Papillons de Nuit Festival

The popular musical extravaganza that is Normandy’s Papillons de Nuit festival has been running for 24 years and is a yearly pilgrimage for music lovers from France and beyond, with big name line-ups sure to suit every taste and generation.

An eclectic line up

Taking place over three days, Papillons de Nuit (‘moths’ in French) attracts big-name headliners and features 40 sets across two stages. It’s fair to say that after two decades in the game, this festival knows how to please a crowd! Headliners for 2026 include Sean Paul, Mika, Skip the Use, PLK and Miki.

Family-friendly

Last year, Papillons de Nuit welcomed 2,500 children, who all got to sing along to their favourite artists. There’s plenty on offer for kids and parents: a dedicated family area with large wooden games, Japanese theatre, readings, and rock music performed by kids from music schools in the surrounding area. If the family is looking for a quiet place to chill, they can head for the siesta zone, the candy bar or the fruit squash bar. Take a ride on the Ferris wheel that towers over the bustling festival grounds, for a panoramic view of the Normandy countryside.

A large festival in a small place

Saint-Laurent-de-Cuves, a tiny village of 480 inhabitants, has hosted Papillons de Nuit for the past 20 years, and has gone from welcoming 10,000 festival-goers in its first year to 75,000 in 2019. That’s almost one million music lovers! This huge event runs every year thanks to 1,400 hardworking volunteers, who help provide a safe and enjoyable experience for all.  

Fab for foodies

Papillons de Nuit places great emphasis on regional and seasonal produce, with local producers like the Ferme de la Belle-Etoile (which specialises in meat and Normandy desserts) and Grandin & Fils (which specialises in seafood) dishing up delicacies you can then wash down with a beer, cocktail, wine or even cider!*

*Please drink responsibly