Fête du Lac d'Annecy
One of the largest pyrotechnic shows in Europe
2026
About Fête du Lac
Fête du Lac — edition 2026
The 2026 Annecy Lake Festival takes place on Saturday, August 1st, at the Albigny Bay with "L'Âme du Monde" (The Soul of the World), a creation by the French company Arteventia, structured into nine acts over a 70-minute performance. Music is the central thread, driven by a 34-track soundtrack and the voice of actress Maïk Darah. Doors open at 7:00 PM, the show begins at 9:45 PM without an intermission, and concludes around 11:00 PM. The day is preceded by free cultural activities in several downtown areas starting at 1:30 PM.
"L'Âme du Monde": A musical celebration in nine acts
On Saturday, August 1st, 2026, Albigny Bay will host "L'Âme du Monde," the new creation for the Annecy Lake Festival. The artistic design is entrusted to the French company Arteventia, which was behind the previous edition and the July 14th, 2025 fireworks display: Édouard Grégoire as artistic director, Gabriel Legrand as technical director, and Julien Delaveau as project manager.
For 70 minutes without intermission, a powerful and immersive production takes spectators on a total sensory experience. Lights, water jets, and pyrotechnics form the heart of a show built in nine acts, where music serves as a universal language: classical works, film scores, orchestral creations, and popular songs follow one another across 34 tracks.
Innovative floating features
New visual elements will appear on the water: the Grande Dame, a female character symbolizing the voice of music wandering on the lake's waters, as well as aquatic and pyrotechnic bicycles that animate the surface with fire and movement. Pyrotechnic drones extend the fireworks' effects, drawing a celestial ballet above the lake. The performance is guided by the enchanting voice of Maïk Darah, a renowned French actress and voice artist.
The show in numbers
- 70 minutes of performance in 9 acts
- 2.2 tons of fireworks, 10,858 firing commands, and 104 firing platforms
- 55 water jets reaching 30 meters in height
- 60 drones, 44 light points, and 18 sound diffusion points
- 53,000 seated spots and nearly 200,000 spectators around the lake
- 450 temporary staff recruited, 2,000 people mobilized on the day, 4 weeks of setup and dismantling
A festival open to the entire city
Long concentrated on the Pâquier, the Lake Festival now extends to several sites in Annecy throughout the day on August 1st, with free, registration-free cultural activities centered on poetry, urban arts, music, and dance.
Accessibility
The show's soundtrack is available with audio description live on smartphones via a dedicated app. 20 vibrating vests are provided free of charge for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, and the "Duo Lac" program offers assistance for people with disabilities by volunteer municipal agents, with access one hour before opening.
Highlights Fête du Lac 2026
- "L'Âme du Monde" — Arteventia's pyrotechnic show in nine acts, 70 minutes without intermission, at 9:45 PM at Albigny Bay
- A 34-track soundtrack, ranging from classical to film scores and popular songs
- The "Grande Dame," a floating female figure embodying the voice of music, and pyrotechnic aquatic bicycles
- A celestial ballet of 60 pyrotechnic drones and 55 water jets reaching 30 meters
- 2.2 tons of fireworks, 10,858 firing commands from 104 platforms
- Narration by Maïk Darah, a renowned French actress and voice artist
- An afternoon of free activities in the city center: contemporary dance, beatbox, DJing, children's opera, sign language show, and street performances
- Preferential rates for Annecy residents and 200 tickets at €5 on the Pâquier lawn for 13-25 year olds
Programme Fête du Lac 2026
Saturday, August 1st, 2026 — Afternoon of free activities in the city center
Square Bernard Bosson — Poetic Space
- 2:00 PM – 2:40 PM and 4:30 PM – 5:10 PM — Contemporary dance: "L'Hôte," by the Nü company, a creation performed by two dancers and a musician exploring body acceptance and emotions
- 3:00 PM – 4:15 PM and 5:20 PM – 6:35 PM — Musical-poetic recital and writing workshop: "Le Chemin de Jivan Muti," by the Alchimique company, featuring guitar, saxophone, and piano
Place Notre-Dame — Urban Space
- 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM and 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM — Beatbox show and workshop with Prichia, 2023 world beatbox vice-champion
- 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM — DJing show and workshop with Mante Religieuz (mixing, scratching, and transitions on professional gear), followed by sets from DJs Excès, CLK, and Ydeal
Place Saint-Maurice, Jardins de l'Europe, and Place des Cordeliers — Family Space
- 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM — "Allô?," a continuous playful installation by the Progéniture company, featuring old telephone handsets to pick up · Place Saint-Maurice
- 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM — "La Famille sans nom," a bilingual show in French and sign language, by the On/Off company · Jardins de l'Europe
- 2:30 PM – 3:15 PM and 4:30 PM – 5:15 PM — "Plume," an opera for children, by the Un Air de Plume company · Place des Cordeliers
- 3:45 PM – 4:15 PM and 5:45 PM – 6:15 PM — "Téklash," body percussion and workshop, by the Entêtés company · Place des Cordeliers
City Center — Street Performances
- 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM, 4:00 PM – 4:30 PM, and 6:00 PM – 6:30 PM — "Lok'adabra," a traveling visual and sound show by the La Baraque à Plume company
Saturday, August 1st, 2026 — "L'Âme du Monde" show, Albigny Bay
- 7:00 PM — Doors open, musical welcome, and refreshments on site
- 9:45 PM — Start of the pyrotechnic show, no intermission (the time is precise; latecomers will be seated according to accessibility)
- 11:00 PM — End of the show
Designed by Arteventia under the artistic direction of master pyrotechnician Édouard Grégoire, "L'Âme du Monde" unfolds in nine acts over 70 minutes: fireworks, water jets, light shows, pyrotechnic drones, and floating devices (the Grande Dame, aquatic bicycles), all narrated by Maïk Darah.
The show's soundtrack (34 tracks, in order)
- John Miles — Music (Remastered 1985)
- Lorne Balfe — 10 Million Species
- Ludwig Göransson — Wakanda
- Ethno Music Orchestra — The Orient Is Calling
- Gabriel Saban — White Tiger
- Christopher Tin — Baba Yetu
- Enigma — Return To Innocence
- Carlos Estella — Epic India
- Karl Jenkins — Adiemus
- Hans Zimmer — Life Must Have Its Mysteries
- Sarah Brightman — Anytime Anywhere
- Sarah Brightman — Nessun Dorma
- Maurice Jarre — Unchained Melody (Ghost)
- Roy Orbison — Oh Pretty Woman
- Sacha Distel — La belle vie Remix (Camping)
- Lady Gaga — Hold My Hand (Top Gun Maverick)
- Nicole Kidman — Come What May
- Clemens Ruh — Yesterday Has Yet To Come
- French Fuse — Space
- Frank Sinatra — Fly Me To The Moon
- Geek Music — Starman (Lightyear)
- Tiko Tiko — Against All Odds
- Indochine — Nos célébrations
- The Hybsters — Voyage voyage
- Joe Dassin — Dans les yeux d'Émilie
- Dalida — Laissez-moi danser
- Juliette Armanet — Le dernier jour du disco
- Anyma feat. Luke Steele — Human Now
- ODESZA — A Moment Apart
- Egzod — Royalty
- Worakls — Red Gold
- Jean-Michel Jarre — Chronology Pt. 4
- M83 — Outro
- Samuel Kim — Lacrimosa (Epic Version)
Prices Fête du Lac 2026
Practical information — Fête du Lac
Practical Information
Schedule
- Free activities in the city center starting at 1:30 PM
- 7:00 PM — Gates open for the paid area, musical entertainment, and refreshments
- 9:45 PM — Start of the pyrotechnic show (no intermission)
- 11:00 PM — End of the show
2026 Prices (Annecy resident rate / standard rate)
- Numbered grandstands and chairs: from €24.50 to €55 for Annecy residents (€28 to €60 standard rate), including the grandstand at €38.50 / €42
- Pâquier Lawn: €15.50 / €18 (adult), €5 / €7 (ages 6-12), €5 for Annecy residents aged 13-25 (limited to 200 tickets)
- Impérial Lawn: €11.50 / €15 (adult), €6 / €7 (ages 6-12)
- Marquisats Lawn: €7 / €9 (adult), €4 / €6 (ages 6-12)
- Children under 6: Free in numbered seating, must sit on an adult's lap, ticket required
- Disabled access (PMR): €42 / €47, first companion free
- Shores outside the paid perimeter: Free access
Ticketing
Tickets are sold in two phases: first, in-person at a dedicated counter at the Nouvelles Galeries in Annecy (East entrance) from June 2nd to June 20th, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM, then online starting June 22nd, 2026, until sold out. Management is handled by the provider OandB Billetterie. Tickets for people with reduced mobility can only be booked via email at [email protected]. Tickets are in high demand: booking in advance is essential.
Access
By train: Annecy station, then walk to the Baie d'Albigny. Additional TER Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes trains are scheduled, as well as reinforced service on the L2 Léman Express line between Annemasse and Annecy, with several return trips after the show.
By bus: Additional buses and special Sibra lines, plus regional coaches. Transport capacity is scaled to handle 20,000 people.
By car: Traffic will be heavily disrupted with a dedicated traffic plan on the day of the event. Park-and-ride lots are available on the outskirts (Cap Périaz, Lycée Charles Baudelaire, Université Savoie Mont-Blanc, Cinéma Le Rabelais, Salle Le Météore). It is highly recommended to combine driving with public transport and to arrive early in the afternoon.
By bike and motorcycle: Free, guarded bike parking from 6:00 PM to midnight near the Sainte-Bernadette church, at the Marquisats, and Place François-de-Menthon, with a capacity for 2,000 bikes, as well as the Vélonecy rental service. Helmet storage is available at Place du Souvenir and Place de la Grenette, as helmets are prohibited inside the show area.
Accessibility
The site is accessible to people with reduced mobility, with a reserved area and a drop-off point. The show's soundtrack is available via audio description live on smartphones through a dedicated app. Twenty vibrating vests are available for free to allow deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals to feel the sound. The "Duo Lac" program offers assistance to spectators with disabilities from volunteer municipal staff, with access one hour before opening to avoid the crowds.
The Annecy Lake Festival: A pyrotechnic heritage unique in Europe
The history of the Annecy Lake Festival dates back to the 19th century. In 1860, to mark the annexation of Savoy to France, a lavish Venetian-style celebration was held in honor of a visit by Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie, featuring a night-time boat parade illuminated by fireworks on the lake. The event made such an impression that the people of Annecy were determined to keep the spirit alive.
By 1924, the event had evolved into a full-scale spectacle, officially taking the name "Fête du Lac" in 1925 with the ambition of becoming a world-class pyrotechnic display. Initially held on Sundays, it was moved to the first Saturday of August starting in 1978. Since then, the show has constantly reinvented itself, incorporating the latest advancements in pyrotechnics, lighting, and sound design.
A 70-minute total sensory experience
Every year, the Annecy Lake Festival presents an original 70-minute thematic show, orchestrated by world-renowned pyrotechnicians. The Baie d'Albigny, with the lake and mountains as a backdrop, provides a natural stage of exceptional scale. The performance blends monumental fireworks, giant water jets, light shows, pyrotechnic drones, and an immersive soundtrack, all synchronized with pinpoint precision.
Themes that tell a story
Each edition is built around an original theme that drives the narrative of the show. The 2025 edition, "Ode to the Moon," is a poetic and dreamlike journey by Arteventia, featuring narration by Benoît Allemane and a 30-track musical score. The 2026 edition, "The Soul of the World," places music at the heart of the evening in a performance structured in nine acts.
A popular event of international stature
With 53,000 seated tickets and nearly 200,000 spectators lining the shores, the Annecy Lake Festival is one of the most popular events in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. The numbered grandstands and chairs set up on the Baie d'Albigny offer optimal comfort, while the lawns and shores outside the paid perimeter allow everyone to enjoy the show in a friendly, festive atmosphere.
The event is organized by the City of Annecy, which recruits 450 temporary staff each year and mobilizes nearly 2,000 people on the day of the event, following four weeks of setup and dismantling. Long centered on the Pâquier, the festival now extends to several sites across the city, with free cultural activities throughout the day.
Where does it take place — Fête du Lac
Fête du Lac in brief
History of Fête du Lac
Edition 2025 Aug 2025Other festivals near Annecy
Festival-goer reviews
No review yet. Be the first!
No rating yet — be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community
Have you spotted an error or missing information?
Help us keep this listing up to date. Every suggestion is reviewed by our team before publication.
Festival-goer photos
No photo yet. Share yours!
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)