From Les Plages Électroniques in Cannes to the Nuits du Château de la Moutte in Saint-Tropez, twelve festivals and events in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Aug 8-9, 2026.
Festivals and events fill Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur this weekend of August 8, 2026 (8-9 August 2026), from the Palais des Festivals beach in Cannes turned into a dancefloor to the streets of Vallauris, where potters still work the wheel as they did in Gallo-Roman times. Our selection covers twelve events, from long-announced headliners to small village festivities that rarely make it beyond their own valley. Our pick of the weekend: the Nuits du Château de la Moutte, with a rare lineup on a private seafront estate. Where to go this weekend, between the mountains and the sea? These twelve addresses, from the Var to the Vaucluse, are a start.
Cannes: the Palais des Festivals beach turns into an open-air dancefloor
Since 2006, Les Plages Électroniques has turned the Palais des Festivals beach into France's biggest beach party. From Friday, August 7 to Sunday, August 9, six stages host major electronic and French rap acts from 2pm to 5am. Organisers expect 60,000 festival-goers over the three days.
Ramatuelle: Michel Boujenah directs the 41st open-air festival
The green amphitheatre of Ramatuelle has staged theatre, comedy and music since 1986. The 41st edition runs from July 29 to August 12, 2026, artistically directed by Michel Boujenah, with Lambert Wilson, Manu Payet and Jean-Paul Rouve in "Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme," alongside Jeanne Cherhal and Camille Chamoux. The August 8-9 weekend falls right in the middle of the programme.
Saint-Tropez: international names on the private grounds of Château de la Moutte
Founded in 1975 by Anne Troisier, granddaughter of Napoleon III's last prime minister, Les Nuits du Château de la Moutte brings internationally renowned musicians to a private seafront estate. Names associated with the festival include Brad Mehldau, Mikhail Pletnev and Lucas Debargue. Concerts and evening events run from August 1 to 11, 2026, squarely covering the weekend of August 8-9.
Mont-Dauphin: aerial dance on a UNESCO-listed Vauban fortress
Inside the Mont-Dauphin stronghold, a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Ascen-Danse association has run Vertical'Été since 2006, a festival devoted entirely to vertical and contemporary dance. From Friday, August 7 to Sunday, August 9, outdoor performances mix rope dance, trapeze, elastic and climbing-wall choreography across the fortress.
Vallauris: the Pottery Festival keeps a Gallo-Roman craft alive
Every second Sunday of August, on the town's two main squares, the Vallauris Pottery Festival celebrates a ceramic tradition dating back to Gallo-Roman times. On Sunday, August 9, a potters' market fills the village with wheel demonstrations, kiln firings, hands-on workshops and a procession honouring Saint Claude, patron of potters.
Beaumes-de-Venise: the Muscat Bodega, a night among the vines
On Cours Jean-Jaurès, the Bodéga du Muscat gathers thousands of visitors to celebrate the local Muscat AOC, a sweet wine produced beneath the Dentelles de Montmirail. The evening offers tastings of Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise, Gigondas and Vacqueyras, live music and a Mediterranean festive mood, on Saturday, August 8.
Toulon: Jazz à Toulon takes over the whole city, for free
Since 1991, Jazz à Toulon has turned the city into an open-air stage. The festival spreads across 16 squares and neighbourhoods, with free evening concerts at 9:30pm and "Off" sets at 7:30pm, running through Saturday, August 8. Biréli Lagrène, Roberto Fonseca, Avishai Cohen and Joshua Redman are among the names linked to this long-running Var institution.
Barcelonnette: Latin-Mexican Festivities trace a 19th-century migration
The Fêtes Latino-Mexicaines de Barcelonnette celebrate the historic ties between the Ubaye valley and Mexico, born of a mass 19th-century emigration of local families. From August 7 to 16, Place Manuel fills with mariachi music, Mexican folk dance, traditional costume parades and Latin dance workshops.
Pertuis: the Big Band Festival wraps five nights of European jazz
The Festival de Big Bands de Pertuis is Vaucluse's big-band jazz gathering. Founded in 1999, it brings around ten big bands from across Europe each early August for five evenings spanning swing, blues, New Orleans and jazz fusion, running through Saturday, August 8.
Villar-Saint-Pancrace: Violoncelles en Folie closes its cello academy
Created in 2006 by the Cello au Sommet association, Violoncelles en Folie combines an academy open to players from age 6 with a concert festival in the chapels, churches and halls of the Briançon area. The eclectic programme wraps up on Saturday, August 8, after eight days mixing academy students with established musicians.
Simiane-la-Rotonde: early music in a Romanesque keep
Created in 1982 by the town's cultural service and taken over by its own association in 1987, Les Riches Heures Musicales de la Rotonde focuses on early, medieval, Renaissance and baroque music. Nationally and internationally known ensembles perform in the Romanesque hall of the keep through Thursday, August 13, with the August 8-9 weekend right in the middle.
La Celle: six concerts in a royal abbey cloister
Since 1994, the Soirées Musicales de l'Abbaye de La Celle have filled a 12th-century Cistercian abbey with music. In late July and early August, six classical, jazz and world-music concerts bring internationally known artists and local audiences into the cloister and gardens, running through Saturday, August 8.
Which event to pick this weekend?
From the Mont-Dauphin fortress to the Beaumes-de-Venise vineyards and the Cannes beach party, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur covers unusually wide ground this weekend. For more events across France on August 8-9, 2026, check the full weekend agenda.
