20 Best Summer Festivals in France: From Normandie Impressionniste to Gribouillis
Beaux Arts Magazine has highlighted 20 summer festivals happening in France during 2026. Among them is the sixth Normandie Impressionniste, with the theme 'Un possible jardin,' scheduled from May 29 to September 27, showcasing 75 projects across 43 communes, featuring artists such as Ai Weiwei and Fujiko Nakaya. In Amiens, Les Hortillonnages will introduce 11 new projects from May 22 to October 11. The third Biennale de Bonifacio, titled 'Nimu Dormi,' will take place from May 23 to November 5, featuring 12 artists, including Pussy Riot. Additionally, Nouveau Printemps in Toulouse, curated by Rossy de Palma, runs from May 27 to June 28, while Extension Sauvage is set for June 19–21. Design Parade will mark its 20th anniversary from June 25 to 28, and Constellations de Metz will be held from June 25 to September 5. Other notable festivals include the Festival de Marseille, Festival International des Jardins, and Festival d'Aurillac.
Key facts
- Normandie Impressionniste 2026 marks centenary of Claude Monet's death with 75 projects in 43 communes.
- Les Hortillonnages 2026 in Amiens features 11 new projects from over 210 applications.
- Biennale de Bonifacio 2026 includes Pussy Riot and Vanessa Beecroft.
- Rossy de Palma curates Nouveau Printemps in Toulouse.
- Design Parade celebrates 20th anniversary at Villa Noailles and Toulon.
- Constellations de Metz expects over one million visitors.
- Festival d'Aurillac is Europe's largest street theatre festival.
- Biennale du Château de Frontenay is a new biennial in Jura featuring François Pompon.
Entities
Artists
- Ai Weiwei
- Céleste Boursier-Mougenot
- DRIFT
- Fujiko Nakaya
- Cécile Beau
- Mao Tao
- Pussy Riot
- Vanessa Beecroft
- Mode 2
- Rossy de Palma
- Latifa Laâbissi
- Boris Charmatz
- Myriam Gourfink
- Emmanuelle Huynh
- Christian Sebille
- Andrée Putman
- Onionlab
- Rodney Graham
- Jan Kopp
- Moritz Ostruchnjak
- Momoko Seto
- Derek Jarman
- Agnieszka Holland
- Gaspard Combes
- Gustave Perret
- Guillaume Aubry
- Claude Monet
- Malik Djoudi
- Gaspar Claus
- Soa Ratsifandrihana
- Pierre Rigal
- Vanessa Wagner
- Philip Glass
- Renaud Capuçon
- Anne Gastinel
- Justin Taylor
- Thibaut Garcia
- Hervé Rousseau
- Clara Imbert
- Ali Cherri
- Anne-Charlotte Finel
- Théo Mercier
- Pierrick Sorin
- Barbara Schroeder
- Raeda Saadeh
- Gœrges Rousse
- Philippe Favier
- Philippe Desloubières
- François Pompon
- Côme Remy
- Michel Rabagliati
Institutions
- Beaux Arts Magazine
- Normandie Impressionniste
- Les Hortillonnages
- Biennale de Bonifacio
- Nouveau Printemps
- Extension Sauvage
- Design Parade
- Villa Noailles
- Constellations de Metz
- Biennale internationale d'art contemporain de Melle
- Chemins d'artistes
- Festival de Marseille
- Festival International des Jardins de Chaumont-sur-Loire
- Un été au Havre
- Centre des monuments nationaux
- Festival de Chambord
- Terralha
- Voyage à Nantes
- Festival d'Aurillac
- Biennale des Arts de Cuiseaux
- Biennale du Château de Frontenay
- Gribouillis
- Cnap
- Le Corbusier
- Eileen Gray
Locations
- France
- Normandy
- Giverny
- Honfleur
- Amiens
- Bonifacio
- Corsica
- Mediterranean
- Toulouse
- Marengo
- Bonnefoy
- Jolimont
- Combourg
- Bazouges-la-Pérouse
- Brittany
- Toulon
- Hyères
- Metz
- Lorraine
- Melle
- Deux-Sèvres
- Yonne
- Villeneuve-sur-Yonne
- Marseille
- Chaumont-sur-Loire
- Le Havre
- Roquebrune
- La Rochelle
- Fréjus
- Chambord
- Saint-Quentin-la-Poterie
- Gard
- Nantes
- Aurillac
- Cuiseaux
- Saône-et-Loire
- Saint-Étienne
- Frontenay
- Jura
- Bordeaux
- Québec
- Algérie
- Liban
- Brésil
- Allemagne
- Belgique
- Lituanie