Les Ducales de Guise

A major medieval festival in the heart of Thiérache

Since 2006, Les Ducales de Guise has become the unmissable event for medieval history enthusiasts in the Aisne department and the Hauts-de-France region. Each edition transforms the majestic Château Fort de Guise, a thousand-year-old fortress overlooking the Oise valley, into a true living medieval village. Reenactment troupes from all over France set up their camps on the site for the entire weekend, offering the public an authentic immersion into the civil and military life of the Middle Ages.

A rich program of activities for the whole family

The Ducales program offers an exceptional range of activities and shows. Knight camps feature sword and lance combat demonstrations, while artillery demonstrations echo with cannon fire within the castle walls. Medieval artisans—working with leather, bone, wood, textiles, and wool—showcase their ancestral skills. Medieval cuisine allows visitors to discover period flavors, while a medieval farm with rabbits and chickens delights the youngest.

Equestrian shows and participatory battles

Equestrian shows and knightly tournaments are the highlights of each edition. Knights in armor clash in spectacular jousts that revive the great tournaments of the Middle Ages. Visitors can also participate in participatory battles with foam weapons, an activity particularly enjoyed by children and families. Medieval music, with its period instruments, accompanies the strolls within the castle grounds.

An exceptional heritage setting

The Château Fort de Guise provides a unique heritage backdrop for this event. Built over a thousand years ago, it was the residence of the powerful Dukes of Guise, one of the most influential families in French history. Saved from ruin since 1952 by the Club du Vieux Manoir, a national public education association recognized as being of public utility, the castle is the subject of permanent restoration work. Les Ducales are part of the association's educational mission: to show, let be heard, touch, smell, see, and live in order to learn, discover, and understand history.

A biennial festival from now on

After annual editions interrupted by the health crisis in 2020 and 2021, Les Ducales de Guise adopted a biennial rhythm starting in 2024. In years without the Ducales, the castle hosts Les Historiales, a new, broader historical cultural event. The next edition of Les Ducales is scheduled from June 19 to 21, 2026, with Friday reserved for school groups and the weekend open to the general public.