Festival des Jeux de Vichy

The board game paradise at the Palais des Congrès de Vichy

Created in 2018 by Vichy Destinations, the Festival des Jeux de Vichy has quickly established itself as a major event in the French gaming scene. Held in the prestigious setting of the Palais des Congrès de Vichy, the festival offers a weekend entirely dedicated to board games each year, with free admission for the general public. Vichy, already known for hosting the French championships of Scrabble, Bridge, and Tarot, thus continues its gaming tradition with a modern and unifying event.

Hundreds of games to discover and try

The Festival des Jeux de Vichy spreads over more than 5,000 m² of exceptional gaming space where visitors can discover and test hundreds of board games, presented directly by their publishers. From the biggest names in board game publishing to small independent publishers, everyone presents their new releases and classics in a friendly and accessible atmosphere.

More than 150 exhibitors and 145 game authors are present to share their passion, explain the rules, and introduce their latest creations. Visitors can thus test unreleased prototypes before their commercialization, a unique opportunity to participate in the development of tomorrow's games.

Gaming activities for all ages

Beyond classic board games, the festival offers a variety of activities:

• Role-playing games led by experienced game masters
• Ephemeral escape games designed specifically for the event
• Giant wooden games outdoors
• Tournaments of popular games with prizes to be won
• A children's area for ages 2 and up, run by specialized publishers like Bioviva and Auzou

These activities allow every visitor, from the casual player to the seasoned enthusiast, to find something they enjoy and have memorable gaming experiences.

A constantly growing event

Since its creation in 2018, the Festival des Jeux de Vichy has seen remarkable growth. The first edition welcomed 6,000 visitors with about forty shops and a dozen distributors. In 2024, for its 7th edition, the festival brought together over 10,500 visitors over the public weekend, confirming its status as an unmissable event. The festival has never canceled an edition, even during the health crisis period, demonstrating the resilience and commitment of its organizers.

A reference professional fair

In parallel to the public weekend, the Festival des Jeux de Vichy has organized a dedicated professional fair since 2022, bringing together publishers, distributors, and specialized stores from all over France and abroad. With over 2,200 professionals welcomed at the last edition, this B2B space has become a strategic meeting point for the entire board game industry, covering the entire chain: creators, publishers, distributors, and retailers.