Avignon Festival 2026: The Complete Guide to the 80th Anniversary
Categories : Event
From July 4 to 25, 2026, Avignon will host its 80th edition of the Festival — the most iconic live performance event in the world, born in 1947 under the impetus of Jean Vilar. For this anniversary edition, the Festival IN and the Festival OFF will celebrate their 80 and 60 years together in a historic convergence. Here is our complete guide to fully experience this exceptional edition from the Avignon Grand Hôtel.
Dates and the 2026 edition in numbers
The Avignon Festival 2026 takes place from July 4 to 25, 2026, for its 80th edition, on the same dates as the 60th edition of the Festival OFF. The invited language for this anniversary edition is Korean, following English, Spanish, and Arabic — a choice celebrating cultural diversity beyond mainstream K-culture. Cape Verdean choreographer Marlène Monteiro Freitas is the artistic accomplice for this edition. The Festival IN, led by Tiago Rodrigues since 2023, will offer around forty performances in the city's iconic venues, while the Festival OFF will gather over 1,500 performances in 130 theaters.
Understanding the difference between the Festival IN and the Festival OFF
The Festival IN: the institution founded by Jean Vilar
Created in 1947 by Jean Vilar with the help of Jean Rouvet, the Festival IN is the official festival. Its programming is selected by the artistic director and takes place in prestigious venues: the Cour d'honneur of the Palais des Papes (2,000 spectators per evening, the true heartbeat of the Festival), the Cloître des Carmes, the Cloître Saint-Louis, the Opéra Confluence, the Gymnasium of lycée Saint-Joseph, the Chartreuse de Villeneuve-lez-Avignon, and the FabricA. The shows of the IN are almost exclusively world or French premieres.
The Festival OFF: creative effervescence
Created in 1966 on the sidelines of the IN, the Festival OFF is an open festival where companies freely register by renting their slots in the city's theaters. In 2026, it celebrates its 60th edition with over 1,500 performances offered by more than 1,300 companies. Theater, dance, humor, young audience, contemporary circus, readings: all genres mingle there in a unique effervescence. The OFF card offers a 30% discount on all performances and pays for itself by the third performance.
How to book your tickets: our method
Festival IN tickets — Rule #1: anticipate
The Festival IN box office typically opens in June. Shows at the Cour d'honneur sell out in just a few hours — it's not uncommon to spend three hours in the virtual queue on opening day. IN prices range from €15 to €40 depending on the shows and categories.
Festival OFF tickets — More flexibility
OFF shows can be booked online at festivaloffavignon.com or directly at the theater box offices, often until the same day. However, we recommend booking in advance for OFF shows benefiting from a strong word of mouth — press reviews spread very quickly and can fill a venue in 48 hours. Average price: €12 to €25 with OFF card.
Our typical festival-goer itinerary: an ideal day
The Festival's pace is demanding: some festival-goers attend three to five shows a day. Here is our suggestion for a balanced day, to fully enjoy without saturation.
• 9h-10h — Provençal breakfast on the hotel terrace, reading festival press (La Terrasse, Le Bruit du OFF).
• 11h-12h — First OFF show in an intra-muros theater (often short 1-hour creations).
• 12h30-14h — Lunch in a bistro on Rue des Teinturiers or Place des Corps-Saints.
• 14h-17h — Nap and swim at the hotel's rooftop pool — essential to maintain the pace.
• 17h-18h30 — Second show, often at the OFF.
• 19h-21h — Light dinner, aperitif on the terrace of Cloître Saint Louis.
• 22h — Major IN show in the Cour d'honneur or another prestigious venue.
• Midnight — Return to the hotel, drink under the stars in the garden.
Our practical tips for the Festival
Heat: the number 1 enemy of the festival-goer
In July, temperatures in Avignon regularly exceed 35 °C, with peaks of 38-40 °C during heatwaves. Many OFF venues are not air-conditioned. Stay hydrated, bring a fan and hat, and favor air-conditioned spaces during the hottest hours (1-5 p.m.). Our hotel, fully air-conditioned, is a valuable refuge to catch your breath between shows.
Booking your hotel: golden rule
Avignon's population doubles during the Festival. Central hotels are fully booked by spring. We recommend booking 6 to 9 months in advance, as soon as our availability opens in November-December. The Avignon Grand Hôtel is particularly popular for its "city entrance" location, allowing easy walking access to the main stages while maintaining the necessary calm to rest between shows.
Getting around during the Festival
The intra-muros area is entirely pedestrian or very low speed. Distances are short: from the Palais des Papes to the hotel, it's a 10-minute walk. For remote locations (FabricA, Chartreuse de Villeneuve-lez-Avignon, Boulbon quarry), free shuttles are organized by the Festival from the city center.
The highlights of the 80th edition
The 2026 edition makes history: the Festival IN and the Festival OFF align perfectly with their dates, celebrating 80 and 60 years together. The complete program is unveiled in spring 2026. Among the anticipated highlights: the tribute to Jean Vilar, founder, in the Cour d'honneur; Korean creations around pansori (traditional sung storytelling) and nongak (rural music); new pieces by Tiago Rodrigues; performance by Marlène Monteiro Freitas. Conferences, debates, and meetings with artists in the Chapelle Saint-Louis complete the experience.
Our "Festival" 2026 package
We have designed a specific package to experience the Festival under the best conditions: night in air-conditioned chambre supérieure, late breakfast served until 11:00 a.m. (adapted to the rhythm of festival-goers).
Book your Festival 2026 now
Availability for the Avignon Festival 2026 is open on our official website. By booking directly, you benefit from the best price guaranteed. Contact us now: the best categories go quickly.
