Les Préalables
Itinerant open-air circus festival, free, in 13 municipalities of Ardèche Rhône Coiron
About Les Préalables
Les Préalables is a free, itinerant contemporary circus festival, organised every year in early June by La Cascade — Pôle National des Arts du Cirque (Bourg-Saint-Andéol). For a week, circus companies travel through the villages of the Ardèche Rhône Coiron community of municipalities to perform open-air shows in squares, in front of multi-purpose halls, or in unusual locations.
Initially conceived as a prelude to the Festival d'Alba (scheduled every year in mid-July in Alba-la-Romaine), Les Préalables have become a festival in their own right. They offer about fifteen performances in a dozen municipalities: Baix, Saint-Symphorien-sous-Chomérac, Cruas, Meysse, Rochemaure, Saint-Bauzile, Saint-Pierre-la-Roche, Le Teil, Saint-Vincent-de-Barrès, Saint-Lager-Bressac, Saint-Martin-sur-Lavezon, Aubignas, Saint-Thomé and Valvignères.
An itinerant circus festival in Ardèche
Every year, Les Préalables transform the villages of the Ardèche Rhône Coiron community of municipalities into playgrounds for the circus arts. For a week in early June, artists set up their big top, their apparatus, or their equipment in squares, sports fields, in front of multi-purpose halls, or in the heart of the territory's perched villages.
A free event for all audiences
All Les Préalables shows are entirely free. The festival aims to be accessible to everyone: village residents, families, curious onlookers, amateurs, and contemporary circus enthusiasts alike. The performances are designed for the open air and intended to bring residents together around demanding artistic proposals that are open to all.
La Cascade, national centre for circus arts
The festival is organised by La Cascade, a National Centre for Circus Arts established in Bourg-Saint-Andéol since 2008. La Cascade is one of the twelve national circus centres labelled in France. A place for creation, sharing with audiences, teaching, and training, it supports companies in residence and produces several highlights each year, including Les Préalables and the Festival d'Alba in July.
A partnership with the local municipalities
Les Préalables are part of a strong territorial approach: they are co-constructed with the Ardèche Rhône Coiron community of municipalities and the host municipalities, as well as with residents and local associations. Each village hosting a show thus becomes, for the duration of a performance, an open stage under the Ardèche sky.
Les Préalables — edition 2026
2026 edition of Les Préalables — from Tuesday, June 2 to Sunday, June 7, 2026. A week of itinerant and free contemporary circus, with 14 performances in 14 communes of the Ardèche Rhône Coiron community: Baix, Saint-Symphorien-sous-Chomérac, Cruas, Meysse, Rochemaure, Saint-Bauzile, Saint-Pierre-la-Roche, Le Teil, Saint-Vincent-de-Barrès, Saint-Lager-Bressac, Saint-Martin-sur-Lavezon, Aubignas, Saint-Thomé and Valvignères.
A week of circus in 14 Ardèche villages
The 2026 edition of Les Préalables takes place from Tuesday, June 2 to Sunday, June 7 in 14 communes of the Ardèche Rhône Coiron community. Seven shows tour throughout the week, setting up their installations in village squares, in front of multi-purpose halls, on sports fields, or in the heart of neighborhoods: Baix, Saint-Symphorien-sous-Chomérac, Cruas, Meysse, Rochemaure, Saint-Bauzile, Saint-Pierre-la-Roche, Le Teil, Saint-Vincent-de-Barrès, Saint-Lager-Bressac, Saint-Martin-sur-Lavezon, Aubignas, Saint-Thomé and Valvignères.
Seven touring creations
The seven shows on display this year — Deux pierres d'un coup, Belle à mourir, Il paraît que, Mon Royaume, Immobiles, We Want You and Les Oubliées — are all forms of open-air circus, performed multiple times in the region to allow as many people as possible to attend. Durations range from 30 to 50 minutes, all-ages formats.
A 100% free festival
All performances are free. Depending on the show, access is free on site or via a free online registration ticketing system opening at the end of May on the official website, to allow La Cascade to regulate attendance. A shuttle and carpooling system is offered between certain shows.
Programme Les Préalables 2026
Full Program — June 2 to 7, 2026
Tuesday, June 2, 2026
- 6:30 PM — Deux pierres d'un coup · Baix, in front of the multi-purpose hall · 45 min
- 8:00 PM — Belle à mourir · Saint-Symphorien-sous-Chomérac, in front of the multi-purpose hall · 40 min
Wednesday, June 3, 2026
- 5:00 PM — Belle à mourir · Cruas · 40 min
- 6:30 PM — Deux pierres d'un coup · Meysse · 45 min
Thursday, June 4, 2026
- 6:30 PM — Il paraît que · Rochemaure · 50 min
Friday, June 5, 2026
- 6:30 PM — Mon Royaume · Saint-Bauzile, Les Terrasses · 45 min
- 8:00 PM — Il paraît que · Saint-Pierre-la-Roche · 50 min
Saturday, June 6, 2026
- 11:00 AM — Immobiles · Saint-Vincent-de-Barrès, Place de la Mairie · 30 min
- 3:00 PM — Mon Royaume · Le Teil, La Violette district · 45 min
- 5:00 PM — We Want You · Saint-Lager-Bressac, football field · 40 min
- 7:00 PM — Les Oubliées · Saint-Martin-sur-Lavezon, the village · 50 min
Sunday, June 7, 2026
- 11:00 AM — Il paraît que · Aubignas · 50 min
- 3:00 PM — We Want You · Saint-Thomé, Les Crottes · 40 min
- 5:00 PM — Les Oubliées · Valvignères, the campsite · 50 min
Official program published by La Cascade — National Center for Circus Arts. Subject to minor adjustments depending on weather; up-to-date details on lefestivaldalba.org.
Highlights Les Préalables 2026
- 14 free performances in 14 different communes of the Ardèche Rhône Coiron community
- Seven contemporary circus creations on tour: Deux pierres d'un coup, Belle à mourir, Il paraît que, Mon Royaume, Immobiles, We Want You, Les Oubliées
- Open-air shows, in village squares, sports fields, or unusual locations in the region
- Shuttle and carpooling system offered by La Cascade to facilitate access to the shows
- Itinerant festival as a prelude to the Festival d'Alba (July 9-14, 2026 in Alba-la-Romaine)
Prices Les Préalables 2026
Practical information — Les Préalables
Access and shuttles
The shows take place in 13 municipalities of the Ardèche Rhône Coiron territory, mainly between Le Teil, Cruas, and Bourg-Saint-Andéol. The ideal is to come by car, but La Cascade offers a system of shuttles and carpooling each year to reach certain shows from Bourg-Saint-Andéol. Details of the shuttles are communicated in the weeks preceding the festival.
Prices
All Les Préalables shows are free. No reservation is necessary for most of them; however, some shows may require a free ticket to regulate capacity — in this case, online ticketing generally opens at the end of May on the official website.
Contact
La Cascade — Pôle National des Arts du Cirque
9, avenue Marc Pradelle
07700 Bourg-Saint-Andéol
Phone: 04 75 54 40 46
E-mail: [email protected]
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Where does it take place — Les Préalables
Communes de la communauté Ardèche Rhône Coiron
Communes de l'Ardèche Rhône Coiron, 07400 Le Teil