Fête de Suresnes

Suresnes in celebration: a city between the Seine and memory

Suresnes (92150) is a town in Hauts-de-Seine with a strong character. Backed by Mont Valérien — a major national memorial and Resistance site — and overlooking the Seine from its hills, Suresnes benefits from an exceptional geographical and heritage setting. The town is also known for its municipal vineyard, the Vigneron de Suresnes, one of the last urban vineyards in the Paris region, whose wine is vinified each autumn with great care by municipal agents.

The July 14th Festival: ball, concert, and fireworks

The festive highlight of the year in Suresnes is the celebration of July 14th. Every year, on the evening of July 13th, the town organizes a grand popular evening at the bandstand in the Parc de l'Orangerie. From 7:30 PM, families and residents are invited to participate in a friendly festival featuring fairground games for the whole family, a popular ball, a live concert, a torchlight procession at 10 PM, and grand fireworks at 11 PM in the park's gardens. Access is completely free.

Suresnes Cités Danse: internationally renowned contemporary dance

While the Fête Populaire de Suresnes culminates in July, the town is best known in the cultural world for its contemporary dance festival Suresnes Cités Danse. Founded in 1990, this winter festival, organized annually in January-February at the Théâtre Jean Vilar, has become one of the most important events for hip-hop dance and urban arts in France and Europe. It hosts companies from around the world each year and has established itself as an essential springboard for choreographers and dancers of the new generation.

Suresnes' festive agenda throughout the year

• January-February: Suresnes Cités Danse — contemporary and hip-hop dance festival
• June: Fête de la Musique — free concerts in the town's parks and streets
• July 13th: National Day — ball, concert, torchlight procession, and fireworks
• Summer: Summer entertainment for families
• Autumn: Grape harvest of the Suresnes municipal vineyard

The Théâtre Jean Vilar, Suresnes' cultural heart

The Théâtre Jean Vilar is Suresnes' main cultural venue. This theater, with its demanding programming, hosts theater, dance, and music performances throughout the year. Its historical connection with Jean Vilar — founder of the Avignon Festival and director of the Théâtre National Populaire — gives it a strong symbolic dimension: culture for all, accessible to everyone, driven by the ambition of public service.

Memorial heritage at the heart of local life

Suresnes is home to the Mémorial de la France Combattante at the summit of Mont Valérien, where 1,006 resistance fighters, hostages, and patriots were shot by the Germans between 1941 and 1944. This unique memorial site in France is also the setting for an annual ceremony held each June, attended by the President of the Republic. The memorial dimension of Suresnes gives its popular festivals a particular historical depth.