Here’s everything you need to know.
So, What’s This Festival All About?
The Festival de Carcassonne 2026 takes over the Amphitheatre in the Cité Médiévale for about five weeks of concerts, theatre, and opera, and it’s absolutely magical.
The main stage is the Théâtre Jean-Deschamps, a huge open-air amphitheatre built right into the medieval ramparts. There’s also the Château Comtal courtyard for more intimate shows. Imagine watching Kool and the Gang or Franz Ferdinand play against a backdrop of 2,500-year-old stone walls. That’s the vibe.
The 2026 edition runs from 26 June to 31 July and the lineup is seriously eclectic – from Ludovico Einaudi to Booba, from the Sex Pistols to Carmina Burana. Something for literally everyone.
Tips for Attending Concerts at La Cité
🚗Parking
Municipal car parks are right near the Cité entrances. Come from the A9/A61 motorway, exit 24 “Carcassonne Est”, then follow signs to the Cité Médiévale. Arrive early – it fills up fast on show nights.
🚪Gates Open Early
Doors typically open about 1 hour before showtime. Get there early if you want the best seats – for “ON” shows, in Jean-Deschamps amaphitheatre it is normally free seating with the exception of the Gold Circle (Carre d’Or) area in the front.
🌧️Rain Plan
It’s all open-air! The Jean-Deschamps stage is covered so cancellations there are very rare. For other venues, check the festival’s social media on the day – weather decisions are made close to showtime. They usually sell light rain ponchos if it starts raining mid concert. Approx 5 Euro each.
👟Wear Comfy Shoes
You’ll be walking on cobblestones inside the Cité. Leave the stilettos at home. Flat shoes or trainers are the way to go.
🥪Bring a Snack
You can bring your own food (in original packaging) and a small water bottle (50cl max, no cap). There are also vendors on site offering Beer, Soft drinks water and sweets.
🚶Leaving a Show
For “ON” (ticketed) shows, if you leave the venue, it’s final – you normally can’t re-enter.
🏨Book Accommodation Early
Carcassonne has hotels, B&Bs, campsites and holiday rentals for all budgets. But they book up fast during the festival. Check the tourism office for options.
🚂Getting There
Carcassonne is about 1h from Toulouse, 1h30 from Montpellier, 1h from Perpignan by car. There’s a train station and even a small airport with flights from the UK, Belgium and Portugal.
Rules — What Can You Bring?
Security is tight (as you’d expect) and there’s a list of banned items. Here’s the quick version:
🚫 Not Allowed
- Water bottles over 50cl, glass or metal bottles, thermos flasks
- Backpacks or bags larger than 15 litres, suitcases, coolers
- Reflex / bridge cameras, tripods, video & audio recording equipment
- Selfie sticks, laser pointers, aerosol cans
- Alcohol, glass containers, cans of any kind
- Folding chairs, parasols, umbrellas
- Knives, blades, metal objects, or anything deemed dangerous by security
- Animals
- Laptops and tablets
✅ You CAN Bring
- Small water bottles (50cl) — but caps will be removed at the gate
- Food in original packaging (sandwiches, snacks)
- Your phone and small compact cameras
- A small handbag or clutch (under 15L)
The Full Festival de Carcassone 2026 Programme
Here’s every show on the official programme. Status is current as of the date of this article — if you see something you like that’s still available, don’t wait!
| Date | Time | Artist / Show | Genre | Venue | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Jun | 22:00 | C’est moi… Marlène Jobert | Cinema | Château Comtal | Available |
| 27 Jun | 22:00 | Marchal par Marchal, portrait intime | Cinema | Château Comtal | Available |
| 28 Jun | 22:00 | Charles Aznavour en Arménie | Cinema | Château Comtal | Available |
| 1 Jul | 21:30 | Ludovico Einaudi | Concert | Théâtre Jean-Deschamps | Sold Out |
| 2 Jul | 21:30 | Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – A Painted Symphony | Concert | Théâtre Jean-Deschamps | Sold Out |
| 4 Jul | 21:30 | Laurent Gerra se met à table ! | Spectacle | Théâtre Jean-Deschamps | Available |
| 5 Jul | 21:30 | Barbara, du bout des lèvres (chorégraphie Benjamin Millepied) | Dance | Théâtre Jean-Deschamps | Available |
| 6 Jul | 21:30 | Jean-Paul Rouve – Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme (Molière) | Theatre | Cour d’honneur du Château Comtal | Sold Out |
| 7 Jul | 21:30 | Esther Abrami | Concert | Cour d’honneur du Château Comtal | Available |
| 9 Jul | 21:30 | Jean-François Zygel met en musique la Ville de Carcassonne | Concert | Cour d’honneur du Château Comtal | Available |
| 11 Jul | 21:30 | Thierry Lhermitte – La Rencontre | Theatre | Cour d’honneur du Château Comtal | Available |
| 12 Jul | 21:30 | Carmina Burana | Opera | Théâtre Jean-Deschamps | Available |
| 13 Jul | 21:30 | Ben Mazué | Concert | Théâtre Jean-Deschamps | Available |
| 15 Jul | 21:30 | Feu! Chatterton | Concert | Théâtre Jean-Deschamps | Sold Out |
| 16 Jul | 21:30 | Chris Isaak | Concert | Théâtre Jean-Deschamps | Available |
| 17 Jul | 20:30 | Bigflo & Oli (1ère partie : Fredz) | Concert | Théâtre Jean-Deschamps | Available |
| 18 Jul | 21:30 | Christophe Maé | Concert | Théâtre Jean-Deschamps | Sold Out |
| 20 Jul | 20:30 | Airbourne (1ère partie : Dätcha Mandala) | Concert | Théâtre Jean-Deschamps | Available |
| 21 Jul | 21:30 | Héléna | Concert | Théâtre Jean-Deschamps | Available |
| 22 Jul | 21:30 | Tom Odell | Concert | Théâtre Jean-Deschamps | Available |
| 23 Jul | 21:30 | Booba | Concert | Théâtre Jean-Deschamps | Available |
| 24 Jul | 21:30 | Gaëtan Roussel | Concert | Théâtre Jean-Deschamps | Available |
| 25 Jul | 20:30 | Alonzo + Bouss | Concert | Théâtre Jean-Deschamps | Available |
| 27 Jul | 21:30 | Franz Ferdinand | Concert | Théâtre Jean-Deschamps | Available |
| 28 Jul | 20:30 | Sex Pistols (1ère partie : Les Wampas) | Concert | Théâtre Jean-Deschamps | Available |
| 29 Jul | 21:30 | Asaf Avidan | Concert | Théâtre Jean-Deschamps | Available |
| 30 Jul | 20:30 | Zaz + Claudio Capeo | Concert | Théâtre Jean-Deschamps | Sold Out |
| 31 Jul | 21:30 | Kool and the Gang | Concert | Théâtre Jean-Deschamps | Sold Out |
Book Your Tickets
Tickets are available through the official festival box office (PAC Billetterie). You can buy them online, by phone at +33 (0)4 68 11 59 15 (french only), or in person at the Centre de Congrès du Dôme (Monday–Thursday 10:00–12:30 & 14:00–17:30, Friday mornings only).
Beware of online scams if buying tickets from unoffical sources.
A few things to keep in mind: tickets are non-refundable and non-exchangeable, so make sure you’re committed before you buy. And as you can see from the table above, several shows are already sold out – so don’t sleep on it if there’s something you want to see!
Browse the Full Programme & Book →
One Last Thing…
There’s really nothing quite like watching a concert under the stars inside a medieval fortress. Whether you’re into indie rock, French rap, classical piano, the Festival de Carcassonne has something for you. Grab your tickets, pack some comfy shoes, and get ready for an unforgettable summer night in the south of France. See you there! 🏰
All programme info sourced from festivaldecarcassonne.fr. Availability may change – always check the official site for the latest.
