©Carnaval De Granville Credit Otgtm Cecile Ballon 36918 1920px 1

Granville Carnival: 152 years of creativity and living history

From 13 to 17 February 2026, Granville Terre et Mer will be vibrating to the rhythm of the 152nd edition of the Granville Carnival, one of the oldest carnivals in France still celebrated. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage-listed event, where maritime history, from the Grande Pêche to Terre Neuve, and collective creativity come together in an explosion of conviviality. Five days of festivities, 4,000 carnival-goers, 47 floats, 4 cavalcades, 5 balls and concerts during which heritage, satirical humour and derision enliven the streets of Destination Granville Terre et Mer.

Published on 28 January 2026

The full press release5MB

From Newfoundland to today

the history of the Granville Carnival

Created in 1875, at a time when cod fishing was the main activity in the port of Granville, the Terre-Neuvas left around Mardi Gras, the carnival marked the last family celebration before setting sail on a long journey. Since then, the carnival has continued to evolve, without ever losing its soul: that of a satirical, supportive and generous carnival rooted in local life, where everyone’s creativity finds expression. Emblematic moments, balls, cavalcades, the poor man’s float, confetti battles, the judgement and burning of His Majesty Carnival… all rituals handed down from generation to generation, telling the collective story of the Terre Neuvas era.

Celebrating creativity

Every year, creativity is at the heart of the event. For months, volunteers and associations dream up, build and bring to life the floats and costumes. Nothing is left to chance: Reappropriated and salvaged materials, ingenious mechanisms, quirky sets and characters all bear witness to the craftsmanship and inventiveness of the people involved. Carnival becomes an open-air art exhibition, where humour holds up a mirror to current events and society. With this 152nd edition, Granville Terre et Mer celebrates a carnival that is driven by its people, faithful to its history and ever more creative.

©Carnaval Granville 2025 Children Clowns|Marie-Claude Vergne

The carnival of the sea

From 6 to 9 August 2026, the A Fond La Cale festival in Saint-Martin-de-Bréhal will be reliving the Carnival experience, but in summer! For this 26th edition, as quirky as ever, the participants in the Objets Flottants Non Identifiés (OFNI – Unidentified Floating Objects) race will have created their rafts and costumes from bricks and mortar before setting off on a course at sea. Shows and entertainment punctuate this carnival of the sea, providing an opportunity to express your creativity and wait for the winter carnival .