There are villages that seem made for theatre. Ramatuelle, 4 km from Saint-Tropez, is one of them. Its medieval lanes, ochre stone ramparts, and church campanile dominating the vines down to the sea, everything here evokes a stage set. And indeed, since 1985, the Festival de Ramatuelle has been bringing its productions to this village for two weeks of shows blending classical theatre, comedy, contemporary creations and classical music nights. It is one of France's great summer cultural events, four decades of artist and audience loyalty have made it a true Provençal institution.
41st edition, 31 July to 11 August 2026
The 2026 edition marks the festival's 41st season. Twelve days of continuous programming in the natural amphitheatre of the Cour des Maures, facing the ramparts. The full programme will be announced in spring 2026, but several shows are already confirmed:
- Wednesday 29 July and Thursday 30 July : Nuits Classiques, the festival's opening nights. Symphonic programme with Beethoven's 9th Symphony on the 29th, then Misatango and Ravel's Boléro on the 30th. This is the festival's traditional musical opening, evenings that have sold out every year for a decade.
- Wednesday 5 August : La Joconde parle enfin. A theatrical piece around da Vinci's painting, an original format blending comedy, art and history.
- Thursday 6 August : Une heure à t'attendre. A contemporary comedy, one of the hits of the Parisian theatre scene in 2024–2025.
- Friday 7 August : Je m'appelle Georges… et vous? A theatrical tribute to Georges Brassens, a show combining performance, songs and personal accounts.
- Tuesday 11 August : Douze hommes en colère. Reginald Rose's classic in a new staging. The closing flagship production, already announced as one of the highlights of the edition.
Further shows will be added in the weeks leading up to the festival, comedy, classical theatre, contemporary creations. The full programme usually appears in mid-April on the official website.
The setting, the Cour des Maures
The festival stage is set in the Cour des Maures, right at the foot of Ramatuelle's medieval ramparts. It is a 700-seat open-air amphitheatre, open to the sky. On calm evenings, the sea is faintly visible a few kilometres below. When the mistral blows, the festival has contingency plans in place (and advises its audiences to bring a jumper even in the height of August, something beach-holiday visitors invariably forget).
The natural acoustics of the Cour are remarkable: the ramparts behind the stage act as a reflective wall, and the sound rises naturally into the tiers. For the classical music nights, it is an exceptional setting.
Combining Ramatuelle with the peninsula
Many of my clients don't come just for the festival, they use it as a reason to spend the day on the peninsula. A day plan that works well:
- Morning : Pampelonne beach (Tahiti, L'Esquinade or La Voile Rouge depending on your style)
- Lunch : on the beach, or at the village of Ramatuelle on the Place de l'Ormeau
- Afternoon : rest at the hotel, or visit the AOC Côtes de Provence vineyards in the hills (Domaines Tropez, La Tourraque, La Rouillère)
- Apéritif : sunset at the Phare de Camarat (free entry, 360° views)
- Evening : light dinner in the village, then the show at 9:30 pm in the Cour des Maures
The transport challenge, why a taxi is almost essential here
Traffic and parking information is communicated by the organisers and the town hall before the event: check it before you set off. MR Taxi drops you as close as possible and picks you up at the exit, from all towns in the region, at the guaranteed maximum price announced at booking. If the place is hard to reach, I will give you an easily accessible meeting point.
It is advisable to book at least 24 hours ahead, but even at the last minute I adapt and find a solution. Estimate your trip on the Private transport page or contact us.
