Festival Photo La Gacilly
Europe's largest open-air photography festival
About Photo La Gacilly
Europe's largest open-air photo festival
Since 2004, the Festival Photo La Gacilly has transformed the Breton village of La Gacilly into an extraordinary open-air gallery every summer. Born from the passion of Jacques Rocher, then mayor of the commune and son of the founder of the Yves Rocher company, this festival has successfully combined photographic art, environmental commitment, and accessibility to become an internationally renowned cultural event, welcoming over 300,000 visitors each year.
A route of monumental exhibitions
The festival features around thirty large-format exhibitions scattered throughout the streets, squares, gardens, and lanes of La Gacilly. The photographic prints, often monumental in size, are integrated into the village's architectural and landscape heritage, creating a unique dialogue between the image and the place. The approximately two-kilometer route invites contemplative and immersive strolls, permanently accessible for four months, from June to October.
Photography, humanism, and ecology
True to the spirit of its founder, the Festival Photo La Gacilly places the environmental and social issues of our time at the heart of its programming. Each edition is structured around a unifying theme—whether it's a country, a continent, or a contemporary issue—explored through the lens of internationally renowned photographers. The festival thus brings together auteur photography, photojournalism, and documentary photography in an effort to raise awareness and share perspectives.
Memorable thematic editions
Over the years, the festival has explored diverse horizons: Latin America, Japan, Africa, Southeast Asia, indigenous peoples, biodiversity, and British photography with the 2025 edition “So British!”. Each theme provides an opportunity to showcase the work of major photographers—from Yann Arthus-Bertrand to Sebastião Salgado, from Martin Parr to Don McCullin—while also discovering emerging young talents through the Prix Nouvelles Écritures (New Writing Prize).
A free and popular festival
One of the unique aspects of the Festival Photo La Gacilly is its complete freeness. All exhibitions are free to access, with no tickets or reservations required, making it a profoundly popular and inclusive event. The opening weekend in early June is a highlight, featuring meet-and-greets with photographers, guided tours, screenings, and activities for the whole family. Throughout the summer, occasional events—conferences, workshops, evenings—enrich the program.
La Gacilly, land of images and nature
Located in the heart of inland Brittany, in the Morbihan department, the village of La Gacilly is intimately linked to the Yves Rocher brand and its commitment to nature. The festival aligns with this identity by using the village's natural and built heritage as a backdrop for its exhibitions. The botanical gardens, the banks of the Aff river, and the flower-lined alleys offer a unique setting for contemplating the works, making the visit an artistic and sensory experience.
International reach
The success of the Festival Photo La Gacilly has led to a sister festival, the Festival La Gacilly-Baden Photo, held annually in Baden bei Wien, Austria. This European offshoot demonstrates the event's international reach and its ability to extend beyond Brittany's borders, always carrying the same message of dialogue between photography, humanism, and ecology.
Photo La Gacilly — edition 2026
The 23rd edition of the La Gacilly Photo Festival takes place from June 1st to October 4th, 2026, on the theme « 1826-2026: Photography, a French Adventure », celebrating 200 years since the invention of photography by Nicéphore Niépce. Curated by Cyril Drouhet, 20 open-air exhibitions bring together historical and contemporary figures of French photography, complemented by several international voices. The route is entirely free, accessible 7 days a week in the streets, squares, and gardens of the Breton village.
A 23rd Edition Dedicated to 200 Years of French Photography
To celebrate the bicentenary of Nicéphore Niépce's first photograph (1826), the La Gacilly Photo Festival in 2026 traces two centuries of French photographic adventure. Curated by Cyril Drouhet, this edition brings together 20 monumental exhibitions, featuring nearly 800 prints displayed in the streets, squares, and gardens of the village. The festival runs from June 1st to October 4th, 2026, with free access.
Photographers Exhibited in 2026
The edition brings together heritage and contemporary figures of photography, as well as several international perspectives. On the program: Nadar, Jean-Marie Périer, Pierre et Gilles, Willy Ronis, Jane Evelyn Atwood, Pierre Le Gall, Vincent Munier, Sophie Hatier, Claudine Doury, Éric Garault, Serge Sibert, Julie Bourges, Lys Arango, Ingmar Björn Nolting (Germany), Lee Shulman (United Kingdom), Sebastião Salgado (Brazil), Raymond Depardon, the duo Brodbeck & de Barbuat and Jérôme Gence. From Nadar's foundational portrait to contemporary questions about AI-generated images, passing through the humanism of Ronis and Depardon or the naturalist work of Vincent Munier, the exhibition embraces all facets of French photography.
Inauguration Weekend on May 29th, 30th, and 31st, 2026
The festival opens with an inauguration evening on Friday, May 29th, 2026, starting at 7:30 PM on Place de la Ferronnerie: concerts, DJ set, food, and refreshments until late into the night, with free access. On Saturday, May 30th, there will be the inauguration of a participatory fresco designed with illustrator Loan Nguyen Thanh Lan (10:30 AM-12:30 PM and 2 PM-4:30 PM). Throughout the weekend, meetings with photographers, signing sessions, guided tours, and activities will mark the official opening of the exhibitions.
A Freely Accessible Route All Summer Long
As every year, the exhibitions are visible 24/7, free of charge, along a route of approximately two kilometers winding through the streets, alleys, squares, and gardens of the village. The Welcome & Shop Point, Place de la Ferronnerie, is open 7 days a week: 10 AM-6 PM in June and September, 10 AM-7 PM in July and August. Maps, visitor guides, a photography bookstore, and the festival shop are available there. Throughout the summer, conferences, workshops, screenings, and thematic evenings will enrich the program.
A Confirmed Popular Success
The 2025 edition « So British! » welcomed over 350,000 visitors, confirming the La Gacilly Photo Festival's position as Europe's leading open-air photography event. True to the spirit of Jacques Rocher, the founder of the event, the festival remains entirely free and champions a humanist and ecological vision of photography.
Programme Photo La Gacilly 2026
Inauguration Weekend — May 29th, 30th, and 31st, 2026
- Friday, May 29th · 7:30 PM – 2 AM — Official inauguration evening, Place de la Ferronnerie: concerts, DJ set, food, and refreshments on site. Free access.
- Saturday, May 30th · 10:30 AM-12:30 PM and 2 PM-4:30 PM — Inauguration of the collaborative fresco designed with illustrator Loan Nguyen Thanh Lan. Free access.
- Saturday, May 30th and Sunday, May 31st — Meetings with photographers, signing sessions, guided tours, and workshops in the village.
The 20 Exhibitions to Discover from June 1st to October 4th, 2026
Curated by: Cyril Drouhet. All exhibitions are freely accessible, outdoors, 7 days a week.
- Nadar — 19th-century portraits, an inaugural look at French photographic portraiture.
- Willy Ronis — Post-war humanist photography.
- Jean-Marie Périer — Icons of French song and cinema.
- Pierre et Gilles — Staged portrait-paintings, pop and baroque aesthetic.
- Raymond Depardon — Documentary perspective on France and the world.
- Sebastião Salgado (Brazil) — Social and environmental photography.
- Jane Evelyn Atwood — Documentary and humanist photography.
- Vincent Munier — Naturalist photography and wildlife.
- Pierre Le Gall — Contemporary French photography.
- Sophie Hatier — Contemporary photographic creation.
- Claudine Doury — Long-term photographic narratives.
- Éric Garault — Reportage and portrait photography.
- Serge Sibert — International photojournalism.
- Julie Bourges — Young French photography.
- Lys Arango — Documentary and committed photography.
- Lee Shulman (United Kingdom) — The Anonymous Project, photographic archives.
- Ingmar Björn Nolting (Germany) — Contemporary documentary photography.
- Brodbeck & de Barbuat — Contemporary creation with two voices.
- Jérôme Gence — Contemporary photography and questioning of the image.
- 20th exhibition — A collective exhibition on two centuries of French photography, from Nicéphore Niépce to contemporary writings (artificial intelligence, image making).
Activities and Events Throughout the Festival
- June – October 2026 — Thematic guided tours, meetings with photographers, screenings, conferences, workshops for children and adults, occasional programming evenings. Detailed calendar published throughout the season on the official website.
- Welcome & Shop Point — Place de la Ferronnerie — Maps, visitor guides, photography bookstore, festival shop. Open 10 AM-6 PM in June and September, 10 AM-7 PM in July-August.
Highlights Photo La Gacilly 2026
- 23rd edition on the theme « 1826-2026: Photography, a French Adventure », celebrating 200 years of photography
- 20 monumental open-air exhibitions, nearly 800 prints displayed throughout the village
- Curated by Cyril Drouhet, featuring Nadar, Ronis, Depardon, Salgado, Munier, Pierre et Gilles, Jean-Marie Périer, Jane Evelyn Atwood, Lee Shulman, and other great names
- Inauguration weekend on May 29th, 30th, and 31st, 2026: concert/DJ set evening, participatory fresco, signing sessions, and meetings
- Free and open access 24/7 for 4 months, a route of approximately 2 km
- Over 350,000 visitors expected, similar to 2025
Prices Photo La Gacilly 2026
Practical information — Photo La Gacilly
Access
La Gacilly is located in southern Morbihan, Brittany, at the crossroads of roads between Vannes, Rennes, and Redon.
- By car: From Vannes (55 km, approx. 50 min) via the N166 then the D775. From Rennes (65 km, approx. 1h) via the N24 then the D177 towards Redon. From Redon (20 km, approx. 25 min) via the D873.
- By train: Redon station (20 km), then shuttle or taxi. Redon station is served by TER Bretagne and TGV trains from Paris-Montparnasse.
- Parking: Free parking lots at the entrance of the village, signposted during the festival. The town center is pedestrianized and explored on foot.
Practical information
The open-air exhibitions are accessible free of charge and permanently throughout the festival, from June to October. The approximately 2 km photographic route is walked through the streets, squares, and gardens of the village.
Welcome desk
The festival information point is located at Place de la Ferronnerie, in the heart of the village. Maps of the route and visitor guides are available free of charge.
Accessibility
The route is largely accessible to people with reduced mobility. Disabled parking spaces are available near the center.
On-site services
Food services, the festival shop, a photography bookstore, and a relaxation area are available during the season. The village has numerous restaurants, crêperies, and shops.
Contact
- Address: Association Festival Photo La Gacilly, Rue des Graveurs, BP 11, 56200 La Gacilly
- Phone: 02 99 08 68 00
- Website: www.festivalphoto-lagacilly.com
- Email: [email protected]
Festival-goer photos
No photo yet. Share yours!
Share your photos
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
Vous avez repéré une erreur ou une information manquante ?
Aidez-nous à garder cette fiche à jour. Toute proposition est relue par notre équipe avant publication.
Festival-goer reviews
No rating yet — be the first!
No review yet. Be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community
Where does it take place — Photo La Gacilly
Village de La Gacilly — Parcours en plein air
Place de la Ferronnerie, La Gacilly, 56200 La Gacilly