Nanterre Carnival

The Nanterre Carnival, celebration of the prefecture of the Hauts-de-Seine

Nanterre is the prefecture of the Hauts-de-Seine and one of the most important municipalities in the Parisian suburbs, with nearly 98,000 inhabitants. A university city – it is home to Paris Nanterre University, born from the events of May 68 – but also a working-class city, a city of La Défense, and a city of the future with the arrival of the Grand Paris Express, Nanterre is a territory with multiple identities. Its carnival brings all these communities together around a popular and inclusive celebration.

The Nanterre carnival takes place in February or March, around Mardi Gras, in the city's neighborhoods and public spaces. Costumes, parades, processions, and activities for children are on the program for this celebration which perpetuates French carnival traditions in a resolutely popular spirit.

Parade(s): Nanterre's major street arts festival

If the carnival is Nanterre's winter celebration, the Parade(s) festival is the major summer cultural event. This street arts festival, whose 35th edition was held on June 6, 7, and 8, 2025, transforms the city center of Nanterre into a huge open-air stage every year. Entirely free, Parade(s) brings together more than 250 artists, 130 shows, and 39 companies from around the world, taking over courtyards, squares, parks, and the Vieux-Pont neighborhood.

This nationally significant festival complements the carnival in Nanterre's festive agenda: together, these two events demonstrate the city's strong commitment to street arts and popular, free events.

A city with exceptional cultural facilities

Nanterre benefits from remarkable cultural facilities: the Théâtre des Amandiers, a nationally important stage, and the Maison de la Musique offer a high-level artistic program. The city also houses the Musée de la Préhistoire d'Île-de-France and actively participates in the European Heritage Days.

The carnival is part of this cultural ecosystem as a popular and festive counterpoint, accessible to all, which anchors the celebration in the daily life of Nanterre's neighborhoods.

A territory in full transformation

Nanterre is at the heart of the Grand Paris transformations. The arrival of Line 15 of the Grand Paris Express and the ongoing urban redevelopment in the La Défense district and the southern districts of the city are gradually reshaping the face of Nanterre. In this context of change, festive events – carnival, Parade(s), neighborhood activities – play an essential role in social cohesion and the construction of a shared local identity.