The 16 music festivals to be made this summer in France

The return of the music festivals season in France announces a time full of parties and good energies!

Spring points to the tip of its nose, and the beautiful days make their appearance. Smiles come back on the lips, colors on the cheekbones and sunlights the blue sky. The days lie down, and the atmosphere relaxes... At the same time, some groups appear on social networks, and notifications start to announce the return of such a special season in France, that of music festivals!

Whatever your musical preferences, and no matter what your region, you may find your happiness in our territory. Indeed, in France, there are more than two hundred festivals every year. So to help you make your choice and organize your program, Wanderlix presents you its selection of the best music festivals in France.

Island region of France

1. We love Green

We Love Green is the chill festival, accessible and particularly pleasant for Parisian youth! Located in the Bois de Vincennes since 2016, the festival gathers every year, on the first weekend of June, the largest French-speaking artists and some heads of international posters.

This year, it is the legendary Gorillaz rock band that will hold this role! To celebrate their 20 years of career, the group will meet here for its only Paris date.

You can also find on stage the best of French hip-hop with the presence of PNL, SCH (the most sold rap album in France in 2021), Laylow, Dinos and Angèle. Finally, you can enjoy the sublime voice of Jorja Smith, who will come to interpret his master class "Blue Lights."

2. Solidays

Here is certainly the most famous music festival in Île de France, even France! Celebrated every year since 1999, with the aim of collecting maximum funds to help research in the fight against AIDS, but also to help youth, Solidays are THE reference in Francophone festivals!

Regarding the programming, as always, the Longchamp Hippodrome festival offers you the best of French music. First find Ninho, Orelsan, Damso, Niska or PLK, as well as all the other great names of French-speaking rap. In addition, you can enjoy the concerts of M, Justice, and even have the chance to see a mythical group of the 2000s, that of the Black Eyed Peas!

3. Lollapalooza

The world festival, which runs cities like Chicago or Buenos Aires, will take place in Paris for a new edition full of surprises! During the third weekend of July, discover at Longchamp Racecourse an attroupement of the best artists in the world.

Thus, you can enjoy the services of Imagine Dragons, David Guetta, A$AP ROCKY, but also more urban artists such as Josman or Guy2Bezbar. Several musical styles, therefore, scattered on several scenes through this great music festival.

4. Rock en Seine

It is at the Domaine National du Parc de Saint Cloud that the next edition of the Rock en Seine will be held every year on the last weekend of August. If, as its name suggests, the festival was first intended for rock music, it’s been a long time since it diversified.

Indeed, although the festive and fraternal atmosphere of rock is always felt as at its beginnings, the programming is multiple. Thus, find Stromae who will come to interpret the biggest tracks of his latest album, Multitude. For this new edition, you can also rediscover the Arctics Monkeys, Tame Impala and even Jamie xx!

West region

5. Art Rock Festival

Direction la Bretagne now, and more particularly the city of Saint-Brieuc to discover one of the best music festivals in France! A multi-disciplinary event featuring numerous artistic performances (music, dance, theatre, visual and digital art...), the Art Rock festival takes place every year on the first weekend of June.

This year, you will find the best variety artists of the French scene, such as Clara Luciani and Gaël Faye. You can also discover on stage the best of the current urban scene, thanks to Gazo, Josman and Laylow.

6. Hellfest

It is not far from Nantes, in the commune of Clisson that is preparing “the festival of the century”, according to its patron, Ben Bardaud. Indeed this year, the Hellfest will bring together more than 350 artists over ten days, for an unprecedented French festival.

After having had to face many rock band cancellations due to the epidemic, the festival was able to find solutions! The line-up of this year will offer groups like Judas Priest, Deftones, Deep Purple, Korn, Megadeth or Dropkick Murphys on the first weekend, as well as Scorpions, Gun’s and Roses, and even Metallica that will close the festival!

7. Night papers

In place since 2001, the one that is surnamed P2N is known to be “the largest music festival in France in the smallest place”. Indeed, it is in Saint Laurent de Cuves, in Normandy, that the festival takes place every year.

For this new edition of the "White Papers", you will find artists such as Julien Doré, Vladimir Cauchemar, Macklemore or Angèle. A heteroclite scene, so that everyone finds his happiness there.

8. Pupet Festival

From mid-June to mid-July in Vendée, near the Puy du Fou, the Pupet festival is a true reference in the field. Indeed, he who represents one of the longest festivals in France knows how to occupy his festival-goers! This year's programming will not leave any visitors left.

Mc Solaar, Julien Doré, Sting, Stromae, Ninho or PLK, there will be for all tastes! And don’t forget the famous “Diraille Pupet”, the closing fireworks of the festival, which will reserve its lot of surprises... We don't tell you any more!

9. Les Vieilles Charrues

This is certainly the most famous festival in France! The Old Charrues have been a great classic of the French festive scene for 30 years. And for this thirtieth anniversary, the Breton organizers did not do in the half-measure regarding the line-up!

Here you will find various scenes of artists of all kinds, such as the great DJ Snake, but also Orelsan, Angèle, Vianney, Clara Luciani, Juliette Armanet, Stromae, Bob Sinclar, Rilès or Vladimir Cauchemar...

10. Les Francofolies

Discover bold, popular and creative programming for the next Francofolies of La Rochelle! In the middle of July, you will find the world's greatest artists who will come to play their most famous titles, in a jovial and recreational atmosphere.

The Francofolies play in good mood and fraternity, to appreciate musical and artistic performances as it should be. Find artists like Asaf Avidan, Angèle, Orelsan, and don't miss Booba's white card!

South region

11. Festival de Nîmes

Direction the south and the beautiful city of Nîmes, to let artists enter the arena! It is in this historic monument, a witness to the passage of the Roman Empire, that French and international artists have been performing every summer since 1997!

In this music festival of more than a month, in the heart of summer, you will find a diverse program. So choose your seats for Orelsan, Gorillaz, PNL, or for atypical concerts, such as that of the symphony orchestra featuring the original band of the Gladiator movie.

12. Garorock

Located in Marmandes, the Garorock is a music festival in France whose pop rock, electro and techno atmospheres attract more and more participants every year. It must be said that its family atmosphere is quite appreciable, for all generations and all kinds of public.

During the last weekend of June, enjoy the performance of DJ Snake who will ignite the main scene throughout the night. In addition, you will find the legendary Green Day pop rock band, along with the best French urban artists. Don’t hesitate to enjoy the performance of IAMDDB, an Angolan music bead that will brighten your way to the Garorock!

13. Carcassonne Festival

The Carcassonne Festival, which was part of the whole month of July, is more of a series of concerts than a real festival. Every day, the atmospheres differ, so that all the public can find their account. Between ballets, operas, urban concerts or rock performances, the panel is indeed wide.

The setting of the festival is particularly interesting, since it takes place at the foot of the fortifications of Carcassonne, animated by a game of lights particularly worked.

Other regions

14. Alsace wine fair

It is during the last two weekends of July that you will find the Alsace Wine Fair every year! This music festival in France is also a gastronomic festival, based on sharing and immersive experience combining trade fair, Alsace wine showcase and eclectic music festival.

Created in 1948, this fair is one of the largest in French territory, and offers a group of international artists every year! This year, the poster heads will obviously be Damso and PLK, while you can also find Johnny’s voice with Jean-Baptiste Guegan, as well as Angèle and Julien Doré, for a more calming atmosphere.

15. Cabaret Vert

The Cabaret Vert, in reference to Arthur Rimbaud’s eponymous poem, took place since 2005 in Charleville-Mézières, on the third weekend of August. And this year, the festival comes back in strength, with a new edition of high-volume, and intends to honour the styles of eclectic music, from rock to French variety, to rap or electro.

So find Stromae, Eddy de Pretto, SCH and Orelsan, just like Liam Gallagher, the singer of the Oasis band. In the open air and in a relaxed and family atmosphere, you can walk in the middle of the scenes by enjoying the stands of street-food with your loved ones!

16. Ardents

To close this selection of the best music festivals in France, it is in... Belgium that we surrender! In fact, Lièges welcomes every year the urban festival of the Ardentes, in an atmosphere of madness and with an ever more intense line-up. On the first weekend of July, you will discover at a lower price urban artists from all categories, and from all backgrounds.

Thus, rediscover particularly generous artists on stage like Stromae or Orelsan, attend the reformation of Assaut’s Sexion, or Tyler the Creator’s artistic work. To fill the whole, artists like Ninho, Damso, or Ferg will come to feed the different scenes, for a total show.