Festival Sur le Champ !

Festival Sur le Champ !: Valence's Free Musical Celebration

Since 2015, the Festival Sur le Champ ! has transformed the Champ de Mars esplanade into a huge open-air stage every summer, in the heart of Valence. Supported by the City of Valence, this 100% free festival has quickly established itself as the biggest cultural event in Drôme and one of the most important free music festivals in France.

An Ambitious and Accessible Musical Program

The festival is distinguished by a program that is both demanding and popular, mixing headliners from the French scene, national discoveries, and local talents. Each evening offers a different atmosphere: pop and French song, hip-hop and electro, world music, soul, and funk. Artists such as Zazie, Dionysos, Amadou et Mariam, Olivia Ruiz, Irène Drésel, and Julien Granel have performed on the Champ de Mars stage in recent years.

Over four evenings, about a dozen concerts are offered, with doors opening at 7 PM and festivities continuing until 1 AM.

An Exceptional Outdoor Setting

The Champ de Mars offers a unique setting for this open-air festival. Located in the city center of Valence, this green space boasts breathtaking views of the Château de Crussol and the Ardèche hills. The atmosphere is relaxed, family-friendly, and festive, with catering areas (food trucks, night market) and a bar serving drinks from 7 PM onwards.

The "Off" Program: Complementary Programming

Beyond the main stage concerts, the festival offers the "Off", a parallel program that takes over various locations in the city: acoustic concerts at the Musée de Valence, evenings at the contemporary music department of the Conservatory, and events in Valence's bars and concert venues. These "Off" events extend the musical experience and allow visitors to discover the city's rich cultural offerings.

A Popular and Intergenerational Event

With over 42,000 spectators in 2024, the Festival Sur le Champ ! confirms its status as a flagship event of the Valence summer year after year. Free and open to all, it attracts a diverse audience—families, young people, music lovers—united by the pleasure of open-air music. The festival also contributes to the tourism appeal of Valence and the Drôme region, attracting visitors from across the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region and beyond.