Vaison Festival
Variety, humor, and music at the Ancient Theatre of Vaison-la-Romaine
About Vaison Festival
Vaison Festival: The Ancient Stage Celebrates Every Summer
In the heart of Vaison-la-Romaine, one of France's richest archaeological cities, the Ancient Theatre is not just a monument: it is a living, vibrant stage that the inhabitants and visitors of the region have come to love in the summer. While the Choralies (choral singing) and Vaison Danses (contemporary dance) have made the site famous, the Vaison Festival holds a special place in this panorama: that of a popular, generous event, tailored for the general public who want to spend a pleasant summer evening under the Provençal stars.
Each summer, the Vaison Festival schedules several distinct evenings, each dedicated to an artist or a show. Diversity is its hallmark: you'll find comedians on national tours, French and Francophone variety singers, and unclassifiable musicians who touch on multiple genres. It's not a festival in the strict sense of the term – with camping, multi-day passes, and a sense of community – but rather a series of individual summer events, allowing everyone to choose the evening that suits them.
An Ancient Theatre as a Stage
The Ancient Theatre of Vaison-la-Romaine is one of the best-preserved Roman theatres in France. Built in the 1st century AD, it can accommodate up to 6,000 spectators in a semi-circular cavea carved into the rock. Like all ancient theatres in Provence, it benefits from remarkable natural acoustics and an exceptional visual setting, with the medieval rock on which the Haute-Ville of Vaison stands as its backdrop.
Attending a performance in this theatre on a starry summer night, with the warmth of the ancient stones and the scent of the surrounding garrigue, is an experience in itself that transcends the performance itself. Many artists testify to the special emotion that this unique stage provides, where history and live art meet at each performance.
Vaison-la-Romaine, a Festival City
Vaison-la-Romaine is an exceptional city in the cultural landscape of Vaucluse. Its archaeological excavations – the most extensive in France – reveal the remains of a prosperous Gallo-Roman city: houses with mosaics, thermal baths, Pompey's portico, an archaeological museum. The medieval Haute-Ville, perched on its rock and dominated by the castle of the Counts of Toulouse, offers a timeless stroll. The single-arch Roman bridge connecting the two banks of the Ouvèze is one of the most beautiful in Provence.
The city is also known as the Provençal capital of the black truffle of Vaucluse, with its winter market and gastronomic restaurants, and as a prime starting point for exploring the Dentelles de Montmirail, Mont Ventoux, and the hilltop villages of the Haut-Vaucluse. The Vaison Festival is part of this cultural and heritage richness as one of the faces of Vaison's summer life.
A Program for All Audiences
The Vaison Festival's programming favors artists whose notoriety guarantees the appeal of a wide audience: comedians on national tours whose shows have been eagerly awaited for months, variety singers whose repertoire is shared by several generations, pianists and musicians who transcend genre boundaries. The 2025 edition is a prime example, featuring Inès Reg (comedian), Sofiane Pamart and Ferdi (piano and neo-classical music), and Laurent Gerra (impersonator and comedian).
This mix of genres – from laughter to music, from spectacle to emotion – is at the heart of the festival's identity, which refuses to be defined by a single genre and prefers to reflect the diversity of tastes and expectations of the Provençal and tourist public.
Vaison Festival — edition 2026
The 2026 edition of the Vaison Festival offers about ten evenings of variety, humor, music, and mentalism at the Ancient Theatre of Vaison-la-Romaine, from June 23 to August 6, 2026. The program notably features Messmer, Julien Clerc, Patrick Bruel, Calogero, Marine, and several tribute and 2000s evenings.
Vaison Festival 2026 — about ten evenings at the Ancient Theatre
From June 23 to August 6, 2026, the Vaison Festival offers an eclectic program at the Ancient Theatre of Vaison-la-Romaine, mixing French variety, humor, mentalism, electro music, and tribute evenings. This 2026 summer season, orchestrated by the Vaison Ventoux Provence Tourist Office, presents about ten distinct evenings, each dedicated to an artist or a show concept, within the exceptional setting of the millennial Roman theatre.
The festival opens on June 23 with Messmer's hypnosis and mentalism show, followed in July by a series of French music headliners: Julien Clerc with his Une Vie tour, Patrick Bruel for the 35th anniversary of Alors Regarde (sold out concert), Calogero in an intimate format, and Vaison Tribute Festival paying homage to Elton John and the Bee Gees. The end of July and beginning of August feature more festive evenings: Génération Céline, Jimmy Sax, Vaison Night Fever (2000s), Marine (Star Academy winner), and the closing DJ Yann Muller evening.
The Ancient Theatre in its majesty
All shows take place in the Ancient Theatre of Vaison-la-Romaine, one of the best-preserved Roman theatres in France. Built in the 1st century AD, it can accommodate up to 6,000 spectators in a semi-circular cavea carved into the rock, with remarkable natural acoustics and, as a backdrop, the medieval rock of the Haute-Ville.
Ticketing
Tickets are available at the Vaison Ventoux Provence Tourist Office (Place du Chanoine Sautel) and on usual online platforms (Adam Concerts, Ticketmaster, Leclerc Billetterie, jds.fr). Residents of Vaison-la-Romaine benefit from preferential rates on certain shows.
Programme Vaison Festival 2026
Tuesday, June 23, 2026 — 9:00 PM
- Messmer — 13Hz · Théâtre Antique · Hypnosis and mentalism show by the Quebecois master fascinator, postponed from 2025 to 2026.
Thursday, July 2, 2026 — 8:30 PM
- Julien Clerc — Une Vie · Théâtre Antique · 62,50 € to 68 € · Anthological tour tracing the major pages of the singer's career, featuring selected songs from his emblematic repertoire.
Friday, July 3, 2026 — 8:30 PM
- Patrick Bruel — Alors Regarde 35 · Théâtre Antique · 57 € to 68 € · (sold out concert) · Tour celebrating the 35th anniversary of the legendary album Alors Regarde.
Saturday, July 4, 2026 — 8:30 PM
- Calogero · Théâtre Antique · Intimate concert, between raw emotions and reinvention of the singer's classic repertoire.
Sunday, July 5, 2026
- Vaison Tribute Festival — Elton John & Bee Gees · Théâtre Antique · 27 € (26 € for Vaison residents) · Tribute evening dedicated to two icons of English music.
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
- Génération Céline · Théâtre Antique · Homage to Céline Dion's career by artists from the new French scene who perform the greatest hits of the Quebecois icon.
Friday, July 31, 2026
- Jimmy Sax · Théâtre Antique · Concert by the French saxophonist and composer, a figure of the live electro scene.
Sunday, August 2, 2026 — 8:30 PM
- Vaison Night Fever · Théâtre Antique · 40 € (39 € for Vaison residents) · Nostalgic evening dedicated to the hits and emblematic artists of the 2000s, with L5, Tragédie, Boris, Franck (2Be3), Chris (G-Squad), Billy Crawford and Worlds Apart, presented by Séverine Ferrer.
Tuesday, August 4, 2026
- Marine · Théâtre Antique · 39 € to 64 € · Winner of Star Academy, Marine offers an evening of sensitive pop with a modern and committed repertoire.
Thursday, August 6, 2026
- Yann Muller — DJ set · Théâtre Antique · DJ evening closing the festival.
Note: the Vaison Danses program (July 10-25, 2026, 30th edition) is a distinct festival organized on the same stage; Vaison Rires takes place in January 2026.
Highlights Vaison Festival 2026
- About ten evenings of variety, humor, music, and tributes at the Ancient Theatre from June 23 to August 6, 2026
- French music headliners: Julien Clerc, Patrick Bruel (sold out), Calogero, Marine
- Messmer opening with his 13Hz hypnosis show
- Vaison Tribute Festival (Elton John & Bee Gees) and Vaison Night Fever (2000s) for lovers of musical nostalgia
- Exceptional setting of the Roman Ancient Theatre, up to 6,000 seats in a millennial semi-circular cavea
Prices Vaison Festival 2026
Practical information — Vaison Festival
Practical Information
Address
Ancient Theatre of Vaison-la-Romaine
Avenue Jules Ferry, 84110 Vaison-la-Romaine
Access
By car: Vaison-la-Romaine is 45 km from Avignon (D975), 28 km from Orange (D975). Parking in town and possible shuttle services depending on the shows.
By bus: Intercity connections from Avignon, Carpentras, and Orange (Zou! network).
Ticketing
Online booking on jds.fr and at the Vaison Ventoux Provence Tourist Office. Tickets from 57 EUR.
Contact
Vaison Ventoux Provence Tourist Office
Place du Chanoine Sautel, 84110 Vaison-la-Romaine
Tel: 04 90 36 02 11
Website: vaison-ventoux-provence.com
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Where does it take place — Vaison Festival
Théâtre Antique de Vaison-la-Romaine
Place du Chanoine Sautel, 84110 Vaison-la-Romaine, 84110 Vaison-la-Romaine