The touring festival that warms up the Cantal winter with music
Hibernarock is the contemporary music festival of Cantal, organized every winter by the Departmental Council. Created in 2007, it travels through about fifteen communes in the department from January to March, offering an eclectic program mixing national, international, and local artists. With its free shuttles from Aurillac and Saint-Flour, accessible prices, and complementary events (exhibitions, screenings, blind tests, dances), Hibernarock transforms the heart of winter into a true musical exploration ground for all audiences.
In 2007, the Cantal Departmental Council launched a venture that many deemed insane: creating a contemporary music festival in the middle of winter, in a rural area, in one of France's least populated departments. Nearly twenty years later, Hibernarock has become an essential cultural event that warms the heart of the Cantal winter each year. Supported by the Department's Cultural Action Directorate and over 35 partners — intercommunalities, municipalities, cultural associations, and music schools — the festival irrigates the entire Cantal territory for nearly two months.
Hibernarock's uniqueness lies in its touring and decentralized nature. Each edition unfolds in about fifteen communes, from small mountain villages to the department's main towns: Aurillac, Saint-Flour, Mauriac, Murat, Maurs, Vic-sur-Cère, Pierrefort, Condat, Naucelles, Salers, Saignes, and many others. Community halls, municipal theaters, cultural centers: each concert venue becomes the epicenter of Cantal's musical life for an evening.
To ensure accessibility, the festival provides free shuttles departing from Aurillac and Saint-Flour, allowing spectators to attend concerts with peace of mind, even in the most remote communes.
Hibernarock champions a broad vision of contemporary music, mixing rock, pop, electro, French chanson, world music, hip-hop, folk, soul, and funk. The program combines national and international headliners, emerging artists, and the local Cantal scene. Over the years, the festival has hosted artists as diverse as Charlie Winston, Deluxe, Jupiter & Okwess, Fatoumata Diawara, Naïve New Beaters, Papooz, Orange Blossom, Hervé, Vaudou Game, Ko Ko Mo, Léonie Pernet, and Yoa, a revelation from the Victoires de la musique 2025 awards.
Since 2024, the Les Agités du Local initiative has highlighted the Cantal scene by offering a 100% local evening to bands from the region like The Howlstage and Les Z'Arpenlus.
Hibernarock goes beyond being just a music festival. Each edition offers a rich program of complementary events: photographic exhibitions (such as Frank Loriou's retrospective dedicated to Jean-Louis Murat), screenings, conferences, blind tests, traditional dances like the Bal de la Caneta, shows for young audiences, educational workshops in schools, and concerts in nursing homes. The festival pays particular attention to environmental responsibility with collective transport, reusable cups, local products, and hearing protection awareness.
With prices ranging from free to 20 euros and its deep roots in the rural fabric of Cantal, Hibernarock embodies a unique model of a rural winter cultural festival, proving that music knows no geographical borders or seasons.
20th edition of Hibernarock, the contemporary music festival of Cantal. From January 27 to March 7, 2026, in 14 communes. Over 22 events with Charlie Winston, Deluxe, Jupiter & Okwess, Yoa, Léonie Pernet, Zentone, Cachemire, Emilie Marsh, and many others. Free shuttles and accessible prices.
For its 20th anniversary, Hibernarock returns from January 27 to March 7, 2026, once again transforming the Cantal winter into a true musical exploration ground. Born in 2007 from a bold venture — offering a contemporary music festival in the middle of winter, in a rural area — the event has become an essential cultural rendezvous, supported by the Cantal Departmental Council and over 35 partners.
This anniversary edition offers over 22 events — concerts, exhibitions, screenings, talks, and shows for young audiences — in 14 communes: Murat, Aurillac, Saint-Illide, Saint-Flour, Naucelles, Maurs, Champs-sur-Tarentaine-Marchal, Le Rouget-Pers, Condat, Mauriac, Vic-sur-Cère, Auriac-l'Église, Pierrefort, and Saignes.
The musical program brings together about twenty national and international artists. Charlie Winston will perform on February 25 in Mauriac, Deluxe will close the festival on March 7 in Pierrefort, and Jupiter & Okwess will bring their Congolese energy on February 21 in Murat. Yoa, a revelation from the Victoires de la musique 2025 awards, Léonie Pernet, Cachemire, Zentone (dub and world music), Emilie Marsh, NastyJoe, Do Good, Barbara Forstner, and Hélène Sio complete an eclectic and demanding lineup.
The local scene is in the spotlight with Les Agités du Local, a 100% Cantal evening hosting The Howlstage and Les Z'Arpenlus. The cultural program is enhanced by a retrospective exhibition at the Departmental Archives and the photographic project Photorama — Jean-Louis Murat by Frank Loriou. Concerts in nursing homes, school performances, and a show for young audiences demonstrate the festival's popular and inclusive mission.
Hibernarock is a touring festival that takes place in about fifteen communes in Cantal. Concert venues vary depending on the program: Aurillac, Saint-Flour, Mauriac, Murat, Pierrefort, Vic-sur-Cère, Maurs, Condat, Naucelles, Saignes, Le Rouget-Pers, Saint-Illide, Auriac-l'Église, Champs-sur-Tarentaine-Marchal, etc.
Free shuttles are provided from Aurillac and Saint-Flour for certain concerts. Reservation is mandatory on the festival website. Times and routes vary depending on concert dates.
Prices are deliberately accessible, ranging from 0 to 20 euros depending on the concerts. Reduced rates for students and job seekers. Free for children under 10-12 years old depending on the evening. Some events (exhibitions, blind tests) are free.
Online booking on the official website hibernarock.fr. Ticketing generally opens in December for the following edition.
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