La 7ème Vague Festival

La 7ème Vague Festival: Where Music Meets the Ocean

In Brétignolles-sur-Mer, between the forest and the dunes, just 200 meters from the Atlantic, the La 7ème Vague Festival has become, in over twenty years of existence, one of the flagship musical events on the Vendée coast. Born in 2003 from the passion of a team of volunteers and music lovers, the festival has gradually established itself as a must-attend spring event, bringing together thousands of festival-goers from across the Pays de la Loire region and beyond every year around the Ascension holiday.

Two Days of Music in an Exceptional Natural Setting

The setting of the Parc des Morinières is one of La 7ème Vague's major assets. This vast green space, a few minutes' walk from the beaches of Brétignolles-sur-Mer, offers an open horizon and a salty air that give the festival a unique atmosphere. The main stage stands facing the audience under an Atlantic sky, creating changing light effects that regulars consider a visual signature of the event.

The organization also offers on-site camping, allowing festival-goers to fully immerse themselves in the experience, extend their evenings, and enjoy the conviviality of Vendée nights. The beach, accessible on foot, offers a refreshing break between sets.

An Eclectic and Ambitious Program

La 7ème Vague stands out for its musical programming that refuses narrow categories. Each edition skillfully blends artists from contemporary French chanson, reggae, electro-swing, hip-hop, rock, and world music. This diversity of genres is a founding philosophy of the festival: to create unlikely encounters between different musical aesthetics and thus reach a broad, transgenerational, and curious audience.

Among the artists who have marked the festival's history are many names from the French and international music scene: from conscious reggae bands to intimate chanson singers, from gypsy jazz groups to the most avant-garde electro collectives. La 7ème Vague is thus a formidable barometer of current musical trends, while also paying homage to established artists whose careers span generations.

A Festival Rooted in the Life of the Vendée Territory

Beyond the musical program, La 7ème Vague is a collective adventure driven by a team of committed volunteers and supported by the municipality of Brétignolles-sur-Mer, the tourist office of Pays de Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, and numerous local partners. The festival actively contributes to the local economy: accommodation, restaurants, shops, artisans — all benefit from the influx of festival-goers during the Ascension weekend.

A competition for emerging artists is organized each year in the lead-up to the festival, offering young regional bands the chance to perform on the main stage of Parc des Morinières. This support for local creation is a hallmark of La 7ème Vague, true to its commitment to live music in all its forms.

Brétignolles-sur-Mer, the Seaside Resort of La 7ème Vague

Brétignolles-sur-Mer is a seaside town in the Pays de Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, known for its beaches, surf spots, and preserved seaside architecture. An ideal family resort, it has a significant number of second homes and substantial tourist accommodation capacity. Nature is omnipresent: coastal paths, protected wetlands, wild dunes, pine forests — an ideal environment for organizing an open-air festival that respects its natural setting. The town is easily accessible from Nantes, La Roche-sur-Yon, and Saint-Jean-de-Monts.