Ready to vibrate to the rhythm of Afro-Brazilian culture? For the Saison Brésil-France 2025, the 24th edition of the Lavage de la Madeleine awaits you for a moment of dance and celebration from September 9 to 14, 2025. Considered Europe's biggest Brazilian event, this popular rendezvous attracts over 30,000 people every year and has become a veritable institution on the Parisian calendar. With its spirituality, music and colorful carnival, it promises to be an unforgettable week.
Created in 2002 by Bahian artist Robertinho Chaves, Lavage was inspired by the mythical Bonfim Wash in Salvador de Bahia, which has become a national intangible heritage in Brazil. A native of Salvador, Robertinho Chaves follows in the footsteps of such emblematic figures as Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso and João Gilberto. Faithful to the original spirit, the Paris event promotes peace, tolerance and cultural diversity, while taking the form of a festival combining culture, tourism and Brazilian gastronomy.
Le Lavage de la Madeleine, a festive ritual in the streets of Paris
Sunday September 14, 2025 marks the highlight of the festival with the grand parade, departing at 11am from Place de la République. Colorful costumes, samba dancers, batucada percussionists, capoeiristas and decorated floats will enchant the procession to Place de la Madeleine. There, at 2pm, Bahian women dressed in white will symbolically wash the church steps with water scented with aromatic herbs, according to the ancestral Candomblé ritual.
This solemn and vibrant moment, somewhere between sacred and profane, celebrates a tradition born of the cultural resistance of colonized peoples. Today, it resonates as a call to memory, peace and recognition of mixed identities. Samba, maracatu and capoeira, at the heart of the procession, will remind us of the richness and diversity of Afro-Brazilian traditions. The majestic setting of theMadeleine church, a jewel of Parisian heritage, reinforces the visual and emotional impact of this extraordinary ceremony.
The festival spans six days of festivities, including concerts, Brazilian dance workshops, capoeira courses and a colloquium in partnership with Collège de Navarre, exploring the historical and contemporary links between France and Brazil. Emblematic music groups from both sides of the Atlantic will be on hand to thrill hearts and bodies.
Are you a fan of culture, dance, spirituality or simply curious to experience a unique moment in the year? Le Lavage de la Madeleine is a sensory and collective experience for families, friends and lovers alike. The atmosphere is festive, warm and inclusive, driven by the infectious energy of Brazil and the enthusiasm of the thousands of participants.
For the program of festivities, click here:
September 9: official opening at the Brazilian Embassy in Paris.
September 10: "Afro-trans-Atlantic dialogue" symposium at the Sorbonne (Campus Censier, times to be confirmed).
September 11: tourism workshop and "Afro-tourism" round table, followed by the opening of the Brazilian market for authorities (venue to be confirmed).
September 12 and 13: entertainment and Brazilian market in Paris (venue to be confirmed).
September 14: grand parade (11 a.m. Place de la République, departure 11:30 a.m.), Washing Ceremony at 2 p.m. on the Madeleine steps, followed by closing party at 4 p.m. (venue to be confirmed).
Concerts, dance classes, capoeira workshops and Brazilian gastronomy complete the experience, for total immersion in the infectious energy of Brazil.
Already part of the official calendar of the City of Paris, the Lavage attracts over 60,000 people each year, including Parisians, tourists and members of the Brazilian community. Supported by patrons such as Cristina Cordula and Vincent Cassel, it has established itself as Europe's biggest Brazilian event.
In this, the Year of Brazil in France, the 24th edition promises to be a special one, between tradition and renewal. Whether you're a fan of tropical rhythms, Brazilian gastronomy or cultural causes, this is the event for you.
And you, will you be part of the dance?
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Dates and Opening Time
From September 9, 2025 to September 14, 2025
Location
Madeleine Church
Place de la Madeleine
75008 Paris 8
Booking
lavagedelamadeleine.com
