Festival Plein Air de Guillaumes

Art takes over the gorges of the Niceois Colorado

The Festival Plein Air is a multidisciplinary artistic event created in 2021 by the association ENTRE|DEUX. Its founding principle: to take over spaces not usually dedicated to art to bring a breath of creativity, foster encounters between audiences and artists, and make art accessible in all its forms. After the success of its first four editions in Breil-sur-Roya, the festival expanded in 2025 to Guillaumes, a village perched in the heart of the spectacular red gorges of the Niceois Colorado.

A route of artistic installations

The heart of the festival is a route of artistic installations through the streets and squares of the village. Artists create site-specific works — sculptures, immersive installations, participatory creations — that dialogue with the medieval architecture and the surrounding mountain landscape. Visitors are invited to wander freely through this ephemeral open-air museum, guided by curiosity and encounters with the creators.

Circus, dance, and street performances

The Festival Plein Air program combines contemporary circus, dance, street theater, and performances. Highlights include wandering dance and circus performances like “Éclats célestes” by Cie 7Pépinière and former students of the Centre régional des arts du cirque PACA, clown visits (“Impromptu burlesque”), urban dance by Cie Bakhus, and immersive sound naps.

Music and conviviality

The festival evenings are enlivened by DJ sets and open-air concerts that extend the celebration under the stars. In 2025, the DJ set “Space Is The Place” by Lego my Ego featured astral beats, cosmic dub, and dark techno, echoing the astronomy theme. Food is available on-site from 7 p.m., in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere.

A festival in synergy with the territory

The Festival Plein Air is part of a dynamic of promoting heritage and the territory of the hinterland of the Alpes-Maritimes. In Guillaumes, it takes place in synergy with the Festival du Livre Montagne, Nature et Traditions, which celebrates its 30th edition in 2025 on the theme of astronomy. This complementarity between visual arts, performing arts, and literature offers visitors a complete cultural weekend in an exceptional natural setting, between mountains and red gorges.

Free and participatory

True to its values of sharing and accessibility, the Festival Plein Air is entirely free. Participatory workshops — clay creation, collective murals, dance — invite the public to become active participants in the event. The festival is supported by the Department of Alpes-Maritimes and the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region.