August 2026

🚴 81st Critérium Cycliste International de Quillan

📍 Quillan

📆 15 August 2026 (Assumption Day) — One of France's oldest and most prestigious post-Tour de France criterium races. Now in its 81st edition, professional riders race a fast circuit through the streets of Quillan, attracting cycling enthusiasts from across the region. The event is organised by the Association Sportive Quillanaise and remains one of the highlights of the town's sporting calendar.

🔁 Annual recurring
🚴 One of France's oldest professional criterium races

🎉 Grandes Fêtes de Quillan

📍 Quillan

📆 12–16 August 2026

Quillan's biggest summer celebration returns with five days of festivities including the official opening ceremony, the traditional presentation of the town scarves and keys, live concerts, DJs, a funfair, pétanque competitions, community meals, family entertainment and nightly celebrations throughout the town centre.

🔁 Annual recurring
🎆 Quillan's largest summer festival

🎡 Quillan Funfair (Fête Foraine)

📍 Station Car Park, Quillan

📆 12–16 August 2026

Enjoy classic fairground rides, games and attractions throughout the Grandes Fêtes, creating a lively atmosphere for families and visitors throughout the holiday weekend.

🔁 Annual recurring

🎵 Summer Concert Series

📍 Quillan Town Centre

📆 11–25 August 2026

A series of free evening concerts forms part of Quillan's summer entertainment programme, including Gipsy music, an 80s tribute concert, live orchestras and a Céline Dion tribute performance.

🔁 Annual summer programme

🏃 Challenge Bitrague Night Run

📍 Quillan

📆 15 August 2026

A popular evening race through the streets and surrounding hills of Quillan, starting after the cycling criterium and offering runners a unique opportunity to experience the town's festive atmosphere.

🔁 Annual recurring

🍽️ Traditional Beef Lunch (Repas du Bœuf)

📍 Avenue Sauzède, Quillan

📆 16 August 2026

A long-standing local tradition where residents and visitors gather for a communal outdoor meal during the final day of the Grandes Fêtes.

🔁 Annual recurring

🛍️ Quillan Summer Night Market

📍 Place Raoul de Volontat

📆 7 & 21 August 2026

Browse artisan stalls, local produce, regional wines, street food and live music during Quillan's popular evening market.

🔁 Summer recurring event

🌲 La Ronde des Sapins

📍 Pays de Sault

📆 Late August 2026 (date to be confirmed)

A well-known trail-running event through the forests and mountain scenery of the Pays de Sault, offering several routes for experienced runners and outdoor enthusiasts.

🔁 Annual recurring

September 2026

🥔 Plateau de Sault Potato Festival (La Fête de la Pomme de Terre)
📍 Pays de Sault
📆 Late August / September 2026 (exact date TBC) — harvest festival dedicated to the famed local potato crop, with food, demonstrations and family activities.
🔁 Annual recurring

🍷 Festival des Saveurs Pyrénées Audoises
📍 Quillan
📆 Early September 2026 (estimated weekend around 12–13 Sep) — annual gastronomic celebration with stalls, tastings and showcasing of local produce and cuisine.
🔁 Annual recurring

🚵 Ronde VTT des 3 Quilles
📍 Quillan
📆 Late September / Early October 2026 (2025 edition ran on 28 September) — mountain bike event over varying routes with support activities.
🔁 Annual recurring

December 2026

🎄 Quillan Christmas Market
📍 Quillan
📆 Mid-December 2026 (e.g., weekend of 11–12 Dec) — festive holiday market with artisan stalls, local products, seasonal food and community celebrations.
🔁 Annual recurring

January–March 2027

🎭 Carnaval de Limoux 2027
📍 Limoux (about 40 min from Quillan)
📆 Weekends from mid-January to Mardi Gras / early March 2027 — this is considered one of the longest carnivals in the world, rooted in 16th-century Occitan tradition. Celebrations take place nearly every weekend from January through March with multiple parades per day featuring bands (Fecos), masked figures (Goudils), music and street performances, concluding with the judgment and symbolic burning of Majesté Carnaval. Full 2027 dates are typically confirmed in late autumn/December but, based on 2026

April 2027

🏃 Trail Quillan – Trail des 3 Quilles
📍 Quillan
📆 24–25 April 2027 (expected) — multi-distance trail running event with routes from 11 km up to 40+ km, set against the rugged landscapes of the Pyrénées Audoises. Known for its friendly, festival-style atmosphere, it attracts over a thousand participants each year.
🔁 Annual recurring (typically held the last weekend of April)

May 2027

🚜 De Ferme en Ferme (Open Farm Weekend)
📍 Haute Vallée de l’Aude (around Quillan)
📆 Expected early May 2027 — a region-wide open farm event where local producers welcome visitors to discover traditional agriculture, local produce and rural life. An excellent opportunity for families and visitors seeking an authentic experience of rural Occitanie.
🔁 Annual recurring

🚴 La Carach Bike
📍 Quillan
📆 Expected early May 2027 (date TBC) — a popular regional mountain biking event featuring challenging cross-country routes through the forests, hills and trails surrounding Quillan. The event attracts both competitive riders and cycling enthusiasts from across the region.
🔁 Annual recurring (typically late April to early May)

🎨 Artist to Watch (Art Weekend)
📍 Quillan & surrounding villages
📆 Expected May 2027 (dates TBC) — a valley-wide arts event showcasing local and international artists through exhibitions, open studios, workshops and opportunities to meet creators across the Haute Vallée de l’Aude.
🔁 Annual recurring

🏃 Spartan Race Weekend
📍 Carcassonne
📆 8–9 May 2027 (confirmed) — one of southern France’s largest obstacle racing events, attracting thousands of competitors from across Europe. The weekend features multiple race formats and offers a vibrant atmosphere for participants and spectators alike.
🔁 Annual recurring

🏎️ Course de Côte du Col du Portel
📍 Near Quillan
📆 Expected May 2027 (dates TBC) — a classic hill-climb motorsport event forming part of the regional championship calendar. Drivers tackle the winding mountain roads above the Aude Valley while spectators enjoy panoramic viewing points.
🔁 Annual recurring

🏃 Trail du Pech de Bugarach
📍 Bugarach (approx. 30 min from Quillan)
📆 Expected late May 2027 (date TBC) — a well-established trail running event set around the legendary Pic de Bugarach, offering demanding routes through spectacular mountain scenery and attracting runners from across France.
🔁 Annual recurring

🚴 Fête du Tour
📍 Quillan
📆 Expected late May 2027 (date TBC) — a cycling celebration inspired by the Tour de France, featuring organised rides, family activities and community events that highlight Quillan’s strong connection to cycling and the surrounding mountain roads.
🔁 Annual recurring

June 2027

🐄 Pays de Sault Transhumance
📍 Pays de Sault
📆 Early June 2027 (date to be confirmed) — Experience one of the oldest traditions in the Aude as cattle are led to the high mountain pastures. The festival includes livestock processions, local food, craft stalls, music and demonstrations celebrating the region's pastoral heritage.
🔁 Annual event

🥾 Tour des Villages Hiking Festival
📍 Haute Vallée de l'Aude
📆 Mid-June 2027 (expected) — A popular organised walk through several picturesque villages of the Haute Vallée de l'Aude with local food tastings, entertainment and spectacular scenery.
🔁 Annual event

🤸 Gala de la Gym
📍 Quillan – Espace Cathare
📆 Mid-June 2027 (expected) — The annual gymnastics gala featuring performances by local clubs and young gymnasts from across the Haute Vallée de l'Aude.
🔁 Annual event

🛍️ Laval Village Brocante & Flea Market
📍 Laval (Quillan)
📆 Mid-June 2027 (expected) — Browse antiques, vintage treasures, books, crafts and collectibles in the charming village of Laval.
🔁 Annual event

🐱 Vide Grenier des Chats Libres
📍 Quillan
📆 Mid-June 2027 (expected) — A popular community flea market raising funds for local animal welfare organisations.
🔁 Annual event

🎶 Fête de la Musique
📍 Quillan & Espéraza
📆 Monday 21 June 2027 (confirmed nationally) — Celebrate France's famous nationwide music festival with free concerts, live bands, entertainment and performances throughout the town centres.

🛍️ Espéraza Summer Market & Riverside Evenings
📍 Espéraza
📆 Late June 2027 (seasonal) — Artisan stalls, local produce, cafés and evening entertainment along the River Aude mark the beginning of the summer season.
🔁 Seasonal activity

🥾 Summer Hiking Season in the Pyrénées Audoises
📍 Quillan, Axat & Haute Vallée de l'Aude
📆 Throughout June 2027 — June offers ideal walking conditions before the peak summer temperatures, with excellent routes including the Three Quilles, Gorges de Saint-Georges and Pierre-Lys Gorge.
🔁 Seasonal activity

July 2027

🎭 Festival de Carcassonne

📍 Carcassonne (approximately 1 hour from Quillan)

📆 Early July – Late July 2027 (full programme to be confirmed)

One of southern France's largest summer festivals, featuring internationally renowned artists, theatre, opera, dance, comedy and open-air concerts within the spectacular UNESCO-listed medieval city of Carcassonne.

🔁 Annual regional highlight

🎸 Summer Concerts in Quillan

📍 Quillan Town Centre

📆 Throughout July 2027

Enjoy free outdoor concerts throughout the month, with local musicians, tribute bands and touring artists performing in Quillan's squares and public spaces during the warm summer evenings.

🔁 Annual summer programme

🛍️ Quillan Summer Night Markets (Marchés Nocturnes)

📍 Quillan Town Centre

📆 Selected Friday evenings throughout July 2027

Browse artisan stalls, regional food, local wines, handmade crafts and enjoy live music in Quillan's popular evening markets.

🔁 Weekly summer series

🎆 Bastille Day Celebrations (Fête Nationale)

📍 Quillan & surrounding villages

📆 Wednesday 14 July 2027

Celebrate France's national holiday with live music, fireworks, communal meals and evening festivities throughout Quillan and neighbouring villages.

🔁 Annual national celebration

🎆 Lac de Puivert Summer Evening

📍 Lac de Puivert

📆 Mid-July 2027 (date to be confirmed)

Enjoy an evening beside the lake with artisan stalls, food vendors, family entertainment and the traditional fireworks display over the water.

🔁 Annual recurring

🎉 Brenac Village Festival

📍 Brenac (Quillan)

📆 Mid-July 2027 (expected)

A traditional village fête featuring outdoor dining, live music, pétanque competitions and family entertainment in the picturesque former village of Brenac.

🔁 Annual recurring

🎸 Rock Hot Valley Festival

📍 Quillan

📆 Late July 2027 (expected)

A lively evening of rock music featuring regional bands and guest performers as part of Quillan's summer entertainment programme.

🔁 Annual recurring

🎬 Open-Air Cinema

📍 Laval (Quillan)

📆 Late July 2027 (expected)

Bring a chair or picnic blanket and enjoy an outdoor cinema screening beneath the stars in the charming village of Laval.

🔁 Annual summer event

🥾 Summer Adventures in the Haute Vallée de l'Aude

📍 Quillan • Axat • Gorges de Saint-Georges • Gorges de Pierre-Lys

📆 Throughout July 2027

July is one of the best months to discover the region's spectacular scenery with hiking, mountain biking, rafting, kayaking and scenic drives through the Pyrenean foothills.

🔁 Seasonal activity

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