Carnival of Marseille 2026

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The Marseille Carnival in 2026

For over three decades, the Marseille Carnival has brought together around 10,000 people in the Phocaean city. This year, two major events animated the city: the independent La Plaine Carnival, which took place in March, and the official Carnival organized by the City of Marseille, scheduled for April.

Access direct information about:

• Carnival organized by the City of Marseille
• Independent Carnival of La Plaine/Noailles/Réformés

The City of Marseille Carnival in 2026

Confirmed Date and Organization

The Carnival organized by the City of Marseille will take place on Saturday, April 25, 2026 at the Vieux-Port, from 2 PM to 5 PM. The theme of this year is "Extravagance".

The City of Marseille invites Marseillais to enter the Kingdom of Extravaganza, a festive universe where fantasy, creativity, and imagination are honored. At the heart of the Vieux-Port, let yourself be carried away by a colorful grand parade. Carnival participants, artists, and bands will bring to life unusual characters, surprising costumes, and quirky universes.

Detailed Program:

• 1 PM to 3:30 PM: Free face-painting stand on Place Bargemon.
• 1:30 PM to 4 PM: Extravagant sound feast to welcome the public in front of the City Hall.
• 2:30 PM: Start of the grand parade from Quai de Rive Neuve (Théâtre de la Criée).
• 3 PM: Parade passes by Quai de la Fraternité.
• 3:45 PM: Parade passes by Quai du Port.
• 4:30 PM: Parade finale in front of the City Hall.

Access and Practical Information:

• Access to the Site:
  • Metro: Line 1 - Vieux-Port stop, Line 2 - Noailles stop.
  • Tram: T2 - Canebière/Capucins stop, T3 - Cours Saint-Louis stop.
• Parking:
  • Centre Bourse, Place Général-de-Gaulle, République.
• Access for People with Reduced Mobility (PRM):
  • PRM area in front of the stage at the City Hall, opens at 1 PM.
  • PRM access to face-painting workshops, Place Bargemon from 1 PM to 3:30 PM.
• Road and Parking Closures on April 25:
  • Quai de Rive-Neuve: from 8 AM to 6 PM.
  • Quai des Belges: from 1 PM to 6 PM.
  • Quai du Port: from 1 PM to 9 PM.
  • Rue de la République: from 1 PM to 6 PM.

Due to the parade route, parking will be limited in the city center starting from April 24.

For more information, visit the official website of the City of Marseille or download the official flyer.

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The Independent Carnival of La Plaine in 2026

The 27th Independent Carnival of La Plaine/Noailles/Réformés took place on Sunday, March 29, 2026 at Place Jean Jaurès. The theme of this year, "Balls, Not Bullets", referred to the wars raging around the world. This event was an opportunity to make our voices heard in a different way.

Pre-Carnival Program and Workshops:

Before the big day, several preparatory workshops and events took place:

• Costume and Makeup Workshops:
  • Casa Consolat (1, rue Consolat): March 21 and 28, 11 AM - 6 PM
  • Ressourcerie de Noailles, La Brigaille (47, Rue d'Aubagne): March 18, 21, 25, 28, 2 PM - 6 PM
  • Dar Self-Managed Community Center (127, Rue d'Aubagne): March 24-28, 2 PM - 6 PM
  • La marmite joyeuse with Blue and Erika (33, bd National): Hood workshops/free price, March 17 and 24, 4 PM - 7 PM
• Carnival Singing Workshops:
  • Thursdays March 12, 19, and 26 from 8 PM to 10 PM at La Plaine (corner of Saint Savournin / Chave) with La Lutte Enchantée. The song booklet was available on-site.

Events on Saturday, March 21:

• Batucada Parade: 2 PM - 6 PM, from Noailles to La Plaine
• Soapbox Car Making: 2 PM - 6 PM, at La Plaine
• Masked Ball: starting at 2 PM, at La Plaine

Events on Thursday, March 26:

• Soup-Karaoke: in the evening, at La Plaine

Events on Saturday, March 28:

• Soapbox Car Race: 6 PM, at La Plaine

On Sunday, March 29, 2026, the carnival started at 2 PM at La Plaine. At 3 PM, silence! The trial of Caramantran began. As every year, Caramantran, a character symbolizing the ills of the past year, was judged, paraded through the streets, and finally burned.

During the parade, participants did not lose sight of Caramantran and avoided lagging behind. Around the bonfire, they sang, danced, and burned away their sorrows.

The traditional song "Adieu paure Carnaval" was sung to light the bonfire.

Don't Forget Your Glitter!

Whether you participated in the official or independent carnival, don't forget to dress up, put on makeup, and light up your faces with glitter to celebrate in color!

Find all our glitter available for pickup in downtown Marseille.

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