Fêtes Renaissance du Roi de l'Oiseau
The largest Renaissance historical reenactment in France in the heart of Le Puy-en-Velay
2026
About Roi de l'Oiseau
Roi de l'Oiseau — edition 2026
The 41st edition of the Fêtes Renaissance du Roi de l'Oiseau takes place from Wednesday, September 16th to Sunday, September 20th, 2026, in Le Puy-en-Velay, themed around the New World. The upper town steps back into the 16th century: historical reenactment camps, free street performances, a Renaissance market in the Jardin Henri Vinay, an archery competition, and the coronation of the new King of the Bird on Saturday, September 19th at 7:30 PM. Major ticketed shows include "Rugissement" by Cie La Salamandre, the Vellave wrestling tournament, the "Rêve du Nouveau Monde" equestrian jousts, and "Esperanza" at the Centre Pierre Cardinal.
41st Edition — The New World
The Roi de l'Oiseau returns from September 16th to 20th, 2026, for its 41st edition, dedicated to the discovery of the New World: Jacques Cartier's expeditions to what would become Quebec, the Charlesbourg-Royal fort, the Iroquois village of Stadaconé, and the music of South American missions. The theme permeates the entire program, from street theater to the encampments.
The event is organized by the Association du Roi de l'Oiseau, chaired by Gérard Langrené, with artistic coordination by the Compagnie du Théâtre de l'Alauda and direction by Jean-Louis Roqueplan.
What Awaits Visitors
- 30 historical reenactment camps set up throughout the city: the eight Isles of Velay, military camps, civilian camps, and the New World camp
- A Renaissance market with 120 stalls under the trees of the Jardin Henri Vinay
- 40 professional troupes performing music, theater, and acrobatics, hailing from Spain, Italy, Portugal, Czechia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and Germany
- An archery competition open to all, gathering over 950 adult and child competitors each year
- A closing parade featuring over 6,000 costumed participants
- 900 volunteers involved in the camps and over 50 local associations participating
Organizers expect 140,000 spectators. Access to the lively historical districts and street performances is free; only major shows, balls, concerts, and the market require tickets.
Accessibility
The festival reserves an afternoon in an accessible venue for nearly 500 spectators with disabilities, featuring shows and street performers. "Chimères" (Cie Latituds et Tocabestia) will be translated into sign language on Saturday afternoon. A lecture by historian Jean-François Vassal, "Disability from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance," will take place on Friday, September 18th at 7:30 PM at the Centre Pierre Cardinal.
Highlights Roi de l'Oiseau 2026
- Opening on Wednesday, September 16th at 7:30 PM at the foot of the cathedral steps, followed by the "Le Bal des Oiseaux" masquerade ball at 9:00 PM
- "Rugissement," fire show by Cie La Salamandre — Thursday at 9:00 PM, Friday and Saturday at 11:00 PM, Grande Lice, Place du Breuil
- Vellave wrestling, Friday, September 18th at 8:00 PM, Grande Lice
- Archery competition final and coronation of the 2026 King or Queen of the Bird — Saturday, September 19th at 7:30 PM, broadcast on big screen
- Grand Renaissance balls, Friday and Saturday at 10:00 PM at the Jardin Henri Vinay
- Grand closing parade, Sunday, September 20th at 3:00 PM starting from the cathedral steps — one hour earlier than previous editions
Programme Roi de l'Oiseau 2026
Wednesday, September 16th, 2026
- 7:30 PM — Opening of the Festival at the foot of the cathedral steps, followed by a procession to the Place du Martouret, with the Bird leading the parade
- 9:00 PM — Renaissance masquerade ball "Le Bal des Oiseaux," hosted by Francis I at the Jardin Henri Vinay dance area; music by Nid'Oc and Caminaïre; masks and costumes encouraged
Thursday, September 17th, 2026
- 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM — Renaissance Market, around 100 stalls at the Jardin Henri Vinay; €2 per day, free for children under 10
- 7:30 PM — Torchlight procession of the King-Bird and his archers from the cathedral to the Place du Breuil shooting range
- 8:00 PM — Concert "Mission — From Mexico to Cuzco, Music of the New World" by the Cathedral Choir and Consort Musica Vera, conducted by Jean-Baptiste Nicolas at Saint-Laurent Church; €10, tickets on-site
- 8:30 PM — "Esperanza," theater by La Prestigiosa Codrilhada, written and directed by Jean-Louis Roqueplan at the Centre Pierre Cardinal; €12 / €8
- 9:00 PM — Brick à Drac concert, Occitan medieval rock at the Jardin Henri Vinay dance area; €9
- 9:00 PM — "Rugissement," grand fire show by Cie La Salamandre at the Grande Lice, Place du Breuil; 40 min; €18 / €13
Friday, September 18th, 2026
- 10:00 AM to Midnight — Renaissance Market at the Jardin Henri Vinay
- 6:00 PM — "Esperanza" at the Centre Pierre Cardinal; €12 / €8
- 7:30 PM — Lecture "Disability from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance" by historian Jean-François Vassal at the Centre Pierre Cardinal auditorium
- 8:00 PM — Vellave wrestling, tournament of camp wrestlers for the title of Maistre de la Parjada at the Grande Lice, Place du Breuil; €10 / €7
- 8:00 PM — "Mission" concert at Saint-Laurent Church; €10
- 9:30 PM — "Esperanza" at the Centre Pierre Cardinal
- 10:00 PM — Grand Renaissance Ball of the Verveine du Velay at the Jardin Henri Vinay dance area; music by L'Archanteur, Les Goliards, and Nid'Oc; dance master Sieur Sauret; dance interludes of Pavanes and Capriols; €8
- 11:00 PM — "Rugissement" at the Grande Lice, Place du Breuil
- During the day — La Blanque de l'Oiseau, a Renaissance lottery with numbered tickets sold by local merchants in Le Puy at the Place du Martouret; two draws on Friday
Saturday, September 19th, 2026
- 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM — Archery competition qualifiers, open to all at the Place du Breuil shooting range; bow and arrows provided; entry €2 for adults, €1 for children
- 10:00 AM to Midnight — Renaissance Market at the Jardin Henri Vinay
- 10:30 AM — "Rêve du Nouveau Monde," equestrian demonstration by Les Portes DELT and Ranch des Orgues at the Grande Lice, Place du Breuil; €12 / €8
- 10:30 AM to 1:00 PM — "La Jòsta del Gost," Renaissance cooking competition between camps over wood fires at the Place des Marmitons
- 11:00 AM — Children's Festival, ceremony for camp children born this year and those celebrating their seventh harvest, orchestrated by the people of Trolvergne at the Place Saint-Georges
- 2:00 PM — "Rêve du Nouveau Monde" at the Grande Lice, Place du Breuil
- 2:30 PM — Center for Medieval and Renaissance Living History: meeting a crew member of Christopher Columbus, his equipment, chest, and diet (Jean-François Vassal) at 10 rue Cardinal de Polignac
- 3:00 PM — "Esperanza" at the Centre Pierre Cardinal
- 3:00 PM — "Mostra dels Vestits," Renaissance costume parade at the Place du Marché Couvert
- 4:00 PM — "The Great Promise": signing of the commitment book for future Charlesbourg settlers at the Place du Marché Couvert, followed by the 4:30 PM departure ceremony at Place Cadelade with Francis I, his Court, and the trumpets of Consort Musica Vera
- 6:00 PM — Call of the archery competition finalists by the master archers at the Place du Martouret, from the town hall balcony; three calls without response result in elimination
- 6:00 PM — "Esperanza" at the Centre Pierre Cardinal
- 6:30 PM — Competition for the most beautiful "Gueuse" (beggar woman), hosted by the Isle de Mochafède at the Place du Marché Couvert
- 7:30 PM — Archery competition final between the eight finalists and coronation of the 2026 King or Queen of the Bird at the Grande Lice, Place du Breuil; 1h30; live broadcast on big screen; €13 / €9
- 10:00 PM — Grand Renaissance Ball of the Lentille at the Jardin Henri Vinay dance area; €8
- 11:00 PM — "Rugissement" at the Grande Lice, Place du Breuil
- Afternoon — "Chimères" (Cie Latituds et Tocabestia), performance translated into sign language
- During the day — La Blanque de l'Oiseau at the Place du Martouret; three draws on Saturday
Sunday, September 20th, 2026
- 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM — Renaissance Market at the Jardin Henri Vinay
- 10:30 AM — "Rêve du Nouveau Monde" at the Grande Lice, Place du Breuil; €12 / €8
- 10:30 AM — Center for Medieval and Renaissance Living History (Jean-François Vassal) at 10 rue Cardinal de Polignac
- 11:30 AM — The keys to the Isles: the eight island captains receive the key to their gate from the hands of the Seneschal of the States of Velay at the Place du Marché Couvert, followed by a parade to the consular hotel at the Place du Martouret
- 1:30 PM — "Esperanza" at the Centre Pierre Cardinal
- 1:30 PM — "Rêve du Nouveau Monde" at the Grande Lice, Place du Breuil
- 3:00 PM — Grand closing parade; departure from the cathedral steps, arrival in the late afternoon at the top of the Boulevard du Breuil; starts one hour earlier than previous editions
Street Theater — free, in the city squares
- "Autopsie d'un miracle" — Cie Sembadelle: doctors and interns of the faculty
- "Le procès de Renart" — Théâtre du Mayapo
- "Chimères" — Cie Latituds et Tocabestia: collection of fantastic creatures
- "Les aventures de Gaspard le busard et Belette" — Cie Gaspard le Busard: humorous theater and choreographed combat
- "Santa Maria" — Cie Via Cane: comedy in a fairground puppet booth about Christopher Columbus's first voyage
- "La gazette du nouveau monde" — Théâtre du Bofadon: sketch show
- "Hissez haut !" — Cie la Colà, created by Jean-Louis Roqueplan
- "Kuthi" — Tricktrek Theater (Bulgaria): silent puppets, mechanical wooden castle
- "La charrette des Bateleurs" — Cie Ambraluna: acrobatic puppets, jugglers, and fire-breathers
- "Farces en baluchons" — Cie Les enfants sans souci: trestle theater
- "Bufons de la Buffa" — Cie Icarus e Lumen (Portugal): circus, aerial and ground acrobatics
Street Performers and Strolling Acts
- "Uno, due, trino," the mage Abacuc — Cie Abacuc: magic
- "Les rois des saltimbanques, les saltimbanques des rois" — Duo Forzarello (Germany): juggling, clubs, and flaming torches
- "Mascarados" — Teatro Bolo do Caco (Portugal): masked strolling, Commedia dell'arte
- Brother Jean des Entommeures and the Pontiff Bacbuc — Cie Les Songes Drolatiques
- "Les découvertes de Girolimo" — Nicolas Descave: vegetables, spices, and curiosities brought from the Americas
- "Machina Silente" — Cie Dans les décors: gadgets, trebuchets, mangonels, and bombards
- "Sonal" — Cie Aouta: seven characters of pastoral tradition, music, singing, and juggling
- Pavanes and Capriols dancers: voltes, branles, gaillardes, pavanes, and the Maypole dance
Musicians
- Nid'Oc: galoubet and bagpipes, branles and caroles
- Caminaïre: five musicians from Languedoc
- Los Trevaires: gralla, tarota, and drums, present at balls and the Vellave wrestling
- Cantagallo Menestrello (Italy): one-man band
- Ventus Eurus (Hungary)
- In Vino Veritas (Italy): medieval pagan folk
- Pipers of Transylvania (Romania)
- Braagas (Czechia): polyphony
- Turdion (Spain): five musicians from Madrid
- Trybu
- Urro das Marès (Portugal)
- Brick à Drac: hurdy-gurdy, bagpipes, nyckelharpa, bouzouki, guitar, bass, and drums
- Futhark (Italy): bagpipes and percussion
- L'Archanteur (Brittany): rebec, spinet, harp, and vocals
- Les Goliards: itinerant musician clerics
- Cathedral Choir
- Consort Musica Vera: early music
- Atelier des Arts recorder consort: 16th and 17th-century polyphonic repertoire
- Atelier des Arts brass and percussion ensemble, conducted by Richard Langénieux, at the parade arrival
- Royal dances of the Ottoman Empire, by the Ankara High School
- Les Manja Chabra from Le Monastier, at their Isabelle Romée court camp
Encampments — The Eight Isles
- Isle de Lioussac: the steam baths, where customers are soaped up
- Isle de Garamentes: red clay floor tiles, weapons and firearms, furbishing, felt, and leather
- Isle de Miramande: the navy and its crew
- Isle de Panaveyre: archers, vineyard, cooking, basketry, embroidery, leather, herbalism, candles
- Isle de l'Estrapade: Renaissance painting, perfume creation with a still
- Isle de Papelengue: dice, card, and puck games, bets held by the croupier
- Isle de la Viguerie: papermaking, quill calligraphy, bookbinding
- Isle de Mochafède: the beggars of the slaughterhouse district, who elect their most beautiful "Gueuse"
Encampments — The New World, Military and Civilian Camps
- New World Camp: Jean-François la Roque de Roberval's Charlesbourg-Royal fort, future site of Quebec, and an evocation of the Iroquois village of Stadaconé
- Velay Mercenaries Camp
- 1st Company of Velay Archers Camp: archery initiation
- Pieds Poudreux Camp: Occitan outcasts, deserters, and wandering mercenaries
- Affres d'Adonaï Camp: combat training
- Garrison of the Schwarze Landsknechte: Black Legion landsknechts
- Velay Pikemen Camp: city patrols, field hospital, and its surgeon
- Bannetiers de Montagnac Camp: millstones and bread oven
- Velay States Company Camp: all social strata, and this year Henry VIII and his Court
- Cramail et Croc en jambe Camp: wool, dyeing, candles, medal casting
- Les Compains Camp: cooking, Renaissance grill called "Papegaï," gaming table
- Mange-Chèvres Camp: monks of St Théofrède, leatherwork, brass, and drums
- Bâtisseurs d'Antan Camp: replica of a lifting machine and assembly of scaffolding
- Trolvergne Camp: forge, ointments and potions, games
- Ersa Malombrina Camp: street performers and the art of illusion
- Confrérie de l'Arc en Main Camp: bow and arrow making
- Tocabestia Camp: livestock negotiations
Permanent Activities
- The Master Chefs' Furnace: Renaissance wood-fire cooking
- Stained Glass Master's Workshop — Atelier du RenarT VerT: commented demonstration, glass cutting with a dividing iron
- The Builders' Site — Cie Bâtisseurs d'Antan: carpenters, sawyers, stonemasons, and blacksmiths at work
- The Blacksmiths' Workshop — L'Envol: toolmakers and blacksmiths
- The Cosmographer's Workshop — William Giroud: cosmography and ancient maps from Antiquity to the Renaissance
- The Heirs of Time: customs of the Court of Francis I, based on his visit to Le Puy on July 18, 1533
- The King's Stables — Les Portes DELT equestrian center: ponies and their apprentice riders before entering the lists
- The Lioussac steam baths and the Pikemen's military hospital
- Chapter Exhibition: retrospective of corporate banners, Anne-Marie Martel chapel, throughout the festival
Inns and Taverns
- Market inns and taverns: Jardin Henri Vinay
- Auberge de la Lentille: Place du Clauzel
- Auberge delh Planchas: Place Mgr de Galard
- Auberge de Brennus: Rue de Lille parking lot
- Auberge La Main dans le chapeau: Rue du Consulat
- Taverne du Cœur: Rue du Bouillon
- Taverne M'Handballõn: Square Rochetaillade
- Auberge Delh Dançador (La Calendreta): Jardin Henri Vinay, dance area
- Auberge St Michel: Place du Clauzel, tribunal esplanade
- Auberge du Papegaï (Les Compains): Place St Maurice
- Auberge du Trol (Trolvergne): Place du For
- Auberge du Caïon Fumat: Cour du Consulat
- Auberge du Mont Anis: Rue Cardinal de Polignac
- Taverne du Baobab: Place St Pierre Latour
- Taverne des Manges-Chèvres (Tant qu'il y aura des Chèvres): Cour Isabelle Romée
Schedules for street performances, street performers, and musicians are not published online: they are included in the Practical Guide-Program sold for €4, which includes the city map and parade routes.
Prices Roi de l'Oiseau 2026
Renaissance Market, Jardin Henri Vinay: €2 per day, €8 for the 4-day Market Pass (unlimited entries), free for children under 10.
"Rugissement," fire show: €18 / €13 reduced.
"Rêve du Nouveau Monde," equestrian jousts: €12 / €8.
"Esperanza," Centre Pierre Cardinal: €12 / €8.
Vellave wrestling: €10 / €7.
Archery competition final and coronation of the King of the Bird: €13 / €9.
Brick à Drac concert: €9.
"Mission" concert, Saint-Laurent Church: €10, tickets on-site.
Renaissance balls: €8, tickets on-site.
Registration for the Bird shooting qualifiers: €2 for adults, €1 for children, on-site.
Practical Guide-Program: €4. 2026 Medal: €12. Festival Pack (medal, guide, and 4-day Market Pass): €22.
Standard rate from age 10, reduced rate for children under 10, free for children under 3.
Tickets available at the Théâtre du Puy-en-Velay, Place du Breuil, and online via Spectacles en Velay from June 30, 2026, until 2 hours before each performance; thereafter, paper tickets at the entrance, subject to availability, starting half an hour before the performance. Unnumbered seats, limited capacity.
Practical information — Roi de l'Oiseau
Practical Information
Getting There
By car: Le Puy-en-Velay is located on the RN 88, a major European route connecting Lyon and Toulouse, as well as the RN 102. Distances provided by the organizers: Clermont-Ferrand 132 km, Lyon 134 km, Marseille 300 km, Paris 514 km.
By train: The Le Puy-en-Velay SNCF station is served by trains from Lyon via Saint-Étienne and from Clermont-Ferrand. The station is located near the city center.
By plane: The Le Puy-en-Velay – Loudes airport is 10 minutes from the city and offers daily flights to Paris-Orly, except on weekends.
Transport and Parking During the Festival
Every year, the city and the urban community provide free city buses for those in costume during the week, special free shuttles on weekends, and park-and-ride facilities (Dunant, Montredon, Bertrand de Doue, Gare, Quincieu, Estroulhas) connected to the center by the line 17 electric shuttle. As of mid-August 2026, the official website is still displaying the 2025 map, schedule, and free access conditions: please verify these details before you travel.
A bus adapted for passengers with reduced mobility (operated by the Graille company and marked with a sign) runs on Friday and Saturday afternoons.
Parking information desks: 04 71 02 03 54 for the city center, 04 43 18 01 21 for park-and-ride lots.
Regulations
Carrying bladed weapons is prohibited during the festival, with the exception of historical reenactment groups moving to or from a scheduled performance.
2026 Prices
Access to the historical areas is free, featuring over 250 free performances throughout the city. Only a few major shows and the market require a ticket.
- Renaissance Market, Jardin Henri Vinay: €2 per day, €8 for a 4-day unlimited entry Market Pass, free for children under 10.
- "Rugissement" fire show, Grande Lice at Place du Breuil: €18 / €13.
- "Rêve du Nouveau Monde" equestrian demonstration, Grande Lice: €12 / €8.
- "Esperanza" theater, Centre Pierre Cardinal: €12 / €8.
- La lutte vellave, Grande Lice: €10 / €7.
- Archery competition final and crowning of the Roi de l'Oiseau, Grande Lice: €13 / €9.
- Brick à Drac concert, Jardin Henri Vinay: €9.
- "Mission" concert, Saint-Laurent Church: €10.
- Renaissance Balls, Jardin Henri Vinay: €8.
- Registration for the Roi and Prince de l'Oiseau shooting qualifiers, Place du Breuil shooting range: €2 for adults, €1 for children.
Standard rates apply from age 10; reduced rates for children under 10; free for children under 3.
2026 Practical Guide and Program, including detailed schedules and an illustrated city map: €4. 2026 Commemorative Medal (pewter astrolabe): €12. Festival Pack (includes medal, guide, and 4-day Market Pass): €22.
Ticketing
Reservations can be made at the Le Puy-en-Velay Theater box office on Place du Breuil or online. Both options have been open since June 30, 2026, and remain available until 2 hours before each show. Afterward, paper tickets are sold at the entrance starting half an hour before the performance, subject to availability. Capacity is limited and seating is unreserved.
Tickets for the Renaissance Balls, the "Mission" concert, the Renaissance Market, and shooting qualifier registration are only available on-site.
The medal, guide, and festival pack have been available at the Tourist Office and the Boutique en Velay online store since July 9, 2026, and will be sold at the Roi de l'Oiseau information points during the festival. The guide is also sold at the Renaissance Market ticket booths.
Accommodation and Dining
The association publishes a list of partner restaurants and hotels on roideloiseau.com, updated for 2026. Book your accommodation in advance and be sure to wear comfortable shoes for the cobblestone streets of the upper town.
Contact
General Inquiries: Tourist Office, Place du Breuil, 43000 Le Puy-en-Velay, tel. 04 71 09 38 41.
Organization: Association du Roi de l'Oiseau, 29 rue Raphaël, 43000 Le Puy-en-Velay. Artistic coordination: Compagnie de l'Alauda, directed by Jean-Louis Roqueplan.
Official website: roideloiseau.com
The Fêtes Renaissance du Roi de l'Oiseau: A Dive into the 16th Century
Since 1986, the Fêtes Renaissance du Roi de l'Oiseau have transformed the city of Le Puy-en-Velay into a true Renaissance city. Created under the impetus of the municipality and the troupe of the Théâtre de l'Alauda, led by Jean-Louis Roqueplan and Hervé Marcillat, this festival is based on an authentic tradition: the game of the bird, an ancient archery competition that appeared in Le Puy-en-Velay in 1524. This custom, established by Charles V, involved shooting down a cloth bird called the Papegai (parrot in Occitan) with an arquebus or an arrow. The winner, proclaimed King for one year, received the keys to the city, the right to wear a sword, the rank of consul, and command of an arquebusier company.
A Large-Scale National Historical Reenactment
For four days, the focus is on street performances and the reenactment of 16th-century daily life in the Velay region. Over 6,000 costumed participants and more than 30 participating associations take over the narrow streets of the upper town to create a living backdrop: canvas camps, unpaid mercenaries, traveling artisans, period cuisine, pilgrims en route to Santiago de Compostela, cannon fire, acrobats, and musicians. Authenticity is at the heart of the festival: costumes, trades, music, and dance must breathe the 16th century.
The Renaissance Market and Performances
The Renaissance Market, which has become one of the most important of its kind nationally, brings together artisans and merchants offering period objects, costumes, food, and drinks. In parallel, over 250 free performances are offered throughout the city: street theater, dances, music, puppets, juggling, storytelling, animal training, and theatrical processions. Exceptional paid performances complete the program, including equestrian jousts, pyrotechnic shows, and the grand final of the archery competition followed by the coronation of the King of the Bird in the Place du Breuil.
Festival Highlights
Among the highlights are:
- The King's Shot: the grand archery competition open to all, whose final crowns the new King of the Bird
- The Grand Parades: Renaissance costume processions through the city with musicians, dancers, and extras
- Renaissance Balls: dancing evenings where the public participates in 16th-century court dances
- Equestrian Jousts: cavalry performances in the Grande Lice of the Place du Breuil
- Inns and Taverns: period dining with Renaissance recipes and drinks
- Skirmishes: reenactments of 16th-century battles and military scenes
A Festival Driven by Enthusiasts
The Association du Roi de l'Oiseau, composed of 90% volunteers, is the soul of this event. Seamstresses make costumes, artisans prepare the sets, and hundreds of extras mobilize each year to bring this page of history to life. Artistic coordination is provided by the Compagnie de l'Alauda under the direction of Jean-Louis Roqueplan. With artists from all over Europe and an estimated attendance of 120,000 visitors over four days, the Roi de l'Oiseau is now one of the largest Renaissance historical reenactments in France.
Where does it take place — Roi de l'Oiseau
Roi de l'Oiseau in brief
History of Roi de l'Oiseau
Edition 2025 Sep 2025Other festivals near Le Puy-en-Velay
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