The Lorient Inter-Celtic Festival

Welcoming no fewer than 750,000 spectators every year, the Festival Interceltique de Lorient (commonly known as FIL) is the biggest Breton festival in France. Taking over the whole city and promoting all forms of Celtic music (from ancient songs to folk, rock, jazz and symphonic works), it brings together 11 nations, including Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Cornwall, the Isle of Man, Galicia, Asturias, Brittany, the United States, Acadia in Canada and Australia. The event lasts 10 days. Ten days of non-stop entertainment. 450,000 artists come together to show visitors the vibrancy and richness of Celtic culture. Each year, one of the 11 nations takes centre stage, with its colours filling the city and stamping the beer cups. The Festival is made up of both an official programme and an off-festival featuring amateur and professional musicians who take over the streets and bar terraces to create an atmosphere of continuous celebration.

The Festival dates back to 1971. By the 1990s, FIL had become one of France's biggest festivals. Internationally renowned artists have performed here over the years, including the bands Texas and The Cranberries, as well as Loreena McKennitt and Alan Stivell, a veritable icon of modern Breton music.

The Great Parade of Celtic Nations

This is the highlight of the festival! Held on the first Sunday of the festival and attracting 60,000 visitors to the streets of Lorient, the Grand Parade brings together 3,000 artists in traditional costume from the 11 Celtic Nations for a parade that is as impressive as it is moving. It's a colourful, emotionally powerful spectacle that sends shivers down your spine. The Grande Parade is a unique experience that's not to be missed. It's a wonderful introduction to the joyous frenzy of the festival.

The Parade is open to all. The route varies from year to year, but inevitably ends at Lorient Stadium (Allez les Merlus!). This is followed by a seated show, for which admission is charged (€14 full price, €11 concessions).

Wander around the Festival

The best way to make the most of the festival is to wander around and let the music take you. The whole town becomes one giant party, with roving concerts, dancing balls and kilted merrymakers strolling the streets arm in arm. Lorient isn't a big city, so it's almost impossible to get lost. The epicentre of the official Festival is between the port and the Palais des Congrès.

Along the marina, you'll find the Quai de Bretagne, now known as the Quai des Pays Celtes. It features bars, food stalls, Celtic nation pavilions and a stage for live entertainment. In the Place des Nations Celtes, behind the Palais des Congrès, you'll find concerts, Celtic nation pavilions and the festival's Prevention and Accessibility Centre.

The Celtic Village, with its concerts and numerous food stalls, is the focal point of the festivities, taking place on a large grassy esplanade next to the Stadium. This is where you'll find the very convivial Cotriade (from the Breton "kaoter", cauldron, and therefore "kaoteriad", contents of the cauldron, cauldron), a friendly dinner-concert where people gather around long wooden tables to enjoy a delicious meal. Cotriade was originally the traditional dish for those returning from fishing.

Nearby is the Celtic Market, an open-air craft market featuring designers from all over the Celtic world. You'll find some excellent Scottish tartans, delicious culinary specialities and mystical wrought-iron jewellery that the fairies of Brocéliande would be proud to call their own. You'll be sure to bring back some great gifts... Or a kilt, to make a splash when you return to school!

There are plenty of free concerts on offer as you wander around the town or within the festival grounds, but indoor concerts are not free. These include the Stade, the Théâtre de Lorient and the Kleub, a concert hall dedicated to contemporary Celtic music, located next to the Hôtel de Ville, which also organises DJ sets during the Festival.

The beating heart of the festival is the dancing! What could be more magical, when the music goes wild at a concert, than hundreds of people twirling around together, holding hands, sometimes to the point of collective near-trance? These unique moments are as intoxicating as a Scotch whisky.

Fans of Breton dance come together for intergenerational balls to the sound of bagads. You'll find them at the Salle Carnot. Be respectful, here dance is a real institution and has an extremely important cultural and heritage value in the hearts of the Breton people. Neophytes are not always looked on favourably. That said, if you're keen to join in and learn the steps, you're sure to find someone who'll be happy to show you the basics.

During the Interceltic Festival, the party's everywhere... And especially in the bars that host the bands that set the terraces alight until late at night. Some of the nicest are La Truie et sa Portée, a legendary Breton meeting place where you can enjoy a drink while listening to the concerts.

The downside of these festive evenings is the widespread alcoholism that accompanies the collective jubilation. It's not uncommon for late nights in the city centre to be electric. So let's not forget that moderation is one of the key factors in a successful party.

🚌 Getting to the Festival

Lorient Station is a 10-minute walk from the city centre. It will take you 45 minutes to reach the city from Vannes and 1h30 from Rennes. During the Festival,the TER Breizh Go network is running a special offer of €18 for a return ticket, or just €9 for the journey, valid from any Breton station.

Because of the huge crowds, it's very difficult to get around Lorient by car during FIL.

Buses and shuttles are chartered for the duration of the Festival, as well as boat-buses serving the towns in Lorient's harbour, so you can get home safely after your evening at the Festival. Find out more on the CTRL website.

👛 F ares and access:

During the day, the festival site, including the Celtic Village and pavilions, is free to enter (excluding paid concerts). However, from 7pm onwards, you'll need a support wristband to enter the site. Costing 9 euros, it is valid for the entire duration of the event and can be purchased on site or on the Festival website.

For concerts, the Festival's online ticketing service generally opens in February. Don't hesitate to book your concert tickets well in advance. On site, the Palais des Congrès Ticket Office is open from 10am to 7pm every day throughout the Festival.

👉 Shopping on site:

The Festival Interceltique de Lorient offers its festival-goers the Celticash, a dematerialised payment system that can be used on all sites: pavilions, restaurants, bars and official shops. The card is free and the Festival will refund the balance if you haven't spent it all.

⭐ Accommodation during the Festival:

As you might expect, accommodation is snapped up in Lorient throughout the Festival. Whether you want to stay in a gîte, hotel or campsite, we can't advise you enough to make your reservations well in advance. You can also stay in other towns in the Lorient area, such as Larmor Plage, Lanester or Ploemeur. The Lorient city council website lists available accommodation