Over the past fifteen years, Les Plages du Rire has grown into the leading comedy festival in south-eastern France, and this year marks the launch of an ambitious new chapter.
What began as a lively summer gathering has evolved into a landmark cultural event. Each season the festival presents more than fifty performances across towns throughout the region, drawing over 50,000 spectators annually.
For many years the centrepiece took place at Théâtre de Verdure in Nice, where the biggest names in French comedy lit up warm summer nights. Yet the explosion of competing events and the constraints of a three-day outdoor format gradually limited artistic freedom. Faced with the choice to adapt or fade, the organizers chose reinvention.
Video via Les Plages Du Rire YouTube channel
The result is a bold transformation: a year-round programme hosted in emblematic venues across Nice and the surrounding area. This new format blends established stars with rising talents, creating an atmosphere that is both intimate and festive, where humour meets the enchantment of the winter season.
The first winter edition proved that the gamble was worthwhile. More than 4,800 spectators attended, with 23% travelling from outside Nice, fulfilling the shared ambition of local partners to energize the city during the quieter months. Audiences enjoyed a rich variety of shows, accompanied by the festival’s much-loved mascot, Bob, whose cheerful presence has become a real part of the experience.
Beyond performances, conferences and masterclasses drew strong interest, opening the doors to the inner workings of live entertainment. These encounters allowed both the public and professionals to look behind the curtain and deepen their appreciation of the craft of comedy.
Since its creation, Les Plages du Rire has been a cornerstone of Nice’s cultural identity, uniting generations around laughter in a unique setting. The enthusiasm of loyal audiences, strengthened by the success of the winter programme, has encouraged the festival to think even bigger.
For this edition, the event will unfold as a true cultural season, with shows scheduled throughout the year. This renewed approach promises a vibrant and eclectic lineup, celebrating humour in all its forms and rhythms. Every performance, whether by a household name or an emerging voice, will offer a singular moment while remaining faithful to the festival’s welcoming spirit.
Line-up for the 2026/’27 Season
- 17th January, 2026 – Thomas Angelvy, Conservatoire de Nice
- 18th January, 2026 – Thomas Angelvy, Conservatoire de Nice
- 19th January, 2026 – Thomas GT – Artichaud – Nice
- 20th January, 2026 – Nicolas Lacroix – Trop Gentil – Pégomas
- 22nd January, 2026 – Sofia Belabbes –Ketchup Mayo – Nice
Video via Montreux Comedy YouTube channel
- 23rd January, 2026 – Rodrigue – Nice
- 24th January, 2026 – Tremplin des Plages du Rire (Nouveaux Talents) – Nice
- 25th January, 2026 – Antoine Officieux – Auto Romance – Nice
- 27th January, 2026 – Tom Boudet – Vous Dit Quoi – Nice
- 28th January, 2026 – Blandine Lehoux – La Vie De Ta Mère – Nice
- 29th January, 2026 – Tom Baldetti – Tome 1 – Nice
Video via GuiHome YouTube channel
- 14th February, 2026 – GuiHome – Vous détend – Nice
- 21st March, 2026 – Félix Dhjan – Nuances – Nice
- 27th March, 2026 – Laurent Barat – S’enchaîne – Cannes
- 5th June, 2026 – Antoine Donneaux – Imitateur mais pas que ! – Pégomas
- 1st October, 2026 – Samuel Bambi – Machine – Nice
- 17th December, 2026 – Arnaud Tsamère – Pégomas
- 23rd January, 2027 – Phillipine Delamaire – Nice
Venues and Ticketing
Les Plages du Rire 2026 takes place in a number of venues throughout Nice and neighbouring towns, including Conservatoire De Nice, Stockfish, Théâtre De La Cité, Théâtre Lino Ventura, Théâtre Francis Gag, and La Maiou Dou Rai, all in Nice and Salle Mistral, Pégomas. The Laurent Barat gig takes place at Espace Miramar in Cannes.
Tickets vary in price from venue to venue and from act to act and may be reserved online.
Les Plages du Rire – A Lasting Legacy
More than a festival, Les Plages du Rire is becoming a living movement, one that places Nice at the heart of laughter year-round, close to its residents and open to visitors from near and far, with the clear ambition of letting humour shine in every season.
Les Plages du Rire is made possible with the invaluable support of its partners: the Ville de Nice, Office de Tourisme Métropolitain Nice Côte d’Azur, Rire & Chansons, ICI Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, France Bleu Azur, Le Mensuel, SACEM and the CNM.
PHOTO CREDITS
- Lead image by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash, licenced under the Unsplash License
- All other mages courtesy Ville de Nice / Les Plages du Rire
- All videos as credited
Leave a comment