Edition 2026
Finished
Music
Folk
World Music
Le Grand Bal de l'Europe
Gennetines — Allier (03)
•
24 Jul 2026
— 07 Aug 2026
Edition
2026
2026
Edition 2026 — Finished
Edition 2026 — Grand Bal de l'Europe
The 36th edition of the Grand Bal de l'Europe will take place from Friday, July 24 to Friday, August 7, 2026, at the hamlet of Les Gauthiers, in Gennetines (Allier). Fifteen days of balls, workshops and traditional dance and music classes, with over 140 French and European groups scheduled on the site's dance floors. The official opening will be on Friday, July 24 at 8:30 PM.
2026 Edition — July 24 to August 7
The Grand Bal de l'Europe returns for its new edition from Friday, July 24 to Friday, August 7, 2026, at the Les Gauthiers site in Gennetines. For fifteen days, the dance floors will once again welcome thousands of traditional dance enthusiasts from all over Europe, in the friendly atmosphere that makes the event famous.
A rich 2026 program with over 140 groups
The 2026 edition brings together more than 140 French and European traditional music groups, who perform throughout the day during workshops and classes, then animate the balls until late into the night. The detailed interactive program is available on the official website, with each group's performance dates, presentation, videos, and website.
Workshops, classes, and balls
As every year, the festival offers a complete range of dance workshops for all levels (beginner to advanced), traditional music and singing classes, and lively balls on the various dance floors of the site. Registrations and ticket sales opened on May 5, 2026.
Programme
Two weeks of non-stop dancing, from Friday, July 24th to Friday, August 7th, 2026, at the Gauthiers site. Each day follows the same rhythm: dance, music, and singing workshops across seven rooms from 9:30 AM to 7:35 PM; afternoon dances from 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM; and evening balls taking place across six dance floors from 8:30 PM until the early hours. Official opening on Friday, July 24th at 8:30 PM.
Friday, July 24th, 2026 — Opening Night
- 5 PM-7 PM — Workshops: Ronds chantés (Thibaut Craen), Violin (Gabriel Lenoir)
- 8:30 PM — Octopulse · Folk ball (floor 3)
- 9 PM — Duo Barbar · Southwest folk ball (floor 5)
- 10 PM — Forj · Haute-Bretagne electro-folk (floor 4)
- 11 PM — Parapente700 · Portugal, folk ball (floor 3)
- 11:30 PM — Cascade · Singing ball (floor 5)
- 12:30 AM → 2:45 AM — Gérard Godon Solo · Folk ball (floor 4)
Saturday, July 25th, 2026
- 2:30 PM — Terres Brunes · Southwest folk ball (afternoon dance)
- 8:30 PM — Tastets · Southwest folk ball (floor 4)
- 8:45 PM — Duo Barbar · Mixers and contredanses (floor 3)
- 9 PM — Baliskis · Brittany (floor 2)
- 9:15 PM — Trio Bucsan/Dantin/Kuyper · Dutch trad ball (floor 1)
- 9:30 PM — Collettivo Musicale Incontrada · Southern Italy (floor 5)
- 10:30 PM — Mara Menzel · Folk ball (floor 4)
- 11 PM — Turbobal · Limousin, Poitou, folk (floor 2)
- 11:15 PM — Air de famille · Folk ball (floor 3)
- 11:45 PM — JAM.PT · Portugal, folk ball (floor 1)
- 12:15 AM — Forj · Haute-Bretagne electro-folk (floor 5)
- 1 AM → 3 AM — Octopulse · Folk ball (floor 4)
Sunday, July 26th, 2026
- 2:30 PM — Mara Menzel · Folk ball (afternoon dance)
- 8:30 PM — Terres Brunes · Southwest folk ball (floor 4)
- 8:45 PM — The Heart of Ireland and Bal Feirste · Ireland, set dancing (floor 3)
- 8:45 PM — Bresièr · Brionnais, Limousin, Auvergne (sound-equipped open stage)
- 9 PM — Baliskis · Brittany (floor 2)
- 9:15 PM — L'Air Inconnu · Folk ball (floor 1)
- 9:30 PM — Au Gré des Vents · Alsace and beyond (floor 5)
- 10:30 PM — Air de famille · Folk ball (floor 4)
- 11 PM — Collettivo Musicale Incontrada · Southern Italy (floor 2)
- 11:15 PM — Tastets · Gascony folk ball (floor 3)
- 11:45 PM — Trio Bucsan/Dantin/Kuyper · Dutch trad ball (floor 1)
- 12:15 AM — Parapente700 · Portugal folk ball (floor 5)
- 1 AM → 3 AM — La Cuivraille · Folk ball (floor 4)
Monday, July 27th, 2026
- 2:30 PM — Dirty Caps' · Quercy, Gascony (afternoon dance)
- 8:30 PM — Clica Dròna · Southwest (floor 4)
- 8:45 PM — Parasol · Folk ball (floor 3)
- 8:45 PM — Valérie Imbert Solo · A cappella Vendée (sound-equipped open stage)
- 9 PM — Duo Le Pottier/L'Haridon · Brittany (floor 2)
- 9:15 PM — 5 à 7 Carré · Quebec (floor 1)
- 9:30 PM — JAM.PT · Portugal folk ball (floor 5)
- 10:30 PM — Arbadétorne · Bas-Poitou, Ayab' ball (floor 4)
- 10:30 PM — Duo Quintard/Sulpice · Auvergne (sound-equipped open stage)
- 11 PM — Baia Ensemble · Italy, Occitan valleys (floor 2)
- 11:15 PM — GIG CB! · England, English Ceilidh (floor 3)
- 11:45 PM — Oreinak · Basque Country (floor 1)
- 12:15 AM — No&Mi · Folk ball, couple dances (floor 5)
- 1 AM → 3 AM — L'Air Inconnu · Folk ball (floor 4)
Tuesday, July 28th, 2026
- 8:30 PM — Baia Ensemble · Italy, Occitan valleys (floor 4)
- 8:45 PM — Khaverim · Israel (floor 3)
- 8:45 PM — Duo Quintard/Sulpice · Auvergne (sound-equipped open stage)
- 9 PM — Brindilles · Brittany (floor 2)
- 9:15 PM — 5 à 7 Carré · Quebec (floor 1)
- 9:30 PM — Bal O'Gadjo · Borderless folk ball (floor 5)
- 10:30 PM — Patxi eta Konpania · Basque Country (floor 4)
- 11 PM — Duo Le Pottier/L'Haridon · Brittany (floor 2)
- 11:15 PM — Arbadétorne · Bas-Poitou, Ayab' ball (floor 3)
- 11:45 PM — Forró Magnetico · Forró ball (floor 1)
- 12:15 AM — Dirty Caps' · Quercy, Gascony (floor 5)
- 1 AM → 3 AM — Tralala Lovers · Folk ball (floor 4)
Wednesday, July 29th, 2026
- 2:30 PM — Ardante · Volcanic Auvergne (afternoon dance)
- 8:30 PM — Oreinak · Basque Country (floor 4)
- 8:45 PM — Chestnut · 450 years of Country Dance (floor 3)
- 8:45 PM — Roule et ferme derrière · Limousin (sound-equipped open stage)
- 9 PM — Cascade · Singing ball (floor 2)
- 9:15 PM — Khaverim · Israel (floor 1)
- 9:30 PM — Tralala Lovers · Folk ball (floor 5)
- 10:30 PM — Central Bal · Central France (floor 4)
- 11 PM — Brindilles · Brittany (floor 2)
- 11:15 PM — Astarac · Gascony, folk ball (floor 3)
- 11:45 PM — Forró Magnetico · Forró ball (floor 1)
- 12:15 AM — Nøkkenoc · Folk ball (floor 5)
- 1 AM → 3 AM — Bal O'Gadjo · Folk ball (floor 4)
Thursday, July 30th, 2026
- 2:30 PM — Bresièr · Brionnais, Limousin, Auvergne (afternoon dance)
- 8:30 PM — Patxi eta Konpania · Basque Country (floor 4)
- 8:45 PM — Chestnut · England, costume ball (floor 3)
- 8:45 PM — Folk en Vrac · Folk ball (sound-equipped open stage)
- 9 PM — Ardante · Volcanic Auvergne (floor 2)
- 9:15 PM — Nøkkenoc · Folk ball (floor 1)
- 9:30 PM — Bal de l'Ephémère · Folk ball (floor 5)
- 10:30 PM — No&Mi · Folk ball, couple dances (floor 4)
- 11 PM — Face d'Tola · Piedmont-style folk ball (floor 2)
- 11:15 PM — Le Plaque · Southwest (floor 3)
- 11:45 PM — Décibal · Folk ball (floor 1)
- 12:15 AM — Duo Stimbre-Thebaut · Folk ball (floor 5)
- 1 AM → 3 AM — Duo Tanghe Coudroy et Giet · Folk ball (floor 4)
Friday, July 31st, 2026
- 2:30 PM — Le Plaque · Gascony (afternoon dance)
- 8:30 PM — Face d'Tola · Piedmont-style folk ball (floor 4)
- 8:45 PM — GIG CB! · England, English Ceilidh (floor 3)
- 9 PM — Cadence Casquette · Haute-Bretagne (floor 2)
- 9:15 PM — Tiennet Simonnin Solo · Folk ball (floor 1)
- 9:30 PM — Décibal · Folk ball (floor 5)
- 10:30 PM — Duo Tanghe Coudroy et Giet · Sweden (floor 4)
- 11 PM — Duo Vargoz · Southern Alps and other mountains (floor 2)
- 11:15 PM — Camille Raibaud · Gascony (floor 3)
- 11:45 PM — Bal de l'Ephémère · Folk ball (floor 1)
- 12:15 AM — Les Zéoles · Folk ball (floor 5)
- 1 AM → 3 AM — Noiranomis · Folk ball (floor 4)
Saturday, August 1st, 2026
- 2:30 PM — Philippe Plard · Folk ball (afternoon dance)
- 8:30 PM — Noiranomis · Folk ball (floor 4)
- 8:45 PM — Benoit Guerbigny Solo · Poitou (floor 3)
- 9 PM — Ballaveu · Catalan a cappella ball (floor 2)
- 9:15 PM — Sabazii · Bulgaria (floor 1)
- 9:30 PM — The Heart of Ireland and Bal Feirste · Ireland, set dancing (floor 5)
- 10:30 PM — Shillelagh · Flanders (floor 4)
- 11 PM — Joachim Montbord Solo · Gascony (floor 2)
- 11:15 PM — Duo Vargoz · Southern Alps and other mountains (floor 3)
- 11:45 PM — Cadence Casquette · Haute-Bretagne (floor 1)
- 12:15 AM — Tchintcho · Southwest (floor 5)
- 1 AM → 3 AM — Bargainatt · Folk ball (floor 4)
Sunday, August 2nd, 2026
- 2:30 PM — Lisa Wolf, Sac-à-danses · Folk ball (afternoon dance)
- 8:30 PM — Tchintcho · Southwest (floor 4)
- 8:45 PM — Claddagh · Ireland, sets and Céilí dances (floor 3)
- 8:45 PM — Grains de sol (La Jimbr'tée) · Central France (sound-equipped open stage)
- 9 PM — A Pé Copé · Brazil, Auvergne (floor 2)
- 9:15 PM — Sabazii · Bulgaria (floor 1)
- 9:30 PM — Bargainatt · Folk ball (floor 5)
- 10:30 PM — Frezinat · Occitan ball (floor 4)
- 11 PM — Duo Plodocus · Folk ball (floor 2)
- 11:15 PM — Les Zéoles · Folk ball (floor 3)
- 11:45 PM — La Sialyre · Folk ball (floor 1)
- 12:15 AM — Philippe Plard · Folk ball (floor 5)
- 1 AM → 3 AM — Shillelagh · Flanders (floor 4)
Monday, August 3rd, 2026
- 2:30 PM — Joachim Montbord Solo · Folk ball (afternoon dance)
- 8:30 PM — La Soubirane · A cappella ball (floor 4)
- 8:45 PM — Claddagh · Ireland, sets and Céilí dances (floor 3)
- 8:45 PM — Ballaveu · Catalan a cappella ball (sound-equipped open stage)
- 9 PM — Traucanèu · Auvergne (floor 2)
- 9:15 PM — La Sialyre · Folk ball (floor 1)
- 9:30 PM — Chaï · Poitou, granite ball (floor 5)
- 10:30 PM — Duo Blain-Leyzour · Brittany (floor 4)
- 11 PM — A Pé Copé · Brazil, Auvergne (floor 2)
- 11:15 PM — Trio Loubelya · Folk ball (floor 3)
- 11:45 PM — Gabriel Lenoir · Wallonia-Flanders folk ball (floor 1)
- 12:15 AM — La Man Encantada · Gascony, folk ball (floor 5)
- 1 AM → 3 AM — Petit Piment · Poitou, Gascony, folk (floor 4)
Tuesday, August 4th, 2026
- 2:30 PM — Duo Pilartz-Gielen · Folk ball (afternoon dance)
- 8:30 PM — Bougnat Sound · Auvergne (floor 4)
- 8:45 PM — La Man Encantada · Gascony, folk ball (floor 3)
- 8:45 PM — Grains de sol (La Jimbr'tée) · Central France (sound-equipped open stage)
- 9 PM — Die Schreinergeiger · Bavarian ball (floor 2)
- 9:15 PM — Duo Blain-Leyzour · Brittany (floor 1)
- 9:30 PM — Au Gré des Vents · Alsace and beyond (floor 5)
- 10:30 PM — Traucanèu · Auvergne (floor 4)
- 11 PM — Ballsy Swing · Folk ball (floor 2)
- 11:15 PM — La Soubirane · A cappella ball (floor 3)
- 11:45 PM — Chaï · Poitou, granite ball (floor 1)
- 12:15 AM — Beat Bouet Trio · Neo-Brittany (floor 5)
- 1 AM → 3 AM — Ormuz · France, North America (floor 4)
Wednesday, August 5th, 2026
- 2:30 PM — Duo Karavãn · Brittany-style folk ball (afternoon dance)
- 8:30 PM — En Cadéncia (Duo Bibonne/Raibaud) · Gascony (floor 4)
- 8:45 PM — Duo Fred Sonnery and Jenny Demaret · Between France and Sweden (floor 3)
- 8:45 PM — Maison Girault · Brittany (sound-equipped open stage)
- 9 PM — Die Schreinergeiger · Bavarian ball (floor 2)
- 9:15 PM — Ormuz · France, North America (floor 1)
- 9:30 PM — Rachel, the 2 Laurences and their caller · Jane Austen ball for all (floor 5)
- 10:30 PM — Beat Bouet Trio · Neo-Brittany (floor 4)
- 11 PM — Roulotte Tango Duo · Tango ball (floor 2)
- 11:15 PM — Bougnat Sound · Auvergne (floor 3)
- 11:45 PM — Trio Loubelya · Folk ball (floor 1)
- 12:15 AM — Ballsy Swing · Folk ball (floor 5)
- 1 AM → 3 AM — Hot Griselda · Folk ball (floor 4)
Thursday, August 6th, 2026
- 2:30 PM — Frezinat · Occitan ball (afternoon dance)
- 8:30 PM — Duo Vertygo · Franco-Romanian ball (floor 4)
- 8:45 PM — Hot Griselda · Folk ball (floor 3)
- 9 PM — Maison Girault · Brittany (floor 2)
- 9:15 PM — Duo Fred Sonnery and Jenny Demaret · Between Sweden and France (floor 1)
- 9:30 PM — Lucas Thebaut · Poitou folk (floor 5)
- 10:30 PM — Fahrenheit · Folk ball, Brittany (floor 4)
- 11 PM — Roulotte Tango Duo · Tango ball (floor 2)
- 11:15 PM — Trio Meunier Villeneuve · Central France (floor 3)
- 11:45 PM — Naragonia Quartet · Folk ball (floor 1)
- 1 AM → 3 AM — Plume · Folk ball (floor 4)
Friday, August 7th, 2026 — Closing
- 2:30 PM — Trio Meunier Villeneuve · Central France (afternoon dance)
- 8:30 PM — Duo Karavãn · Brittany-style folk ball (floor 3)
- 9 PM — Duo Vertygo · Franco-Romanian ball
- Plume · Folk ball (floor 3)
- 11 PM — Rue Pascale · Folk ball (floor 3)
- 11:30 PM — Fahrenheit · Folk ball, Brittany
- 12:30 AM → 2:45 AM — Naragonia Quartet · Folk ball, closing ball
Highlights
- Two weeks of non-stop dancing, from Friday, July 24th to Friday, August 7th, 2026
- Official opening on Friday, July 24th at 8:30 PM, featuring Octopulse, Duo Barbar, Forj, Parapente700, Cascade, and Gérard Godon
- Over 120 groups and ensembles from across Europe taking turns on six dance floors
- Naragonia Quartet closes the event on the night of Friday, August 7th, from 12:30 AM to 2:45 AM
- A tour of European repertoires: Bulgarian ball with Sabazii, Bavarian ball with Die Schreinergeiger, Catalan a cappella ball with Ballaveu, Irish set dancing with Claddagh and Bal Feirste, Swedish ball with Duo Tanghe Coudroy et Giet, Portuguese ball with JAM.PT, Brazilian forró with Forró Magnetico, tango ball with Roulotte Tango Duo
- Jane Austen ball for all on Wednesday, August 5th at 9:30 PM, with Rachel, the 2 Laurences, and their caller
- Daily dance, music, and singing workshops in seven rooms from 9:30 AM to 7:35 PM, and afternoon dances from 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM
Prices
From 21.00€
Mandatory AEADT membership: 25 € adult (18 years and over), 5 € youth (10-17 years).Daily rate: 21 € (full price), reduced rates for youth.Multi-day passes available. Online ticketing open since May 5, 2026.Detailed prices and registration on the official ticket office.
Published by Valentin Contard, festival listings writer. Reviewed, corrected and approved by Christophe Contard, editor-in-chief. .