I grew up in Avignon, so the Festival has genuinely been part of my daily life forever. It's not something I experience as a tourist or even as a spectator, it's just what happens every July, and what completely changes the atmosphere of the city.
What July does to the city
It starts to feel different from the end of June. The first posters appear on the walls, the terraces start filling up earlier, and there's something in the air that announces July is coming.
In July, Avignon becomes something else entirely. The evenings are incredibly pleasant, it's warm, it's beautiful, the streets are alive until very late. Theatre plays out directly in the street, on the squares, between the facades. You can stumble across a show completely by chance while going to buy a baguette.
What makes this period even more particular is the contrast with the rest of the year. Winters in Avignon can be quite harsh, the mistral blows hard, the streets are often empty, the atmosphere is calm. The shift from one to the other is almost a shock, in the best sense.
And then there are the encounters. Over the years, I've crossed paths with some well-known faces in the streets of Avignon during the Festival, Hugh Grant, Denzel Washington, François Cluzet, Jamel Debbouze, Ewan McGregor, Jean Paul Gaultier. People you don't expect to meet in an alleyway between two show posters. That's also Avignon in July, a city where anyone can pass through.
For practical addresses, see my article Where to stay and what to do in Avignon during the Festival.
The city as backdrop
What's interesting in July is that the boundary between everyday life and performance disappears. A street becomes a venue. The walls of the Palais des Papes fill with posters. The squares change function.
For someone who works with image, tattooing, drawing, photography, it's a period that genuinely feeds the eye. Everything is trying to catch your attention, everything is staged.
It's dense, sometimes a little too much, but it's hard to stay indifferent. If you'd like to make the most of the Festival for a project, discover my approach to tattooing in Avignon.
What it feeds in my work
The Festival brings to Avignon people who wouldn't be here otherwise, curious people, sensitive to images, with time on their hands. Three weeks in a city genuinely leaves room to think about projects, to make decisions that aren't rushed.
It's often a period when I have interesting conversations about tattoo projects. People look, they think, they come back. It's a rhythm that suits me well.
I work by appointment at Graphicaderme, 29 rue Thiers. If you're in Avignon for the Festival and you have something in mind, don't hesitate to get in touch. → Contact me
What I take from each edition
Every Festival leaves something, an image, an atmosphere, an encounter. It's a time of year when Avignon shows a version of itself you don't see the rest of the time.
For those who live here, it's an annual marker you always wait for with a mix of excitement and resignation about the crowds. But honestly, July in Avignon is like nothing else.
For dates and the full programme, see my article on the Avignon Festival 2026.
From 4 to 25 July 2026. The IN and the OFF run on the same dates this year, a first in 25 years.
The city changes completely. The evenings are animated, it's warm, the streets are full until late. Theatre plays out directly in the street. It's a unique atmosphere unlike the rest of the year.
Yes, it's happened more than once. Over the years you can cross paths with well-known faces in the streets, actors, artists, fashion figures. Avignon in July draws people from everywhere.
The evenings are particularly pleasant, gentle heat, open terraces, street performances. The city is animated but remains accessible. It's one of the best times to visit.
Yes. I work by appointment at Graphicaderme during the Festival. It's often a good time for visitors who have time on site. → Contact me
