonne