Listed below are some of the many events that take place in Deux-Sèvres and Charente throughout the year.
January
Le Festival International de la Bande Dessinée, Angoulême
The Festival International de la Bande Dessinée (Comic strip festival) is held in Angoulême, the rendezvous for the world’s greatest comic strip artists and scriptwriters. Fans can meet their favourite authors, discover new offerings and young newcomers. Find out more
March – April
Scènes en Bocage, Bressuire; the Bocage
Street Arts, music and art in Bressuire and the Bocage. Find out more
Festival Bach à Pâques Saint-Maxient-L’École Sèvre valley
Baroque music in the upper Sèvre valley. Find out more
May
Festival de Melle, Melle
The Romanesque churches of Melle provide the ideal stage for concerts of classical music, sacred and profane contatas, traditional music, story-telling and conferences. Find out more
Musiques Métisses, Angoulême
Salsa, raï, reggae, rumba. The music of the world can be heard at the festival Musiques Métisses in Angoulême. Johnny Clegg, Salif Keita came here to play their first concerts in France. The programme in the past has also included Cesaria Evora, Ismaël Lo, and Faudel. Find out more
June – July
Festival au Village, Brioux sur Boutonne
Theatre, music and circus, indoors and outdoors for all the family. Find out more
Musiques et Danses du Monde, Airvault
Music and folk dancing from the all over the world in the streets of Airvault. Find out more
Festival des jeux (FLIP) Parthenay
Game-players from around the world meet in Parthenay for this international gaming convention. Find out more
Festival des enfants du monde (RIFE) Saint Maixent
A one-of-a-kind festival held at Saint Maixent, where children from all over the world dance and sing their traditional music. Find out more
Atouts Arts Thouars
Nomadic music fills the streets of Thouars. Find out more
Sarabandes des Bouchauds Les Bouchauds
At the heart of the Gallo-Roman theatre at Les Bouchauds, the Sarabandes offer a unique programme of music and theatre for all ages, for beginners and enthusiasts. Find out more
Contes en Chemin Saint-Maixent
Traditional and modern tales told through music and staged in 14 villages around Saint-Maixent. Find out more
De Bouche à Oreille Parthenay
Traditional music, concert and folk dances along the banks of the river Thouet in Parthenay. Find out more
Lumières du Baroque
Celles-sur-Belles
Baroque music in historical monuments or in the open air at Celles-sur-Belles. Find out more
Blues Passions Cognac
For four days and four nights, Blues music in all its forms can be heard in Cognac (concerts, master classes, workshops). Find out more
Historic GP racing at Bressuire
The last weekend in June, Bressuire hosts a classic car road race which culminates on the Sunday. There’s usually 4 classes of racing, touring, sports, racers and cyclecars, entry is free. Find out more
July/August
Nuits Romanes
Throughout the whole of July and August there are at least 150 musical evenings taking place across all four departments in the region. From small villages to cities, an evening will be hosted showcasing the Roman heritage and contemporary creativity. Each year a different venue is chosen, so please consult the official calendar for what’s on. You can expect music, dance, fireworks and local food – and these evenings are all provided free of charge! Find out more
Danses et Musiques du Monde
Each year for the last forty years, Confolens has hosted the greatest gathering of dance and music from all over the world. Parades, concerts, choreographic creations join together for lively festivities with hundreds of performers and thousands of visitors. Find out more
September – November
Les Coréades
Choral music in Niort. Find out more
Festival des Vendanges
A mix of shows, music, songs, theater, walks and art, among the vines of Pamproux. Find out more
Eclats de Voix
A music festival celebrating voice, in Bressuire. Find out more
International Ornithological Film Festival
Films, outdoor workshops, tales, forums, conferences, outings, animal art exhibits – Ménigoute brings together wildlife cinema lovers, wildlife artists and the public. Around 40 wildlife documentaries are screened, meet nature conservation associations and much more. Find out more
Coup de Chauffe
For 48 hours, art takes over the streets. Circus, theatre, dance, music, performers of all sorts take to the streets of Cognac. Find out more
Le circuit des remparts
For three days Angoulême hosts an event where historic cars gather for a long weekend, there is a rally around the Charente countryside on Saturday with over 100 cars taking part and a full day of racing of Bugattis and other vintage and pre-war racing cars around the ramparts on Sunday. The website includes entry forms for those who wish to enter the rally on Saturday, or for the racing enthusiast, a chance to enter your car in the vintage racing on Sunday. Find out more
Piano en Valois
In the city that was home to Marguerite de Valois, sister of François 1st and patron of the arts, music fills the air in Angoulême during the annual festival. The 2007 programme included an evening of Schumann, Brahms, Debussy and Chopin, and had an opening night of jazz piano. Find out more
Ludoland
Originally created in Angoulême in 1986 by students preparing for a marketing diploma at the Marguerite de Valois school, Ludoland is now a games and toys fair for children and all the family. Find out more
Salon de la Littérature Européenne
Each year in Cognac, for 3 days during the 3rd week-end in November, le salon pays tribute to the literature of a European country through a series of lectures, debates, public readings, film screenings, meetings with the authors. Find out more
Piano en Valois
The second week of musical events of this festival in Angoulême. (See October for details.) Find out more
Gastronomades
The Gastronomades in Angoulême is both a gastronomic fair and an international festival of flavours and aromas where trade professionals promote the region’s gastronomic heritage and the public can discover the regional products of the Charente. Find out more
