Rouge Ruelle
Living Heritage Festival in Saint-Benoît, La Réunion
2026
About Rouge Ruelle
Rouge Ruelle is an annual living heritage festival organized by the City of Saint-Benoît and the La Vitrine association to coincide with the European Heritage Days. Since its inception in 2024, it has transformed the seafront and the pedestrian Mavoulouque alley into an open-air stage featuring exhibitions, an arts and crafts market, workshops, guided tours, and outdoor film screenings. Each edition explores a different theme—such as the island's Indian roots in 2025 or the historical ties between La Réunion and China in 2024—to share a unique chapter of Réunionese heritage.
Rouge Ruelle — edition 2026
For its 3rd edition on Saturday, September 19, 2026, Rouge Ruelle takes "flowing waters" as its central theme, a powerful symbol of Saint-Benoît. The seafront esplanade will host vacoa weaving, stone carving, street calligraphy, an arts and heritage market, a reading corner, and two open-air film screenings dedicated to the island's landscapes. Carriage rides, a costumed scavenger hunt, and kayak trips on the Rivière des Marsouins round out the day.
Highlights Rouge Ruelle 2026
- Open-air screenings on deckchairs facing the sea, featuring Bassin Bleu and Îlet Coco by Didier Grondin and Christian Thoulon
- Kayak trips on the Rivière des Marsouins
- Arts and heritage market, open from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM
- Carriage rides to the historic center of Saint-Benoît
Programme Rouge Ruelle 2026
Saturday, September 19, 2026 — Seafront Esplanade
- 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM — Craft workshops: introduction to basketry and vacoa weaving with Bertèl Péi, Est en mouvement, and Alice Michou
- 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM — Stone carving demonstration with Emmanuel Banor
- 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM — Mini-kayamb making with M'Rgence Océan Indien
- 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM — Introduction to sign painting with BandGraphik
- 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM — Arts and heritage market featuring local creators and artisans
- 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM — The Red Lounge: reading area with a selection from Saint-Benoît libraries
- 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM — Guided carriage rides from the seafront to the historic town center
- 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM — Costumed scavenger hunt focused on traditional trades
- 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM — Kayak trips on the Rivière des Marsouins
- 1:30 PM — Open-air screening on deckchairs: Bassin Bleu, by Didier Grondin and Christian Thoulon
- 6:30 PM — Open-air screening on deckchairs: Îlet Coco, by Didier Grondin and Christian Thoulon
- 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM — Traditional and fusion food court
A festival born from Heritage Days
The inaugural Rouge Ruelle festival took place on September 21 and 22, 2024, spearheaded by the La Vitrine association and the City of Saint-Benoît, with support from the DAC Réunion. It honored the memory of Georges Pichan and the connections between La Réunion, China, and the local Asian community. The second edition, held on September 20 and 21, 2025, focused on the figure of the 'Jako malbar' and the island's Indian origins.
The event takes over the seafront, the Cécile Mavoulouque pedestrian alley, and the old train station, turning them into creative hubs with a massive open-air mural, a designer market, a food court, live music, guided tours, and interactive workshops.
Where does it take place — Rouge Ruelle
Rouge Ruelle in brief
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