Printemps de Pérouges
A French music festival held each year in the Ain department near Lyon, founded in 1997 and known for mixing classical, French chanson and international pop-rock headliners.
Last updated September 29, 2026
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Overview
Printemps de Pérouges is a French music festival that takes place every year in the Ain department, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region near Lyon. It was created in 1997 by Marie Rigaud, a lyric-singing enthusiast who first organised four classical concerts in the fortified church of the medieval town of Pérouges. The festival is run by an association created on 5 March 1997, and it has grown from a small classical and lyrical event into a multi-day festival attracting major French and international artists. Over nearly three decades the festival has expanded its programming and its venues. After its early classical and lyrical concerts in the Cité médiévale de Pérouges, it moved toward larger stages and bigger headliners from 2006 onward, hosting artists such as Raphael, Al Jarreau and Marianne James. In 2008 it inaugurated the 3,000-seat amphitheatre with Al Jarreau, and in later years it used unusual locations including the Saint-Exupéry TGV station and a concrete-mixer factory. The turning point came in 2016, when the festival welcomed Johnny Hallyday at the Polo Club de la Plaine de l'Ain in Saint-Vulbas, a site that can host almost 15,000 spectators per evening and became a major home for the event. Since then, artists such as Sting, ZZ Top, Scorpions, Santana, Deep Purple, Francis Cabrel, Vianney, Soprano and Les Vieilles Canailles have performed there. The festival is organised by a small permanent team led by the three Rigaud sisters — Marie (director-founder), Anne Lise (co-founder) and Elsa (commercial director) — together with a few permanent employees and a large volunteer force, which numbered more than 450 in 2025. Its economic model relies heavily on private partners, especially local companies, which today account for nearly 50% of its financing, alongside public support. The event has also been recognised by the Crédit Mutuel 'LA' partnership, becoming the only festival partner of the scheme in Rhône-Alpes in 2018. In recent years the festival has continued to evolve, moving some editions to the parc du Château de Saint-Maurice-de-Rémens and returning after the Covid-19 disruptions with a 25th-anniversary edition in 2022. It remains a regional cultural landmark, combining an intimate atmosphere with large-scale concerts and a strong local volunteer and business network.
History
The Printemps de Pérouges was born in 1997 when Marie Rigaud, a lyric-singing enthusiast, organised four classical concerts in the church of the medieval town of Pérouges. The association responsible for the festival was created on 5 March 1997. Until 1999 the event continued to focus on classical and lyrical concerts within the Cité médiévale de Pérouges. From 2006 the festival began to programme larger concerts and bigger headliners, including Raphael, Al Jarreau and Marianne James. In 2008 it inaugurated a new 3,000-seat amphitheatre with a concert by Al Jarreau. In 2009 it took over an unusual venue — the Saint-Exupéry TGV station — for a Gilbert Montagné concert, and in 2010 it chose the Guy-Noël concrete-mixer factory for a concert with Marianne James and Robert Charlebois. The year 2016 marked a turning point: the festival welcomed Johnny Hallyday at the Polo Club de la Plaine de l'Ain in Saint-Vulbas, a site that can accommodate almost 15,000 spectators per evening and became a major home for the event. In 2017 it organised four large concerts there with Manu Chao, Patrick Bruel, Kids United and Les Vieilles Canailles. In 2018 the festival obtained the Crédit Mutuel 'LA' partnership, becoming the only festival partner of the scheme in Rhône-Alpes, and hosted Santana, Scorpions, Nekfeu, Calogero, Kids United 3 and Martin Solveig. The 2019 edition ran from 12 to 27 June at the Polo Club with artists such as The Beach Boys, ZZ Top, Pascal Obispo, Marc Lavoine, Soprano, Dadju, Earth, Wind and Fire and Michel Fugain. The Covid-19 pandemic disrupted the 2020 and 2021 editions: concerts programmed with Sting, Deep Purple, Francis Cabrel and others were cancelled or postponed to 2022. Smaller editions were held at the Château de Chazey-sur-Ain in 2021. The 2022 edition marked both the festival's return and its 25th anniversary, with Sting, Deep Purple, Kiss, Francis Cabrel, Vianney, Grand Corps Malade and others performing over six days at the Polo Club. In 2023 the festival moved to a new venue, the parc du Château de Saint-Maurice-de-Rémens, hosting -M-, Bigflo & Oli, Michel Polnareff, Juliette Armanet and Ibrahim Maalouf. The 2024 edition, held from 25 to 30 June, featured Zucchero, Ayron Jones, Santa, Véronique Sanson, Mika, Julien Granel, Murray Head, The Dire Straits Experience, Slimane, Claudio Capéo, Stars 80 and Gilbert Montagné at the same château park. Throughout its history the festival has been run by a small permanent team led by the three Rigaud sisters — Marie (director-founder), Anne Lise (co-founder) and Elsa (commercial director) — with a few permanent employees and a large volunteer base, which exceeded 450 volunteers in 2025. Its economic model relies on private partners, especially local companies, which today account for nearly 50% of its financing, alongside public support. The festival continues to programme both French and international artists and remains a significant cultural event in the Rhône-Alpes region.
- 2025
More than 450 volunteers involved; festival continues its programme.
- 2024
Edition held 25–30 June at the parc du Château de Saint-Maurice-de-Rémens with Zucchero, Mika, Véronique Sanson, Slimane, Claudio Capéo and others.
- 2023
Edition held 27 June–2 July at the parc du Château de Saint-Maurice-de-Rémens with -M-, Bigflo & Oli, Michel Polnareff, Juliette Armanet and Ibrahim Maalouf.
- 2022
25th anniversary edition, 28 June–3 July at the Polo Club, with Sting, Deep Purple, Kiss, Francis Cabrel, Vianney and others; smaller edition at Château de Chazey-sur-Ain in September.
- 2021
Smaller edition at the Château de Chazey-sur-Ain; main concerts postponed to 2022.
- 2020
Concerts with Sting, Christophe Maé, Michel Jonasz and others cancelled or postponed due to Covid-19.
- 2019
Edition held 12–27 June at the Polo Club with The Beach Boys, ZZ Top, Pascal Obispo, Marc Lavoine, Soprano, Dadju, Earth, Wind and Fire and Michel Fugain.
- 2018
Obtains the Crédit Mutuel 'LA' partnership, becoming the only festival partner in Rhône-Alpes; hosts Santana, Scorpions, Nekfeu, Calogero, Kids United 3 and Martin Solveig.
- 2017
Four large concerts at the Polo Club with Manu Chao, Patrick Bruel, Kids United and Les Vieilles Canailles.
- 2016
Turning point: Johnny Hallyday performs at the Polo Club de la Plaine de l'Ain, capacity almost 15,000 per evening; 20th edition.
Products and positioning
A regional French music festival near Lyon combining an intimate atmosphere with large-scale concerts, supported by local businesses and volunteers.
Annual summer music festival
Multi-day festival held from late June to early July in the Ain department.
Noël en Gospel
Christmas gospel concerts in the church of Pérouges.
Tremplin rock
A stage for emerging rock bands as part of the festival.
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