Overview
- The festival, which opens Tuesday in Bourges, features Patti Smith leading the first night with a set built around her best‑known songs.
- Hours before the evening concert, the city is dedicating the Palais d’Auron as the Daniel Colling hall at 3:30 p.m. in honor of the late co‑founder and producer.
- Vanessa Paradis is slated to return to the stage on Wednesday alongside Oxmo Puccino, Charlie Winston and members of Feu! Chatterton.
- Organizers say women make up 51% of the lineup, a six‑point rise from 2025, with a special show saluting pioneers of electronic music.
- Reports describe a large‑scale edition with 76 concerts, roughly 150 artists, on‑site retrospective exhibitions, and an expected crowd near 200,000, anchored by the Inouïs showcases for emerging acts.