Festival de l'Eau

The Festival de l'Eau: a unique event along the Moselle

Nestled between Épinal and Nancy, Charmes is a Vosges town with remarkable heritage, crossed by three waterways: the Moselle, the Canal des Vosges, and the Canal des Moulins. It is in this exceptional natural setting that the Festival de l'Eau was born, transforming the riverbanks and medieval ramparts of the town into a vast space for discovery, celebration, and awareness around the element of water every summer.

A rich program combining culture and nature

The Festival de l'Eau offers an eclectic program that blends art, science, and entertainment. Photographic exhibitions by renowned artists such as Vincent Munier, an internationally renowned Vosges wildlife photographer, and Michel Loup are displayed along the Canal des Moulins and on the historic ramparts of Charmes. Naturalist conferences and documentary film screenings provide a better understanding of the challenges of preserving aquatic environments, while guided nature discovery outings led by specialists invite the public to explore the Moselle river valley, one of the last areas of this river to have retained its natural character with its alluvial forests, wet meadows, and oxbow lakes.

Nautical jousting, guinguette, and solidarity picnic

The festive aspect of the Festival de l'Eau is not to be outdone. Nautical jousting on the Moselle offers a colorful spectacle that delights spectators of all ages. The guinguette, set up by the river, hosts concerts in a bucolic and friendly atmosphere, evoking the popular dances of yesteryear. The solidarity picnic, a highlight of the festival, brings together residents and visitors around values of sharing and conviviality. All these activities are offered free of charge, demonstrating the organizers' commitment to making culture and environmental awareness accessible to everyone.

Charmes, a water town with remarkable heritage

The Festival de l'Eau is naturally integrated into the identity of Charmes, whose name derives from the Latin Carpini, referring to the hornbeam trees that once populated its forests. The town preserves beautiful vestiges of its medieval past, notably its ramparts and the Maison du Chaldron, where the treaty between Cardinal Richelieu and Charles IV of Lorraine was signed in 1633. The arboretum developed along the canal, featuring a symbolic hornbeam tree, completes this heritage tour. The Moselle river valley between Charmes and Chamagne is a major ornithological site, offering a preserved natural setting ideal for a festival dedicated to water and biodiversity.