Dates of France’s top must-see music festivals in 2024

For music lovers, summer means one thing: festivals. And with 2024 set to attract stars including Lana del Rey, Foo Fighters, Sam Smith, and Lenny Kravitz, here are some of the unmissable of the season.

It is also set to be a big year for fans of rockers The Prodigy, Sum 41, and The Offspring; US pop group Gossip, DJ David Guetta, rapper Macklemore, skater girl Avril Lavigne, hip hop duo Big Flo & Oli, and UK singer Sting - with multiple performances across France planned for all of these acts over the summer.

Other standout performances are set to include shows by Placebo, Calvin Harris, Eric Clapton, Mika, and Yungblud.

June

• Hellfest 2024 - Clisson, June 27-30: The heavy rock and metal specialist is this year set to welcome massive acts including Metallica, Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age, Avenged Sevenfold, The Prodigy, and Megadeth.
• Le Festival Garorock - Marmande, June 27-30: Performers include Calvin Harris, Swedish House Mafia, Charlotte Cardin, and 2000s rock favourites The Offspring, and Sum 41.
• Solidays 2024 - Paris, June 28-30: Originally created as an anti-AIDS event, this is now in its 25th year. Sam Smith and Louise Attaque, plus many others, look set to create a varied line-up this year.
• Le Festival de Toulouse - Toulouse, June 29-July 13: The Pink City festival is set to include a range of performances, including a focus on the music of Disney, as well as a variety of lectures and concerts in honour of local figures and culture.

July

• Festival des Arènes de Nîmes - Nîmes, May 31-July 20: This long-running musical festival will welcome stars including MC Solaar, Macklemore, Avril Lavigne, Simple Minds, and Eric Clapton.
• Le Festival Beauregard - Hérouville-Saint-Clair, July 3-7: The stand-out star here will be internationally-successful DJ David Guetta, plus hip hop duo Big Flo & Oli and Justice.
• Les Eurockéennes de Belfort 2024 - Belfort, July 4-7: The line-up for this festival’s 34th year includes Sum 41, Big Flo & Oli, David Guetta, Lenny Kravitz, and, fresh from Hellfest in June, The Prodigy.
• Le Main Square Festival - Arras, July 4-7: The artists set to play here this year, include Canadian superstar Avril Lavigne, rockers Placebo, and another appearance from Lenny Kravitz.
• Le Festival Musilac - Aix-les-Bains, July 10-13: With stars including Charlotte Cardin, Gossip and David Guetta (again), Macklemore, and…Lenny Kravitz.
• Le Festival des Déferlantes - Occitanie region, July 10-13: This regional festival is set to showcase stars including Yungblud, Sum 41, Mika, Kyo, Macklemore, and another appearance from The Prodigy, Booba, and Placebo.
• Les Francofolies de La Rochelle - La Rochelle, July 10-14: Another chance to see Big Flo & Oli, as well as tracks from the latest Eddy de Pretto album, Crash Coeur - plus Sting.
• La Peacock Society - Val-de-Marne, July 13: Taking place on just one day instead of its usual two, this house and techno festival will this year focus on its main headliner, DJ Skrillex.
• Les Vieilles Charrues - Finistère, July 11-14: An iconic festival - which its organisers say is at risk of closure after this year - this Brittany show is this year set to include Kings of Leon, Sam Smith, PJ Harvey, Sting, plus Gossip and David Guetta.

Read also: One of France’s main music festivals at risk of closure 

August

• Les Nuits du Château de la Moutte à Saint-Tropez - Saint-Tropez, July 28-August 13: A festival promising “romance and poetry”, the event will include acts across genres such as classical, baroque, musical theatre, flamenco, jazz, and even samba.
• Motocultor Festival - Carhaix, August 15-18: Taking place in the same location as the iconic Vielles Charrues, this metal event is set to include international stars including Jinjer, Meshuggah, and Opeth, as well as Bambie Thug, who competed for Ireland at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.
• Rock en Seine 2024 - Paris, August 21-25: Name include Thom Yorke, The Offspring, Inhaler, Massive Attack, Gossip, and Maneskin, plus Lana del Rey in her only French date for 2024.
• Nice Jazz Festival - Nice, August 20-23: This event was first founded in 1948, and has been running every year since 1971. This year promises performances from Omah Lay, Yamê, and Sampha.
• Rose Festival - Aussonne, August 29-September 1: This festival was created by Big Flo & Oli to promote young talent, and has already confirmed a line-up including Booba, Francis Cabrel, Justice, Pomme, and MC Solaar - with more names to come.

September

• Le Delta Festival de Marseille - September 4-8: In its 10th year, this southern festival finishes off the summer season, welcoming more than 250 artists, including a range of electronic acts such as Vladimir Cauchemar, Trym, and Whomadewho.

Read also: Musical festivals in France in 2024: who is playing and when 

With thanks to Fnac for compiling the original list - tickets to each of the above events may be available through its links here (not associated with The Connexion).