The cross-border blues festival of northern Lorraine
Vache de Blues is a blues festival born in 2001 in homage to guitarist Patrick Guyot, in the border region of northern Lorraine. After fifteen editions between Xivry-Circourt, Audun-le-Tiche and Villerupt, the festival took a ten-year break before being reborn in 2025 at the Bassompierre pond in Boulange. Free and friendly, it offers two days of concerts in the heart of nature with around forty artists, a marquee, an exhibitors' village, and catering.
Vache de Blues was born in July 2001 from a tribute to Patrick Guyot, a passionate guitarist from the bands Rocky, Los Nullos, and Vecchi e Brutti, who passed away in November 2000. His musician friends then gathered for a weekend of blues in Xivry-Circourt in Meurthe-et-Moselle, laying the groundwork for a festival that would become a must-attend blues event in Lorraine and the Greater Cross-border Region.
The association Vache d'assos', created in 2002, has carried the festival through several emblematic sites in northern Lorraine. After two editions in Xivry-Circourt (2001-2002), the festival was held from 2003 to 2007 on the former steel site of Micheville in Audun-le-Tiche, on the Luxembourg border. From 2008 to 2015, it took place in Villerupt at LEP Henry Wallon, welcoming thousands of blues enthusiasts from France, Luxembourg, and Belgium each year.
After the association's dissolution in 2015 for financial reasons, the festival is reborn in 2025 thanks to a new team of volunteers. The 2025 edition will be held at the Bassompierre pond in Boulange, in an exceptional natural setting, with two days of free concerts, over 40 artists on stage, a marquee, and an entertainment village.
The festival offers a comprehensive panorama of blues: from Delta blues to Chicago blues, including blues-rock and more contemporary sounds blending soul and funk. The programming highlights both established artists from the European blues scene and emerging talents from the Greater Region.
True to its original spirit, Vache de Blues remains a free festival, driven by passionate volunteers. The event emphasizes conviviality with catering stands, an exhibitors' village, and entertainment throughout the weekend. Free camping on site allows festival-goers to fully enjoy the atmosphere.
Located in the northern Lorraine mining basin, the Vache de Blues festival contributes to the cultural dynamism of a cross-border territory. It perpetuates the industrial memory of the region while creating a space for meeting and sharing around blues music, attracting audiences from France, Luxembourg, and Belgium.
New edition of the Vache de Blues festival. Program and details to come.
The festival takes place at the Bassompierre pond in Boulange (57), near Villerupt, in the cross-border region of northern Lorraine, at the gateway to Luxembourg and Belgium.
The Bassompierre pond offers an exceptional natural setting for the festival. The site is equipped with a main marquee for concerts, an exhibitors' village, and relaxation areas by the water. Access to the site is signposted from the center of Boulange.
Friday from 6:00 PM to 10:30 PM. Saturday from 5:00 PM to 10:30 PM. Doors open 30 minutes before the start of the concerts.
The festival is entirely free. No tickets are required. Food and drinks are payable on site.
Various food stands are present on site throughout the festival, offering hot meals, sandwiches, fries, and local specialties. A bar with local beers, wines, and non-alcoholic drinks completes the offer. An exhibitors' village allows you to discover artisanal products from the region.
Free camping is available for festival-goers on the pond site itself. It is recommended to bring your own camping equipment. Camping opens on Friday afternoon and closes on Sunday morning.
Bring warm clothing for the evenings, shoes suitable for grassy terrain, and protection against possible rain. The site is outdoors and uncovered (except for the marquee).
Website: vachedeblues.free.fr
All updated information on the program and access conditions are available on the festival's official website.
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Étang de Bassompierre
Étang de Bassompierre, Boulange, 54190 Villerupt