Le Cratère Surface
International Street Arts Festival in Alès, Gard
2026
About Le Cratère Surface
Cratère Surfaces is the international street arts festival of Alès, organised every summer in early July by Le Cratère - Scène nationale d'Alès. For three days, the city centre and the banks of the Gardon transform into an open-air stage to host French and European companies: street theatre, circus, dance, music, performances, and in situ creations.
Entirely free, the festival gathers approximately 23,000 spectators each edition and champions total accessibility, without financial barriers.
Le Cratère Surface — edition 2026
2026 edition of Cratère Surfaces, the international street arts festival of Alès, from Thursday, July 2 to Saturday, July 4, 2026. Three days of free shows with an international focus on the Basque Country: dance, street theater, circus, pyrotechnic percussion and brass bands take over the city center.
Cratère Surfaces 2026 — focus Basque Country
From Thursday, July 2 to Saturday, July 4, 2026, Cratère Surfaces takes over the city center of Alès for its new edition. This year, the festival highlights the vitality of creation from the Basque Country, with seven invited companies thanks to the support of the Etxepare Basque Institute, the Basque Government and Artekale, in cooperation with Le Cratère - Scène nationale d'Alès.
A multidisciplinary program
Dance is particularly honored this year, presented in all its forms: vertical dance, traditional dance, contemporary dance. Added to this are wordless street theater, ethereal and magical circus, pyrotechnic percussion and brass bands in the streets.
Free and accessible to all
As every year, all shows are completely free, mostly without reservation. The festival expects approximately 23,000 spectators over the three days.
Highlights Le Cratère Surface 2026
- International focus on the Basque Country: 7 invited companies
- 100% free festival, mostly without reservation for shows
- 3 days, approximately 23,000 spectators expected
- Vertical dance, contemporary dance, street theater, circus, pyrotechnic percussion
- Exceptional circus shows on the banks of the Gardon
Programme Le Cratère Surface 2026
Focus Basque Country — 7 invited companies
Supported by the Etxepare Basque Institute and the Basque Government (Basque Autonomous Community, Foral Community of Navarre and French Basque Country):
- Harrobi Dantza Bertikala — vertical dance
- Bilaka — traditional Basque dance
- Osa+Mujika — contemporary dance
- Led Silhouette & Marcos Morau (Navarre) — contemporary dance
- Markeliñe — wordless street theater
- Rouge Elea — ethereal and magical circus
- Deabru Beltzak — pyrotechnic percussion
Brass Bands — Place Henri Barbusse (Festival HQ)
- Les Grooms — brass band orchestra
- SopaLoca — brass band
Circus — banks of the Gardon (Pont Vieux)
Three exceptional circus shows are planned on the banks of the Gardon, at Pont Vieux.
Festival locations
- Place Henri Barbusse — headquarters, fan clubs, brass bands
- Banks of the Gardon at Pont Vieux — circus shows
- Various squares and streets in the city center of Alès
Full program and detailed schedules on the official website cratere-surfaces.com (downloadable PDF).
Prices Le Cratère Surface 2026
Le Cratère Surface — 2027 edition
The 2026 edition was held from 2 July to 4 July 2026. The dates for the 2027 edition have not been announced yet. This page will be updated as soon as the official programme is published.
Practical information — Le Cratère Surface
Access
- By train: Alès SNCF station (liO regional connections from Nîmes and Montpellier), approximately 10 minutes walk from the city centre and Le Cratère.
- By car: from Nîmes via the N106 (approx. 45 min), from Montpellier via the D999.
- Public transport highly recommended during the festival.
On site
- Catering and refreshment stands on site.
- Programme downloadable from the official website cratere-surfaces.com.
Information
Le Cratère - Scène nationale d'Alès
Square Pablo Neruda, Place Henri Barbusse, 30100 Alès
Phone: 04 66 52 52 64
Email: [email protected]
Box office/information desk hours: Monday-Friday 1:15 PM-6 PM, Saturday 10 AM-1 PM.
Please note: from autumn 2025 to summer 2027, Le Cratère theatre will be undergoing renovation work. During the building's closure, an ephemeral theatre has been installed on the stabilised ground of the La Prairie sports complex, in the immediate vicinity of Alès city centre.
An International Street Arts Festival in Alès
Created by Le Cratère - Scène nationale d'Alès, Cratère Surfaces takes over the outdoor spaces of the Cévennes city every early July for three days of free shows. The festival combines street theatre, circus, dance, visual arts, performance, and amplified music concerts (rock, electro, hip-hop, chanson).
A Demanding and International Programme
Each edition invites major French and European companies to present their latest creations. The programme revolves around indoor shows, open-air performances, and in situ creations that take over urban spaces to surprise and challenge perceptions.
Emblematic Locations in Alès
Place Henri Barbusse serves as the festival's headquarters, with various fan clubs. The banks of the Gardon, at Pont Vieux, traditionally host large-scale circus shows. Several other squares and streets in the city centre are also mobilised.
Free for Everyone
Cratère Surfaces champions total accessibility: all shows are free, most without reservation, to allow the greatest number of people to enjoy the programme. The festival welcomes approximately 23,000 spectators over three days.
Where does it take place — Le Cratère Surface
Le Cratère Surface in brief
History of Le Cratère Surface
Edition 2025 Jun 2025Other festivals near Alès
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