Nights of the Forests 2026: 17 days to listen to the living world in Île-de-France

For its 7ᵉ edition, Nuits des Forêts expands to more than 250 sites in France (including Réunion, Mayotte, and 9 countries worldwide), with 48 venues in Île-de-France for a festival that is 100% free and open to all. After drawing 27,000 participants in 2025, including about 4,000 in Île-de-France, the event this year bets on a sensory immersion to reconnect the people of Île-de-France with nature... and with themselves.

June 5–21, 2026 — Free — 48 sites across Île-de-France — All ages

Find the full schedule for Nuits des Forêts here

Why this festival? An urgent ecological and poetic call.

Created in 2020, the Forest Nights Festival sprang from a simple objective: to raise the general public’s awareness of forest issues by bringing people closer to the woods near them, whether public or private. A unique opportunity to collectively rethink our relationship with these ecosystems and their crucial role in the face of climate change.

Because French forests are in an unprecedented crisis: tree mortality has surged by 80% over the past decade (source: ONF), and the carbon sink has been halved in ten years. In response to this reality, Nuits des Forêts offers a unifying festival, driven by hundreds of project leaders, speakers and volunteers, to help shape a societal project for the forests.

2026 Theme: “Listening to the Living”

This year, the festival unveils a new theme: “Listening to the Living.” The aim? To heighten our awareness of the signals of life through unique experiences that fuse science, art, and citizen participation.

In a moment when forests bear the blows of climate upheaval and the clamor of human activity, listening becomes a caring act. It’s also about hearing what speaks through the living world, and the voices of those who watch over it. — Clara Anguenot, co-founder of Nuits des Forêts

Inspired by the work of bioacoustician Bernie Krause and the Sonosylva program led by ecoacoustician Jérôme Sueur, the festival will offer unique experiences to reconnect with the forest’s songs: nocturnal listening sessions, explorations of soundscapes, sound-art creations, and musical naps…

To accompany this reflection, a call for artistic residency programs in a forest setting was launched at three sites in France, including one in Île-de-France (the Tropical Agriculture Garden of Paris).

The best forest nights in Île-de-France

A highlight in every department, to be experienced with ears wide open! Reservations recommended.

• Paris (75) : An artistic residency at the Jardin d’agronomie tropicale | From June 5 to 21 – Free – Learn more

The Tropical Agriculture Garden in Vincennes has been chosen as the 2026 ambassador site with an exclusive program:

• Exhibition and animated film by Neyptune, the artist selected for the first residency call, inspired by the birds of the woods.
• Headphone concert "Sampling the Living" by Tomkin (June 20): an unprecedented fusion of field recording and electronic music.
• Participatory evening and workshops to listen to local ecological dynamics.

→ A partnership with the City of Sustainable Development and COAL.

• Seine-et-Marne (77): Fontainebleau, a temple of art and the forest | June 5–21 — Free — Full program

The forêt de Fontainebleau, Forêt d’Exception®, offers:

• June 13: Talks and guided walks with the ONF, the Biosphere Reserve, and the University of Paris Cité (themes: prehistoric art, birdlife, and climate change).
• Electronic siesta to the forest’s sounds (the SILVAREA installation).
• Aerial performance by the Collectif XY and a bat-watching stroll with Alexandre Butin (ONF).

→ A partnership with the National Forestry Office, the Fontainebleau and Gâtinais Biosphere Reserve, the Forest Ecology Station – Université Paris Cité, COAL.

• Yvelines (78): The department guides you through the forest | June 5–21 – Free – Multiple sites

The Yvelines Department is presenting eight exclusive outings in its sensitive natural spaces. Our pick:

• June 7: Family yoga in the Terriers departmental forest (Magnanville) and an immersive roaming show Les Écorcées by the collective there’s a way in the Sainte-Apolline departmental forest (Plaisir).
• June 13: Les Acrobates du ciel at the departmental site of Étang de Vaubersan (Bullion).
• June 19: An evening wildlife-watching stroll through the Pinceloup departmental forest (Clairefontaine-en-Yvelines).

→ A partnership with the Yvelines Department.

• Essonne (91): Art walk in Sénart and Rougeau | June 10 – Free – From One Forest to Another

The 1:10 Collective (Design des Territoires - National School of Decorative Arts) is organizing an artistic and cultural walk along the royal avenue that links the Sénart and Rougeau forests:

• Light installations and performances inspired by local wildlife.
• Storytelling and sonic interludes for a unique nighttime experience.

→ A partnership with Le Design des Territoires (ENSAD), with the support of Grand Paris Sud.

• Hauts-de-Seine (92): Saint-Cloud, where stories meet ornithology | June 17 & 20 – Free – Educational tour | Bird discovery 

The Domaine national de Saint-Cloud (460 hectares) offers:

• June 17: A storytelling nature walk with Christine Lapsca, a forest technician.
• June 20: A birdwatching stroll to spot green woodpeckers, coal tits, and Eurasian jays.
• Creative workshop: Create your own paper bird.

→ A partnership with Le Domaine de Saint-Cloud.

• Seine-Saint-Denis (93): A sound immersion at La Corniche des Forts (Romainville) | June 14 – Free – Forbidden Forest

With Forêt interdite, Grégoire Lorieux (Mondes Sonores) and the collective soundinitiative guide a sonic promenade in which flute, cello and percussion converse with the landscapes.

This immersive musical experience will be preceded by two sessions open to the public:

• 2–4 pm: Workshop on making natural instruments (pipoir, pipeau…) with À l’Écoute de la Nature.

• 3:00–5:00 PM: A poetic and historical stroll "From one hillside to the next" with poet Dominique Quelen.

→ A partnership with Île-de-France Nature.

• Val-de-Marne (94): Bois du Piple, an urban green lung to explore | June 20 – Free – Before Nightfall | Naturalist Walk

Long closed to the public, Île-de-France Nature will inaugurate the Bois du Piple (110 hectares) on June 20, and bring it to life for the first time during the Nights of the Forests with:

• A nature-walk with LPO Île-de-France to explore meadows, wetlands and biodiversity.
• A sensory exploration with the Jardins d’Eladriel: identifying trees, listening to birds, storytelling and music.

→ A partnership with Île-de-France Nature.

• Val-d’Oise (95): Wood Festival in Montmorency | June 14 – Free – Wood Festival

The Montmorency State Forest is celebrating wood with:

• Trade demonstrations by local craftsmen and sawmills.
• Forest walks and an evening of storytelling.

→ A partnership with the National Forestry Office and Fibois Île-de-France.

Find the full schedule for Nuits des Forêts here