Festival des Légendes - Roches Celtiques

Festival des Légendes 2025: Five Days of Celtic Magic

The 2025 edition of the Festival des Légendes took place from Wednesday, July 2 to Sunday, July 6, taking over Cathédrale Saint-Charles, Parc Couriot, Saint-Victor-sur-Loire, and Rochetaillée for five days of entirely free Celtic music, storytelling, and medieval entertainment.

Wednesday, July 2 — Cathédrale Saint-Charles

The festival opened with an exceptional concert by the Irish trio Zoë Conway, John McIntyre, and Louise Mulcahy at 8:30 PM in Cathédrale Saint-Charles-Borromée. Hailed by the BBC as "simply one of the finest folk duos on the planet," Zoë Conway (violin) and John McIntyre (guitar) were joined by Louise Mulcahy, a winner of the Live Ireland Awards, for a unique recital spanning Celtic, classical, and sacred repertoires.

Thursday, July 3 — Parc Couriot

La Comète hosted an Irish dance masterclass open to all from 6 PM, followed at 8:30 PM by an Irish folk dance at Parc Couriot with the band Shelta and the dancers from Join the Dance for a festive and lively evening.

Friday, July 4 — Saint-Victor-sur-Loire

The medieval village of Saint-Victor-sur-Loire vibrated to the sound of bagpipes with the musical parade of the Cisalpipers from 6:30 PM to 8 PM, from the castle to the Romanesque church, accompanied by Emilian and Scottish bagpipes, tin whistle, and traditional percussion. At 8:30 PM, the castle's open-air theater hosted the Italian quartet Ar An Talamh, led by Caterina Sangineto, for a concert blending Irish, Scottish, Breton, and French traditions in a repertoire at the crossroads of traditional heritage and contemporary creation.

Saturday, July 5 & Sunday, July 6 — Rochetaillée

The grand festive weekend in Rochetaillée offered medieval entertainment from 3 PM: a medieval village with demonstrations of ancient crafts, archery, candle making, elf face painting, magic hat making, board games, and treasure hunts. Storytelling walks took young and old to discover local legends and Celtic tradition, from the medieval castle to the mysterious fairy grotto. Literary and botanical encounters completed the daytime program.

On the main stage, the evenings were marked by concerts from The Celtic Social Club (Saturday, 9 PM), a band from Rennes known for its energy and inventiveness blending Celtic music, funk, and groove, and Carrantuohill (Sunday, 11 PM), a Polish band specializing in rearranged Irish standards. Gleanntán and Brick à Drac offered a sonic journey on Sunday from 7 PM with hurdy-gurdy, nyckelharpa, bagpipes, and medieval instruments. The Muffins also enlivened the musical weekend.

A spectacular fireworks display fired from the castle concluded the festival on Sunday at 10:30 PM, blending colors and music in a magical finale.

2025 Program

Wednesday, July 2 — Cathédrale Saint-Charles

• 8:30 PM — Trio Zoë Conway, John McIntyre & Louise Mulcahy (Opening concert — free invitation required)

Thursday, July 3 — La Comète & Parc Couriot

• 6:00 PM — Irish dance masterclass (La Comète)
• 8:30 PM — Shelta + Join the Dance (Irish folk dance, Parc Couriot)

Friday, July 4 — Saint-Victor-sur-Loire

• 6:30 PM-8:00 PM — Cisalpipers (musical parade, from the castle to the Romanesque church)
• 8:30 PM — Ar An Talamh (concert, castle open-air theater)

Saturday, July 5 — Rochetaillée

• 3:00 PM — Opening of the medieval village and events
• 3:00 PM-6:00 PM — Storytelling walks, creative workshops, archery, elf face painting
• 9:00 PM — The Celtic Social Club (main stage)
• 11:00 PM — The Muffins (main stage)

Sunday, July 6 — Rochetaillée

• 3:00 PM — Medieval village, events, and storytelling walks
• 7:00 PM — Brick à Drac & Gleanntán (main stage — hurdy-gurdy, nyckelharpa, bagpipes)
• 9:00 PM — Carrantuohill (main stage)
• 10:30 PM — Fireworks (from Rochetaillée castle)

• Exceptional opening concert by Irish trio Zoë Conway, John McIntyre, and Louise Mulcahy at Cathédrale Saint-Charles
• The Celtic Social Club and Carrantuohill headlining the main stage in Rochetaillée
• Musical parade by Cisalpipers through the medieval streets of Saint-Victor-sur-Loire
• Italian quartet Ar An Talamh at the open-air theater of Saint-Victor castle
• Irish folk dance with Shelta and Join the Dance at Parc Couriot
• Gleanntán and Brick à Drac: hurdy-gurdy, nyckelharpa, and medieval bagpipes
• Lively medieval village in Rochetaillée: crafts, archery, elf face painting
• Storytelling walks from the castle to the fairy grotto
• Closing fireworks display fired from Rochetaillée castle
• Entirely free festival with shuttle buses from Zénith parking lot