Festival des Jeux de Vichy
The unmissable event for board game enthusiasts in Auvergne
2026
About Festival des Jeux
The Vichy Games Festival has been organized annually since 2018 by Vichy Destinations at the Palais des Congrès. The public weekend is free and open to everyone: board games are showcased and explained by publisher teams, the role-playing area hosts sessions led by game masters, and a dedicated space is reserved for children as young as 2. In 2024, the weekend drew 10,000 visitors over two days across 5,000 m². The professional trade show, which has been separate from the public weekend since 2022, brings together over 2,200 gaming industry professionals.
Festival des Jeux — edition 2026
The Vichy Games Festival takes place at the Palais des Congrès on Saturday, September 19th and Sunday, September 20th, 2026, with free admission. Doors open on Saturday from 10:00 AM to 1:00 AM, featuring the "OFF" evening event starting at 7:00 PM; Sunday hours are 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM. The public weekend spans 4,000 m² and includes open gaming tables hosted by publishers, themed gaming boxes, a dedicated early childhood area for ages 2 and up, a role-playing game zone, and group sessions in the Eugénie auditorium. The event poster was designed by Ben Renaut. The professional trade show takes place beforehand, from September 13th to 15th.
2026 Edition
Vichy Destinations invites players to the Palais des Congrès on September 19th and 20th, 2026. Admission is free, and no badges are required for visitors. On Saturday, the festivities continue with the "OFF" evening event from 7:00 PM to 1:00 AM, which is also free and open to all.
In the 2026 press kit, Jérôme Joannet, General Manager of Vichy Destinations, highlights a 4,000 m² public weekend dedicated to demonstrations and games, expecting over 10,000 visitors and featuring 24 distinct activities. The document outlines four main areas: open gaming tables managed by publisher teams, themed gaming boxes, an early childhood zone designed and run by the Ludivers toy library from Saint-Rémy-en-Rollat, and the role-playing game zone, which has been open since 2019. The group sessions in the Eugénie auditorium, introduced in 2025, are returning with an expanded program.
The 2026 poster is the work of Ben Renaut, a freelance graphic designer and illustrator who won the 2025 Illustration Prize from the Groupement des Boutiques Ludiques for Présages, published by Spiral Editions. Each year, the festival commissions the following year's poster from the winner of this award.
Professional Trade Show, September 13th to 15th
The professional trade show runs on Sunday, September 13th, Monday, September 14th, and Tuesday, September 15th, 2026, ahead of the public weekend. It brings together publishers, distributors, and retailers: the press kit announces 2,200 professionals and 140 publishing entities. The awards ceremony for the Groupement des Boutiques Ludiques and the Association des Ludothèques de France will take place on Monday the 14th at 6:30 PM, followed by the "After" party at 8:30 PM.
New for 2026: the festival is launching its first call for prototypes in partnership with the Société des Auteurs de Jeux, the La LALA collective of female authors, publisher Subverti, and Boardgame Doctor. Selected authors will present their creations within the professional trade show.
Highlights Festival des Jeux 2026
- Free admission on September 19th and 20th, no tickets or badges required
- Saturday open until 1:00 AM, featuring the "OFF" evening from 7:00 PM
- 4,000 m² of gaming space at the Palais des Congrès
- Early childhood area for ages 2+, run by the Ludivers toy library of Saint-Rémy-en-Rollat
- Group gaming sessions in the Eugénie auditorium
- Poster designed by Ben Renaut, winner of the 2025 GBL Illustration Prize
- Professional trade show from September 13th to 15th, with GBL and ALF awards on Monday the 14th at 6:30 PM
Programme Festival des Jeux 2026
Saturday, September 19th, 2026
- 9:00 AM — Opening for exhibitors
- 10:00 AM — Doors open to the public · Palais des Congrès, 5 rue du Casino
- 7:00 PM - 1:00 AM — "OFF" evening, free and open to all
- 1:00 AM — Closing
Sunday, September 20th, 2026
- 9:00 AM — Opening for exhibitors
- 10:00 AM — Doors open to the public
- 7:00 PM — Closing
Ongoing activities, both days
- Open gaming tables — Games hosted by publisher teams: game presentations, rule explanations, and guided first sessions
- Themed gaming boxes — Immersive spaces, each with its own atmosphere and universe
- Early childhood area — For ages 2 and up, a dedicated space designed and run by the Ludivers toy library of Saint-Rémy-en-Rollat
- Role-playing game zone — Sessions led by game masters. Registration via the "Inscriptions JDR" page on the official website
- Large-scale group games · Eugénie auditorium — Collective gaming sessions: party games, logic challenges, musical or participatory activities
- Escape Game and wooden games — Announced by Vichy Destinations in the festival overview, though specific locations and times are not published
- Tournaments — Exhibitors may organize these at their stands; no official list or schedule is published
- Two shops at the festival exit — All games are available for purchase here. Direct sales at individual stands are not permitted
- Catering — Bar at the festival entrance, food trucks outside
The 2026 press kit announces 24 activities over the weekend. Detailed schedules for activities and tournaments were not published as of mid-August 2026.
Exhibitors announced for the public weekend
48 exhibitors are listed on the "Exhibitors 2026" page of the official website, with the list growing as confirmations arrive: 23zéro édition, ABI games, Arvelys, Asmodee, Bankiiiz Editions, Bioviva, Blackrock Games, Blam !, Blue Cocker, Borderline Editions, Catch up games, Crapaud Céleste, Days of wonder, Dodo Volcano, Dujardin, Epic Zone Edition, Gigamic, Goupille, Grrre games, Iello, L'echoppe du gaulois, Libellud, Loki, Lorcana, Lucky Duck, Lumberjacks, Lutra games, Miraludo, Nathan, Olémains games, On the Board Again, Origames, Pixie games, Poptalks, Ravensburger, Repos production, Scorpion masqué, Sentosphère, Smart Games, Sorry We Are Fench, Space cowboys, Spielwiese, Spiral Editions, Studio Stratosphères / Wogamat, The flying games, Tribuo, Unfriendly games, WDK Groupe Partner.
Professional Trade Show — September 13th, 14th, and 15th, 2026 (professionals only)
- Sunday, September 13th — 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM
- Monday, September 14th — 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM · 6:30 PM Awards ceremony for the Groupement des Boutiques Ludiques and the Association des Ludothèques de France · 8:30 PM The "After" party
- Tuesday, September 15th — 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
- Call for prototypes — First edition, with the Société des Auteurs de Jeux, the La LALA collective, Subverti, and Boardgame Doctor
Prices Festival des Jeux 2026
Saturday "OFF" evening, 7:00 PM to 1:00 AM: free and open to all.
Some activities require registration, particularly role-playing game tables.
Professional trade show on September 13th, 14th, and 15th: for professionals only, registration required.
Pre-order Wogamat products featuring Ben Renaut's design until August 20th, 2026: 100 x 60 cm playmat for €38, dice tray for €12.
Practical information — Festival des Jeux
Practical Information
Access
The festival is held at the Palais des Congrès de Vichy, 5 rue du Casino, 03200 Vichy, in the Allier department.
- By car: Clermont-Ferrand via the A719, 35 min. Lyon via the A89, 2 hours. Paris via the A71, 3.5 hours. Montpellier via the A75, A71, and A719, 4 hours. Bordeaux via the A89, A71, and A719, 4 hours. Public parking is available near the Palais des Congrès.
- By train: Clermont-Ferrand 30 min, Lyon 2 hours, Paris 3 hours. Vichy train station is about a ten-minute walk from the Palais des Congrès.
- Accessibility: Entrance via the Bar de l'Horloge on the forecourt, terrace side. An elevator is available for visitors with reduced mobility. For assistance, contact the festival logistics team at +33 (0)4 70 30 50 13 or +33 (0)4 70 30 50 12.
Public weekend hours
- Saturday from 10:00 AM to 1:00 AM, including the "OFF" evening from 7:00 PM to 1:00 AM
- Sunday from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Admission
Admission to the public weekend is free, including the "OFF" evening, and no badges are required for visitors; only exhibitors wear them. Some activities require registration, particularly role-playing tables. The professional trade show is reserved for industry professionals by registration only.
On-site
A bar is located at the festival entrance, with food trucks outside. Two shops at the exit sell the games showcased during the event.
Contact
[email protected] · +33 (0)4 70 97 18 90 · www.festivaldesjeuxvichy.fr
Board gaming at the Palais des Congrès in Vichy
Vichy Destinations launched the Vichy Games Festival in 2018, with the inaugural edition attracting 6,000 visitors. The festival is hosted at the Palais des Congrès, located at 5 rue du Casino, and admission for the public weekend has been free since the very beginning. The same venue also hosts the Scrabble Festival and the Chess Championships in August.
Games to play, presented by their publishers
Open gaming tables are managed by publisher teams, offering game demonstrations, rule explanations, and guided introductory sessions. Vichy Destinations also features escape games and traditional wooden games. Direct sales are not permitted on the stands; games can be purchased at the two shops located at the festival exit.
Public weekend zones
- A role-playing area, open since 2019, with sessions led by game masters
- Thematic boxes, immersive spaces introduced in 2024
- Collective gaming sessions at the Eugénie auditorium, launched in 2025
- A toddler area for children aged 2 and up, designed and run by the Ludivers toy library from Saint-Rémy-en-Rollat
- Tournaments, which exhibitors can organize at their own stands
A professional trade show, separate since 2022
The festival hosts a professional trade show in the days leading up to the public weekend. It gathers publishers, distributors, and specialized shops, featuring over 2,200 professionals and 140 publishing entities. Two award ceremonies take place here: one by the Groupement des Boutiques Ludiques (GBL) and one by the Association des Ludothèques de France. Since 2020, the GBL has presented three awards—for authorship, illustration, and editorial work—with the illustration winner designing the following year's festival poster.
Key milestones since 2018
- 2018 — First edition, 6,000 visitors, and first GBL award ceremony
- 2019 — Werewolf game session at the Vichy Opera with the authors, and opening of the role-playing area
- 2020 — Event held despite the health crisis
- 2021 — First Vélonimo tournament, with author Bruno Cathala
- 2022 — Separation of the professional trade show and the public weekend
- 2023 — Creation of the Festival Games shop
- 2024 — Introduction of thematic boxes, 10,000 visitors across 5,000 m²
- 2025 — Launch of large-scale games at the Eugénie auditorium
Where does it take place — Festival des Jeux
Festival des Jeux in brief
History of Festival des Jeux
Edition 2024 Sep 2024Other festivals near Vichy
Festival-goer reviews
No review yet. Be the first!
No rating yet — be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community
Have you spotted an error or missing information?
Help us keep this listing up to date. Every suggestion is reviewed by our team before publication.
Festival-goer photos
No photo yet. Share yours!
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)