Solstice de Brangues
From the Solstice to the Brangues Encounters — Theatre, music, and poetry at the Domaine Paul Claudel
About Brangues
The Solstice de Brangues: Half a Century of Creation in the Heart of Dauphiné
Each year, around the summer solstice, the village of Brangues in Isère transforms into a major center for theatrical and poetic creation. The festival Du Solstice aux Rencontres de Brangues perpetuates a cultural tradition born in 1972, inseparable from the Château de Brangues, the home where the playwright, poet, and diplomat Paul Claudel lived and worked from 1927 until his death in 1955.
An Exceptional Literary Heritage
It was in 1927 that Paul Claudel acquired the Château de Brangues and its seventeen-hectare estate, perched on a height overlooking the Rhône. Retired from diplomacy in 1936, he settled there permanently and composed some of his most significant works. A man of letters, poet, playwright, and committed Christian, Claudel made Brangues an intellectual hub where he welcomed artists and thinkers. In accordance with his wishes, he is buried in the estate's park, and his tomb is still visible.
The first Rencontres de Brangues (Brangues Encounters) were established in 1972 on the initiative of Pierre Claudel, Renée Nantet Claudel, and Jacqueline Veinstein, with the support of the family. The actor and director Jean-Louis Barrault, a close friend of Claudel and the legendary creator of Le Soulier de satin, became its first president in 1974, immediately establishing the festival's leading theatrical ambition.
A Festival Reimagined Under the Direction of Christian Schiaretti
In 2000, the Claudel family entrusted the organization of the Encounters to the Association des Nouvelles Rencontres de Brangues, presided over by Christian Schiaretti, then director of the Théâtre National Populaire in Villeurbanne. Under his artistic direction, the festival gained new scope, combining theater, poetry, music, and heritage in a demanding and generous program.
The festival now unfolds in two complementary phases. The Solstice week (around June 19-26) offers free traveling performances throughout the Balcons du Dauphiné region—in villages, museums, and community halls—to bring artistic creation closer to the residents. The Rencontres de Brangues themselves, held on the last weekend of June, bring together theater performances, readings, concerts, conferences, and workshops at the Domaine Paul Claudel, in the incomparable setting of the château and its park.
A Program Balancing Claudelian Tradition and Contemporary Creation
The festival's program intertwines the legacy of Paul Claudel—readings of his texts, stagings of his plays, reflections on his work—with contemporary creation, featuring commissions from living authors, bold productions, and hybrid forms blending theater, music, and poetry. The Prix Paul Claudel, created as part of the festival, annually awards an unpublished dramatic text, a dramatized reading of which is one of the highlights of the Encounters.
Among the regularly invited artists and companies are renowned actors and directors from French public theater, as well as young regional companies. The festival also hosts musicians, poets, and thinkers for encounters and debates that foster a lively reflection on the place of literature and performing arts in contemporary society.
Strong Territorial Anchoring
Co-produced by the Association des Nouvelles Rencontres de Brangues and the Communauté de communes des Balcons du Dauphiné, the festival benefits from the support of the Department of Isère, the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region, and the Ministry of Culture. It plays an essential role in the cultural and tourist influence of this rural area in northern Isère, between Lyon and Chambéry, attracting a loyal and curious audience each year in a remarkable natural and heritage setting.
Brangues — edition 2026
The 54th edition of Du Solstice aux Rencontres de Brangues will take place from June 20 to 28, 2026, faithful to its annual gathering around the summer solstice. Under the artistic direction of Christian Schiaretti, the festival offers two parts: a week of free itinerant shows in the communes of Balcons du Dauphiné (from June 20 to 25), followed by three days of Rencontres at Domaine Paul Claudel — Château de Brangues (from June 26 to 28), focusing on theatre, music, and poetry.
2026 Edition — Du Solstice aux Rencontres de Brangues
For its 54th edition, the festival Du Solstice aux Rencontres de Brangues takes place from June 20 to 28, 2026 in the Balcons du Dauphiné territory (Isère, 38), combining an itinerant Solstice week and a Rencontres weekend at Domaine Paul Claudel.
Two main events
- The Solstice week (June 20 → 25): free shows scheduled every evening in a different commune of the Balcons du Dauphiné (Hières-sur-Amby, Saint-Chef, Morestel, etc.), presented by invited companies (Cie Les Veilleurs, Théâtre en Pierres Dorées, etc.).
- The New Rencontres at the château (June 26 → 28): three days of theatre, readings, concerts, round tables, and screenings at Domaine Paul Claudel in Brangues, focusing on Paul Claudel's literary heritage and contemporary creation.
Artistic Direction
The 2026 edition is programmed by Christian Schiaretti, artistic director of Rencontres de Brangues, former director of the TNP de Villeurbanne.
Paul Claudel Prize
The 3rd Paul Claudel Prize ceremony takes place during the Rencontres weekend, as one of the highlights of the edition.
Online ticketing is open on the official Rencontres website for paid shows during the weekend at the château. The Solstice week shows are free to access in the participating communes.
Programme Brangues 2026
Solstice Week — free itinerant shows
- Friday, June 20 · 8:00 PM — Hières-sur-Amby (Musée de Hières-sur-Amby) · Dissident, il va s'en dire by Michel Vinaver, by Cie Les Veilleurs · free access
- Tuesday, June 23 · 8:30 PM · La Folle Allure, adaptation of a text by Christian Bobin
- Wednesday, June 24 — Saint-Chef · Les Femmes savantes #2 by Molière, directed by Christian Schiaretti
- Thursday, June 25 · 8:00 PM — Morestel (Maison Ravier) · Terre et toi, Théâtre en Pierres Dorées, with Damien Gouy and Amandine Blanquart · free access
The Rencontres at the château — June 26, 27 and 28 · Domaine Paul Claudel, Brangues
Three days of theatre, readings, musical impromptus, round tables, exhibitions, screenings and young audience programming. Announced shows (days / times to be specified on the official website as the edition approaches):
- Dominique Pinon, seul en scène
- La Jeanne
- Les Tablées
- Fastoche (young audience)
- No Rose
- La Lune des pauvres
- Dans la nuit
- La Poétesse et la machine
- Aller simple
- 3rd Paul Claudel Prize Ceremony
- Round table under the linden tree, readings, screenings, musical impromptus
The day-by-day program with precise times will be published on rencontres-brangues.fr as the edition approaches.
Highlights Brangues 2026
- 54th edition of the oldest theatre and poetry festival in Dauphiné, founded in 1972
- A week of free itinerant shows in the villages of Balcons du Dauphiné
- Three days of Rencontres at Domaine Paul Claudel, a historic place dear to the writer
- Artistic direction: Christian Schiaretti
- 3rd Paul Claudel Prize Ceremony
- Dominique Pinon's solo performance
Prices Brangues 2026
Practical information — Brangues
Practical Information — From the Solstice to the Brangues Encounters
Main Venue
The heart of the festival is at the Domaine Paul Claudel — Château de Brangues, 660 rue du Village, 38510 Brangues (Isère). The performances during the Solstice week also take place in various locations throughout the Balcons du Dauphiné region: museums, community halls, heritage sites (Hières-sur-Amby, Saint-Chef, Morestel, etc.).
Dates
The festival is held annually around the summer solstice, generally over ten days between mid-June and the end of June. The Solstice week (free traveling performances) precedes the weekend of the Brangues Encounters (performances at the Domaine Paul Claudel).
Prices
The festival offers two pricing options:
- Solstice Week (traveling performances): free admission for all shows
- Brangues Encounters (last weekend):
- Full price: €20
- Reduced price (students, under 18s, job seekers, RSA beneficiaries, members): €16
- Young audience shows: €8 (reduced price: €6)
- 3-day pass (shows and meals included): from €105 to €141 depending on the category
Catering
During the Encounters, catering services are available at the Domaine Paul Claudel. Meals are served before performances, for lunch and dinner, at a price of €15 to €18. Advance booking is recommended.
Ticketing
Tickets are available:
- Online at rencontres-brangues.fr and billetweb.fr
- At the Morestel Tourist Office: +33 4 74 80 19 59
- On-site, at the Domaine Paul Claudel, on performance days
Access
By car: Brangues is located about 60 km east of Lyon and 70 km west of Chambéry. From the A43 motorway, take the Les Avenières or Pont-de-Chéruy exit, then follow signs for Morestel / Brangues. Free parking near the château.
By train: Nearest station: Pont-de-Beauvoisin (TER Lyon-Chambéry) or Morestel station. Allow for a taxi or carpooling trip to Brangues (approx. 15 km).
Contact
Association des Nouvelles Rencontres de Brangues
Domaine Paul Claudel, 660 rue du Village, 38510 Brangues
Tel: +33 4 74 80 23 30
Email: [email protected]
Websites: rencontres-brangues.fr | solsticedebrangues.fr
Accessibility
The Domaine Paul Claudel is a historic site where accessibility for people with reduced mobility may be limited. It is recommended to contact the organizers in advance for any specific requests.
Festival-goer photos
No photo yet. Share yours!
Share your photos
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
Vous avez repéré une erreur ou une information manquante ?
Aidez-nous à garder cette fiche à jour. Toute proposition est relue par notre équipe avant publication.
Festival-goer reviews
No rating yet — be the first!
No review yet. Be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community
Where does it take place — Brangues
Domaine Paul Claudel — Château de Brangues
660 rue du Village, 38510 Brangues