The children's festival that illuminates young and old in Beaurepaire
L'Enfant Phare Festival is an artistic and human adventure connecting the voices of youth with those of adults, initiated by artists in the Beaurepaire region of Isère. It's not a festival for children, but a festival of children, where the young audience is at the center like a lighthouse, a light for all. Each edition features circus, theater, puppet, dance, and music performances in heritage sites between Beaurepaire, Revel-Tourdan, and Saint-Barthélemy, inviting all generations to share moments of creation and conviviality.
The L'Enfant Phare Festival is a unique artistic event that unfolds every September in the Beaurepaire region, in Isère. Born from the desire of committed artists, this multidisciplinary festival places the child at the heart of creation: they are not mere spectators, but the lighthouse, the light that guides the entire project. As its name suggests, the child here illuminates adults as much as the reverse.
The festival's philosophy is based on a fundamental principle: it is not a festival for children, but a festival of children. Each edition is built with and around local youth, thanks to artistic residencies conducted beforehand in the towns of Revel-Tourdan, Saint-Barthélemy, and Beaurepaire. Children actively participate in the creations, meet the artists, and become the festival's ambassadors by presenting the program themselves during the opening evening.
L'Enfant Phare Festival offers a rich program mixing theater, circus, puppetry, contemporary dance, music, and visual arts. Among the shows that have marked previous editions, we find Le Sorcier (object manipulation by Abel Chahbi), Les Cygnes Sauvages (theater with musicians by Laurence Vielle), Les Attractions Extraordinaires de la Femme Chapiteau (object circus and puppetry by Virginie Charbonnier and Christophe Pilven), Qui Berce Qui (contemporary lullabies), Vol'Can Ta Terre Tremble ! (dance and storytelling), and Will et Walt — La Magie dans Ta Tête (magic, mentalism, and clown).
The festival unfolds across three towns in the Beaurepaire region, utilizing places steeped in history and character. The opening traditionally takes place at Le Croton, behind the town hall of Revel-Tourdan, a picturesque medieval village. Weekend performances are held at the CIB — Centre de l'Île du Battoir in Beaurepaire, a social and cultural center at the heart of local life. Creations from the residencies are also presented at Le Clos Fléchet in Saint-Barthélemy.
Each edition is enriched by Le Bol d'Art, a visual arts trail highlighting invited visual artists, including artist Laul and her collaborators. The public is invited to musical aperitifs and picnics in the park, creating moments of intergenerational sharing. A large photographic frieze, composed of childhood photos brought by spectators, weaves an intimate and poetic link between participants.
The 4th edition of L'Enfant Phare Festival will take place from September 4th to 6th, 2026, in the Beaurepaire region of Isère. The festival will continue its mission of placing children at the heart of artistic creation, with a multidisciplinary program mixing theater, circus, dance, music, and visual arts, between Revel-Tourdan, Beaurepaire, and Saint-Barthélemy.
The L'Enfant Phare Festival returns from September 4th to 6th, 2026, for its 4th edition, true to its mission of making the voice and creativity of childhood shine in the Beaurepaire region, Isère. The festival will once again take over the three towns that have hosted it since its inception: Revel-Tourdan, Beaurepaire, and Saint-Barthélemy.
As every year, artistic residencies will be conducted before the festival in local schools and organizations, allowing children from the region to actively participate in the creation of the shows. These residencies, which form the beating heart of the project, will result in public presentations during the festival, showcasing the work done between professional artists and young audiences.
The program for this 4th edition will bring together about ten companies offering shows of theater, circus, puppetry, contemporary dance, music, and visual arts. The festival will continue to present artistic forms accessible to toddlers and adults alike, in a spirit of openness and excellence. New creations will sit alongside works that have toured in performing arts festivals across France.
The festival opening will take place on Friday, September 4th at Le Croton in Revel-Tourdan, where the child lighthouse keepers will present the program and welcome the audience. On Saturday, September 5th, the CIB — Centre de l'Île du Battoir in Beaurepaire will host a full day of performances, workshops, and convivial moments with a musical aperitif and picnic in the park. On Sunday, September 6th, Le Bol d'Art will offer a new visual arts trail in Saint-Barthélemy, accompanied by performances and participatory workshops.
The detailed program and the list of invited companies will be announced in the spring of 2026.
L'Enfant Phare Festival takes place on three sites across the Beaurepaire region:
Beaurepaire is located about 60 km south of Lyon and 75 km northwest of Grenoble. From the A7 motorway, take exit Chanas then follow the direction Beaurepaire via the D538. Free parking is available near each performance venue.
The nearest station is Gare de Beaurepaire, served by TER Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes on the Lyon — Grenoble line via Rives. From the station, the Centre de l'Île du Battoir is a 10-minute walk away.
The festival takes place over a long weekend in September, from Friday to Sunday. The opening is on Friday at 5:00 PM in Revel-Tourdan with the presentation of the program by the child lighthouse keepers. Performances continue on Saturday from 10:00 AM in Beaurepaire and on Sunday in Saint-Barthélemy with Le Bol d'Art and residency presentations.
L'Enfant Phare Festival has an accessible pricing policy. Some performances are free entry, and others operate on a hat collection or pay-what-you-can basis. Organizers prioritize accessibility to allow all families to participate. Inquire with the organizers for detailed prices for each edition.
A convivial catering area is available on the CIB site in Beaurepaire. The festival also invites spectators to bring their own picnic to enjoy the park during convivial moments and musical aperitifs.
The festival is aimed at all audiences, from toddlers (some shows are accessible from 1 year old) to adults. It is an event designed to be experienced as a family, across generations, in a spirit of sharing and artistic discovery.
The performance venues are accessible to people with reduced mobility. For any specific requests, please contact the organizers before the festival.
Phone: 06 20 54 80 22
Main venue: CIB — Centre de l'Île du Battoir, 5 rue du Cinq Août 1944, 38270 Beaurepaire
No photo yet. Share yours!
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
No rating yet — be the first!
No review yet. Be the first!
Share your experience with the community
Book your train or bus to reach L'Enfant Phare at the best price.
Sponsored link
CIB - Centre de l'Île du Battoir
5 rue du Cinq Août 1944, 38270 Beaurepaire