Les 3 Éléphants: a festival with a reputation
Still haven't heard of Les 3 Éléphants (The 3 Elephants)? Held every year in Laval in May, the reputation of this springtime event, which cleverly blends music concerts and street arts, is growing year on year. Here is its recipe for success.
First choose a charming town: Laval.
Located less than two hours from Paris by train, the town on the edges of the Mayenne river, which brings together medieval heritage and greenery, is the perfect setting to host the Les 3 Éléphants festival. Build three stages in the town centre, a concert boat, requisition a few bars or the old moats where the musicians can perform. Take up a few streets, a school courtyard or a monument for the theatre performances!
Let various artists create amazing sets and stage designs.
Bring together inventive designers and graphic artists, supercharged collectives, fantastic video artists, creative decorators and more... The result will be sets like no others, with incredible installations popping up around them.
Throw in a carefully-honed yet eclectic programme,
unearthing various gems and rising stars, then sprinkle over some headlining acts. Christine and the Queens, The Do, Erik Truffaz, Lilly Wood & The Prick, Maceo Parker, Louise Attaque, Jain and Keziah Jones have all performed at the event. For the street performances, seek out some fabulous finds from all four corners of France that are bound to leave audiences gobsmacked.
Top it all off with competitions, brunches and blind tastings,
oyster tastings to electro music, and even concerts and shows for little ones.
Et voilà! It's ready! The 2017 edition – also the 20th anniversary of Les 3 Éléphants – is bound to be utterly delicious...