Les P'tits Géants Festival
The puppet festival of Pont-de-Claix
About Les P'tits Géants
Every autumn, the Les P'tits Géants festival takes over L'Amphi in Pont-de-Claix for a week entirely dedicated to the art of puppetry. Created in 2016 by L'Amphi and the Compagnie Les Décintrés, this unmissable event for young audiences in Isère offers shows, free workshops, and exhibitions in poetic and surprising universes. From toddlers aged 6 months to older children, everyone discovers the magic of puppet, shadow, and object theatre through sensitive and contemporary creations.
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Les P'tits Géants: The Puppet Festival That Charms Pont-de-Claix
Since 2016, the Les P'tits Géants festival has transformed L'Amphi in Pont-de-Claix into a true kingdom of puppetry every autumn. Born from the collaboration between the team at L'Amphi, a municipal performance venue, and the Compagnie Les Décintrés, specializing in visual theatre and contemporary puppetry, this festival has become over a decade a major event for young audiences in the Grenoble area and beyond.
A Poetic Universe Dedicated to the Art of Puppetry
For a week, during the Toussaint holidays, the festival offers children and their families excursions into surprising and poetic universes that explore the sensitive world of puppetry in all its forms. String puppets, glove puppets, bunraku, shadow theatre, object theatre, giant puppets: each edition highlights the diversity of puppetry techniques and writing.
A Rich and Demanding Program
Each year, six professional companies from all over France present their creations in about a dozen performances. The shows are aimed at all ages, from 6 months old, and offer various artistic forms:
- Puppets and Object Theatre: creations where paper, wood, fabric, and everyday objects come to life under the puppeteers' fingers
- Shadow and Silhouette Theatre: visual shows that play with light and darkness
- Visual Theatre: hybrid forms combining visual arts, live music, and manipulation
- Storytelling and Puppet Narration: stories carried by characters made of wood, foam, or paper
Free Workshops and Exhibition
In addition to the shows, Les P'tits Géants offers free parent-child workshops throughout the week, led by professional artists. Puppet making, introduction to shadow theatre, bunraku manipulation, object theatre, or hardware puppet construction: each workshop is an invitation to discover the secrets of puppetry as a family.
The festival also includes an exhibition with free access, designed by a collective of puppeteers from the region, which extends the artistic experience and invites contemplation and discovery.
The Compagnie Les Décintrés, Soul of the Festival
A loyal partner of L'Amphi since the festival's origins, the Compagnie Les Décintrés creates a colorful, playful, and poetic journey each year in the hall and spaces of the venue. In costume and mischievous, the company members welcome the public with deliberately contemporary puppet characters, inspired by the arts of clowning, visual arts, and image theatre, for total immersion in the festival's universe.
A Festival That Grows with Its Audience
Since its creation, Les P'tits Géants has continued to grow, building a loyal and ever-increasing family audience. The festival affirms its mission: to introduce young audiences to the richness and diversity of puppet arts, in a warm and accessible setting, where the puppetry tradition serves as a mirror to the world, between laughter, emotions, and questions.
Les P'tits Géants — edition 2026
The 11th edition of the Les P'tits Géants festival will be held from October 17 to 23, 2026, at L'Amphi in Pont-de-Claix. A new week dedicated to the art of puppetry with shows, free workshops, and an exhibition for families and young audiences from 6 months old.
11th Edition - October 17 to 23, 2026
The Les P'tits Géants festival returns for its 11th edition from October 17 to 23, 2026, at L'Amphi in Pont-de-Claix. After a memorable anniversary edition in 2025, the festival continues its exploration of puppetry with a new program designed to amaze both young and old.
As every year, six professional companies will present their creations in about a dozen performances. String puppets, glove puppets, shadow theatre, object theatre, and contemporary forms will be featured to transport families into poetic and sensitive universes.
On the Program
The full program for the 11th edition will be unveiled in autumn 2026. As always, the festival will offer:
- Six puppet shows for all ages, from 6 months old
- Free parent-child workshops throughout the week
- An exhibition with free access in the L'Amphi lobby
- Opportunities to meet and interact with the artists
Bookings open in September 2026 at 04 76 29 86 38 and on the website of the town of Pont-de-Claix.
Programme Les P'tits Géants 2026
2026 Program
The detailed program for the 11th edition will be announced in autumn 2026 on the website of the town of Pont-de-Claix. The festival will offer:
- Six puppet shows by professional companies
- About a dozen performances at L'Amphi
- Workshops on puppet making and manipulation for parents and children
- An exhibition designed by puppeteer artists from the region
Highlights Les P'tits Géants 2026
To Note for 2026
- Dates: Saturday, October 17 to Friday, October 23, 2026
- 11th edition of the Pont-de-Claix puppet festival
- Shows at €5.40 per person, free workshops
- Program to be announced on pontdeclaix.fr
Prices Les P'tits Géants 2026
Practical information — Les P'tits Géants
Practical Information
Location
The festival takes place at L'Amphi, the performance venue in Pont-de-Claix, located at Place Michel Couëtoux, 38800 Le Pont-de-Claix. L'Amphi has a capacity of 220 seats and offers an intimate setting ideal for puppet shows.
Dates
The festival takes place annually during the Toussaint holidays, generally for a full week in October (from the Saturday to the following Friday). The precise dates are announced at the beginning of the cultural season on the website of the town of Pont-de-Claix.
Prices
Shows are offered at a very accessible single price of €5.40 per person per show, to allow as many families as possible to enjoy the program. Parent-child workshops are free, upon prior registration.
Booking
Booking is highly recommended, as seating is limited. Tickets can be booked:
- By phone at 04 76 29 86 38
- On the website of the town of Pont-de-Claix, in the cultural season section
- Directly at the reception of L'Amphi during opening hours
Access
By car: Pont-de-Claix is located 7 km south of Grenoble, accessible via the RN75 and the A480. Free parking is available near L'Amphi, Place Michel Couëtoux.
By public transport: Line A of the Grenoble public transport tramway serves Pont-de-Claix. Get off at the "L'Étoile" or "Le Pont-de-Claix" stop, then a few minutes' walk to L'Amphi. Several bus lines of the M TAG network also serve the area.
Audience
The festival is aimed at families with children from 6 months old. Each show indicates the recommended age to guide parents in their choices. Toddlers and older children will find suitable offerings.
Contact
- Phone: 04 76 29 86 38
- Town Hall: 04 76 29 80 00
- Website: www.pontdeclaix.fr
Practical Tips
- Book your tickets in advance, some shows sell out quickly
- Register for workshops as soon as reservations open, places are limited
- Plan to arrive 15 minutes before the start of the show
- L'Amphi is accessible to people with reduced mobility
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Travel to this festival
Book your train or bus to reach Les P'tits Géants at the best price.
Sponsored link
Where does it take place — Les P'tits Géants
L'Amphi
Place Michel Couëtoux, 38800 Pont-de-Claix