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IN BRIEF
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The Nîmes Festival, a must-see event of the summer, reveals a spectacular face each year in the grand setting of the ancient arenas. However, far beyond the stage and the excitement of the show, an unusual experience awaits the curious: a guided tour that takes visitors behind the scenes of the festival, orchestrated by the Tourist Office. This true immersion into the secrets of the organization and the daily life of the festival staff allows everyone to understand the extraordinary logistics required for the creation of these grand shows and to meet those who work in the shadows to make the audience dream.
Discover the backstage of the Nîmes Festival
Every summer, while the spotlights illuminate the arena stage, dozens of professionals work behind the scenes to ensure the success of the Nîmes Festival. Thanks to an original initiative by the Tourist Office, some visitors have the chance to discover this secret universe during an exclusive tour designed to reveal the countless professions revolving around the event. From technical preparation to set installation, the backstage opens exceptionally to those eager to understand what lies behind the spectacle.
The meeting often begins on the stage itself, a privilege reserved for selected visitors. Under the guidance of Frédéric Marrec, the festival’s general stage manager, everyone can perceive the complexity of the logistics: sound, lights, technical and artistic management intertwine to ensure that each performance is a total success. The festival thus mobilizes nearly a hundred people, all passionate, dedicated, and discreet — from the lighting technician to the dresser.
Meet the behind-the-scenes artisans
The guided tour allows for exchanges with professionals who share anecdotes and unique experiences. Cédric Perez, the technical director on the Artus tour, passionately illustrates the marathon days of these professions: “We can have twenty-hour days, but we do a passionate job.”
For the younger ones, like these teenagers benefiting from the Summer Passport offered by the City, discovering the backstage becomes a true revelation: they realize that each show is the result of immense collective work, sometimes challenging and demanding, often marked by atypical hours, but always motivated by the desire to convey dreams to the audience.
An immersive and human experience
After walking the boards, the discovery continues in the artists’ dressing rooms, where daily life takes on a concrete dimension. Visitors then understand the importance of a united team, from the management of equipment to the coordination of schedules, and appreciate each person’s contribution to the magic of the festival. Chloé, a teenage extra during nighttime performances, testifies: “If there weren’t all these people behind, there simply wouldn’t be any artists.”
Guided tours throughout the summer
The success of this initiative has led the Tourist Office to offer other thematic tours for young people and families throughout the summer. Whether immersing in Street Art, investigating during the “Nîmes and Crime” tour, stepping back in time with “Nemausus, a Roman City,” or even learning about bullfighting traditions, each experience is an opportunity to discover an overlooked facet of the local heritage. To extend the exploration, why not explore the medieval city of Montpellier or visit a medieval village in Ain?
Special moments at the heart of a mythical festival
Experiencing the Nîmes Festival in this way means grasping the reality of a passionate profession: teams that set up, dismantle, travel, sometimes sleep on buses, and line up dates to offer unforgettable evenings. These tours provide a unique opportunity to understand the other side of the curtain, inviting every participant to watch the performances with a fresh eye and to feel the human intensity necessary for any representation.
The arenas host not only internationally renowned artists, like the two famous opera singers Roberto Alagna and Aleksandra Kursak, but also enthusiastic young extras, allowing all culture enthusiasts to share exceptional moments. For lovers of cultural discoveries and authentic experiences, the Tourist Office of Nîmes acts as a real passport to emotion, just like a gourmet getaway in the Basque Country or a vibrant visit to Mardi Gras in New Orleans. The desire for travel continues through thematic cruises, for all those wishing to multiply discoveries this summer.
