Summary
Trails Beaten 2026: an independent festival that asserts its identity
From July 31 to August 2, 2026, Charleville-Mézières will host a new edition of the festival Trails Beaten 2026, a cultural event which has established itself in just a few years as one of the most unique events in the Ardennes musical landscape.
Porté by l’association SPM (Syndrome Post Musical), founded in 2022, this human-scale festival boasts an independent approach, daring programming and a friendly atmosphere which attracts a loyal audience each year.
For this fifth edition, the organizers have chosen to return to l’Auberge du Bois-en-Val, a place that has become emblematic for the event.
Between concerts, artistic performances, meetings and moments of relaxation, Trails Beaten 2026 promises three days of immersion in varied musical universes, far from the standardized formats of major festivals.
A festival born from an independent approach
L'association SPM, at the origin of festival Sentiers Battus 2026, was built around a clear ambition: to provide a stage for musical and artistic projects that do not always find their place in traditional circuits.
Since its creation, it has defended an open, experimental and resolutely independent artistic line.
SPM “likes to explore and offer the Ardennes artistic projects that they might not have been able to discover otherwise.”
This desire is reflected in a program that combines emerging music, choreographic performances, street theater, ventriloquism and even dance.
THE festival Sentiers Battus has become the highlight of this approach, a space where artists from all over France, curious audiences and an environment conducive to discovery meet.
Since 2025, SPM also organizes regular concerts in the city center.
The association is part of a network of structures in the Grand Est, which allows it to welcome groups on tour and offer a renewed program throughout the year.
A story built over places and encounters
Sentiers Battus did not always have the Auberge du Bois-en-Val as its setting.
The first editions took place in varied, often atypical spaces, which helped shape the identity of the festival.
The first edition, in 2022, was held in the shared garden “ Chers Terres » in Montcy‑Notre‑Dame, along the greenway.
The second took over a space close to the gymnasium known as “ l’Enfant Triste », still in Montcy. In 2024, the festival moved to the ruins of Cabaret Vert (La Macérienne), near the Boulodrome Bayard, offering a unique framework for programming already marked by experimentation.
The 2025 edition marked a turning point: the arrival atAuberge du Bois‑en‑Val, a bucolic place that immediately appealed to organizers and festival-goers. The press kit emphasizes that this edition was “by far the best”, driven by ideal weather conditions and harmonious cohabitation with the site.
For 2026, the festival returns to this same location, confirming a desire for continuity.
The natural setting, the proximity between the concert spaces and the relaxation areas, as well as the conviviality of the site, contribute to creating an atmosphere that distinguishes Sentiers Battus from more imposing events.
Trails Beaten 2026: an edition designed for artistic diversity
The Trails Beaten 2026 program perfectly illustrates the artistic line defended by SPM.
The three days of the festival will host a dozen offerings, mixing concerts, performances and DJ sets.
The genres represented cover a wide spectrum: electro rock, synthpop, hip-hop, techno, new wave, garage, deep house, noise, punk and even sung poetry.
This diversity is not a simple assembly of styles.
It reflects a desire to offer musical universes that question, surprise and invite discovery.
The festival does not seek to attract headliners, but to highlight artists who explore new forms, who experiment and who offer unique creations.
A program designed above all to encourage discovery
Friday July 31: an opening between synthetic poetry, techno musette and electro rock
The first evening of Trails Beaten 2026 will open with Louis Vabres, Parisian artist who composes sung poems with psychedelic accents.
An “asymmetrical and moving sound geography” where patterns repeat and deconstruct the listening time.
With several solo releases and new EPs planned for 2026, Louis Vabres embodies a booming experimental scene.
The evening will continue with Tina Thorner, a singular figure in techno musette.
His performances, described as “musette techno nursery rhymes in the vapors of white wine”, promise an offbeat and energetic atmosphere.
The group CLYDE, originally from Charleville‑Mézières, will bring an electro rock touch.
Formed in 2024, the quartet mixes French texts and electro-pop influences, offering music that is both poetic and committed.
The rapper Jafac, also Carolomacerian, will complete this first evening.
An artist of the 90s, he developed a personal and offbeat style of writing, marked by an abundance of puns and an assertive stage presence.
The choreographic performance La Robe de Marie Mancini will bring a theatrical dimension to the evening.
This hybrid piece mixes baroque minuet and hardcore movements, creating a dialogue between two eras that everything seems to oppose.
Finally, UUUOBPZ, artist from Sedan, will offer a “free techno mix” mixing diatribes, minute poems and sound experiments.
It’s an exclusive performance, a world first.
Saturday August 1: synthpop, new wave and Italian Moselle garage
The second day of Trails Beaten 2026 promises to be just as eclectic.
It will begin with Lucienne Labrune, synthpop artist who mixes Parisian and Carolomacerian influences.
His world is described as a “bewitching dream”, carried by aerial sounds.
The return of Delamb, already present in 2023, will mark an expected moment.
He is an artist in full evolution, accompanied by a new crew and a theremin, for a unique performance.
The trio Carmela Vitelli, originally from Metz, will bring an Italian Moselle garage energy.
Their music, sung in Italian, mixes dark wave, garage and house influences.
The press kit describes an intense universe, marked by “prolonged echoes” and an electric atmosphere.
Performance Ann Bahn Mi, presented as an exclusive SPM, will offer a saturating deep house creation carried by Fille Mère.
The evening will end with Chaos E.T. Sexual, gangsta doom band active since 2010.
Their hybrid music mixes drone, industrial, hip-hop and noise, creating an immersive and powerful experience.
The group, which shared the stage with Dälek, Esben & The Witch or Esben & The Witch, is recognized for its intense performances and artistic commitment.
Sunday August 2: a day of poetry, blooming noises and trashy blues
The last day of Trails Beaten 2026 will begin with Melody Shanty, a Carolomacerian artist who offers a one-woman show mixing songs, poems and existential jokes.
A “timeless” moment, carried by a gentle sensitivity and discreet humor.
Moma The Flower Ranger, a Strasbourg artist, will bring an experimental dimension with her “blooming noises”. A multi-instrumentalist, she composes hybrid performances mixing drums and sound textures.
The duo The Jungle Shakers, originally from Charleville‑Mézières, will offer trashy blues anchored in a roots aesthetic. Their universe, mixing crypt, werewolf and love stories in the bayou, promises an atypical and intense performance.
The Parisian group Sinon Rien will bring a noise rock touch, while Grife, a duo from Orléans, will close the festival with a “pink punk” mixing pop nursery rhymes, sentimental ballads and riot grrrl influences.
Trails Beaten 2026: an edition that promises great discoveries
The public will be able to enjoy concerts, DJ sets, moments of relaxation and meetings with artists from all over France.
The festival stands out for its authenticity, its commitment and its desire to offer a unique experience.
In a landscape cultural often dominated by major events, Trails Beaten 2026 offers a valuable alternative: a festival on a human scale, centered on discovery, creativity and conviviality.
An event not to be missed for fans of independent music
For those who wish to explore varied musical universes, discover emerging artists and live an immersive experience in a natural setting, Trails Beaten 2026 is an unmissable event.
Its independent model, its daring programming and its warm atmosphere make it a unique event, appreciated for its sincerity and openness.
From July 31 to August 2, 2026, the Auberge du Bois-en-Val in Charleville-Mézières will vibrate to the rhythm of independent music, artistic performances and meetings.
THE festival Sentiers Battus 2026 promises to be a rich, inspiring edition faithful to the spirit that has inspired it since its beginnings.
A bucolic setting that has become the “home” of the festival
The Auberge du Bois-en-Val offers a natural setting that perfectly matches the spirit of the festival Sentiers Battus 2026. The organizers underline their attachment to this place, which makes it possible to install stages, relaxation areas and catering areas in a harmonious environment.
This setting helps to create an atmosphere conducive to discovery, far from large crowds and massive infrastructure.
Festival-goers can enjoy concerts, interact with artists, eat on site and take part in convivial moments that make Sentiers Battus unique.
Practical information and ticketing
Practical information
- From July 31 to August 2, 2026
- Friday and Saturday evenings
- Friday and Saturday: 6:00 p.m. – 1 a.m.
- Sunday: 3 p.m. – 9 p.m.
- 50 Rue du Bois en Val, 08000 Charleville-Mézières
- Catering and refreshment bar on site
Ticket office
Free entry (€13 recommended to support artists): on site only.
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