Aussois Base Camp Festival

Name: Aussois Base Camp Festival
Start: 2026-07-21T00:00:00+0000
End: 2026-07-24T00:00:00+0000
Location: Aussois Base Camp Festival

Aussois

In 2026, the Base Camp Festival returns with a central theme: the Earth. The week will feature conferences, performances, concerts, and opportunities for sharing, along with nature outings, explorations of Mother Earth, and immersive experiences in local agriculture.

Description

For its 2026 edition, the Aussois Base Camp Festival has chosen to celebrate the Earth in all its forms. Over four days, Aussois will offer an immersive journey featuring outdoor activities and inspiring encounters. On the program: guided hikes along the trails, nature experiences on foot or by mountain bike, workshops centered on Mother Earth, and explorations of the agricultural and pastoral heritage that shapes the village’s identity. In direct connection with 2026, the International Year of Pastoralism, the festival will place special emphasis on traditional skills, herds, mountain pastures, and the people who bring them to life every day.

An authentic, generous edition deeply rooted in the Aussois region.

2026 FESTIVAL PROGRAM

* PHOTO CONTEST: “Humans in Harmony with Mother Earth”
Enter our photo contest—your images on the theme of the earth will be exhibited during the festival. A jury of local photographers will present the prizes and awards at the start of the evening on July 23.
Submissions accepted from June 1 to July 17. Send your photos to studioviart@gmail.com

* EXHIBITION “Living Earth in the Mountains”
Discover the beauty of Mother Earth through various works of art. She provides essential resources—fertile soil, water, pastures, and biodiversity—that allow human, animal, and plant populations to live and thrive despite a challenging environment.
Aussois School from July 20–24, 4:30–6:30 PM, free admission

** MONDAY, JULY 20

*SCREENING – DISCUSSION “Go into the Woods, Go” by Robin Pogorzelski
Follow 9-year-old Sana, her mother, and her grandmother as they embark on their first experience as shepherdesses in the summer pastures. Over the course of a summer in the mountain pastures, these three generations of women discover together a new way of life, close to nature and all living things, in a sensitive and intimate narrative. The film has been selected by numerous nature, adventure, and mountain film festivals.
CAES CNRS P. Langevin Vacation Center, at 8:30 PM, free admission
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/1127221865

** TUESDAY, JULY 21

* “Seed Bombs” Workshop ”
Create balls of soil, clay, and seeds to bring flowers to the mountains! A simple, fun, and eco-friendly activity!
On-site registration (limited spots)
La Buidonnière Recreation Center, from 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM, free

* “Little Creatures” WORKSHOP
Set off on an adventure by the stream and discover the incredible little creatures of the mountains: a fun, nature-based workshop to spark children’s curiosity! With the Vanoise National Park
On-site registration (limited spaces)
Meet at the Maison d’Aussois at 2:00 PM, from 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM, free admission

* “Millénaire” Contemporary Dance Performance
The Savoyard company Les Nerfs places its relationship with the environment and the mountains at the heart of its work. A play of movements, blending lifts and circus acrobatics in the heart of nature.
At the foot of the Croé rock, at 6:00 PM, free admission (moved to the community hall if necessary)

* CONCERT – CITIZEN FORUM “Le souffle du berger”
Music and song exploring the lives of shepherds and the richness of pastoral landscapes. La Chapelle Harmonique performs in iconic venues. Concert followed by a discussion addressing themes such as the modernity of pastoral trades, sustainable management of land and resources, preservation of biodiversity, promotion of pastoral products, and contemporary challenges, with the aim of fostering new and lasting solidarity. Featuring L. Rittaud, butcher; B. Suiffet, farmer; S. Nurisso, inseminator for Savoie livestock farmers
CCAS Vacation Center, at 8:00 PM, free admission

* MOUNTAIN FILM SCREENING
“Alexandre, Son of a Shepherd” Lapied Film
Under the sun, storms, or snow, he passes on the shepherd’s trade to his son.
Community Hall, at 5:30 p.m., €6 for children, €9 for adults
“A Pebble in the Shoe” Lapied Film
Mountain wildlife filmmakers, the Lapieds are thrown off course by an unexpected event. It will lead to extraordinary encounters.
Community Hall, 8:00 PM, €6 for children, €9 for adults

** WEDNESDAY, JULY 22

* FAMILY HIKE “Living Alpine Pastures”
Morning visit to the Haute Maurienne Vanoise Dairy Cooperative. Then explore the heart of the Mont-Cenis alpine pastures, where wildflowers perfume the earth, cows shape the landscape, and the cheese captures the very soul of the mountains. Guided hike to meet a farmer, a Beaufort cheese producer, and a flora specialist from the Vanoise National Park. Bring a picnic and hiking gear.
Amid flowers and cheese, hike from 9:15 AM to 5:30 PM, free
Reservations at the Aussois Tourist Office

* CONCERT “La Bourrasque” by the Comet Musicke ensemble
Recital featuring two viols and a voice, focusing on Monsieur de Sainte Colombe (see the film *Tous les matins du monde*), with Francisco Mañalich, tenor/viola da gamba, and Aude-Marie Piloz on the viola da gamba.
Church, at 6:00 PM, free admission

* SCREENING – DISCUSSION “Montagnardes” by Claire Valade; discussion with female mountain professionals from Aussois
Mountain hut warden, instructor, guide, farmer... Each embodies a unique facet of alpine life. Far from the media-driven image of athletic performance, they share the joys, challenges, and realities of their daily lives in the mountains.
Brasserie d’Oé, at 8:30 PM, free admission

** THURSDAY, JULY 23

*CHEESE TASTING “AFTAlp – Cheese Trail”
Promotion of Savoie products. Association of Traditional Cheeses of the Savoyard Alps.
In front of the Fromagerie d’Aussois, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. & from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

* SPORTING HIKE “Crête des Sarrasins”
Destination: 2,963m. Experience the mountain in its raw state: a sporting adventure where rock, wind, and earth guide your every step. Offering spectacular panoramic views of the valley’s peaks, with striking contrasts between alpine meadows, scree fields, and cliffs. Guided hike for expert hikers. Bring a picnic and hiking gear.
Between Earth and Sky, Hike from 6:30 AM to 5:30 PM, free
Reservations at the Aussois Tourist Office

* “Insect Hotel” WORKSHOP
Come help build a shelter for these precious little creatures, using natural materials, to support the small wildlife that brings our alpine landscapes to life.
School, 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM, on-site registration, €5/person

* “Jeannette the Heifer” WORKSHOP by FACIM
During this interactive workshop, Jeannette shares the secrets of her busy life between the mountain pastures and the barn!
At the top of the Grand Jeu chairlift, 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., reservations at the Tourist Office
“Culinary & Medicinal Plants” OUTING
Guided walk through the forest and meadows to discover the plants of our mountains, the different ways to use them, and their benefits.
Reservations at the Tourist Office, from 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM, free

* SHOW “Cows Have Names” Comedy Theater by Cie du Chien Jaune
In the countryside, we want authenticity: old folks on tractors and local produce. But what do we really know about farming and the lives of farmers? Sometimes childhood memories... Village names spelled backward on signs, the rising prices of milk and vegetables in supermarkets and big-box stores... But who still remembers that cows have names?
Village square, 6:00 PM, free, moves to the community hall

* LECTURE ON ROCK ENGRAVINGS with Clément Mani
Rock art is our land, our roots, our origins. Research on the engraved rocks of Savoie: new discoveries, field inventories, and knowledge challenges surrounding this heritage that remains largely unknown. This year, the Lozes d’Aussois Park celebrates its 25th anniversary.
Community Hall, at 8:30 PM, free admission

**FRIDAY, JULY 24

* GARDEN TOUR with a local from Aussois
Discover the high-altitude vegetable gardens with Robert, where nature cultivates the flavors and know-how of the mountains.
Meet at 10 a.m. at Planchamp, free admission

* TOUR OF THE HAUTE MAURIENNE VANOISE DAIRY COOPERATIVE
Discover the Beaufort Workshop with the cheesemakers at work, the film 'A Territory, People, A Coop,' the aging cellars, and taste Beaufort AOP & Bleu de Bonneval sur Arc.
Val Cenis Lanslebourg Dairy Cooperative, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., €2, reservations: 04 79 05 92 79

* MINI FOOD MARKET
Discover the unique flavors of local products (cheeses, brews, sweets...)
From 3 p.m. until evening, on the village square

* “Brut de Bestioles” RIDING CAROUSEL by Théâtre la Toupine
10 mini-carousels take children ages 1 to 8 on a fantastic ride. These funny driftwood steeds form an unusual animal parade. Parents, dressed in shepherd’s vests, take their children for a ride through the heart of the village. With the wind in their hair, they sing, blow trumpets, and cheer!
Village square, from 3 PM to 9 PM, free

* APERITIF – “Accord’Oé” CONCERT
Local musicians of all ages and skill levels playing various instruments to share a friendly atmosphere: traditional music, French songs, folk songs, Irish music…
Village square, at 6:30 PM, free admission, moves to the community hall

* TEKNOTROKIDS CONCERT “Bêtes-Rave-Party” for ages 6 and up
A true electronic animal ball set to funky, rap, house, and Afro-beat beats.
Let’s dance together—like ants, lice, or even spiders—while raising awareness about the lives of tiny insects and the fragility of our ecosystem.
Village square, at 7:30 PM, free admission, moves to the community hall

* CLOSING CONCERT “KATRAM”
Vibes full of hope, a colorful blend of festive reggae and French chanson. Infused with diverse global influences, their music invites reflection on our planet. A sound that encourages us to care for all living things, through sharing, joy, and kindness.
Village square, at 9:00 PM, free admission, moves to the community hall

** FESTIVAL SIDE EVENTS

Demonstration at the Miellerie
Demonstration at the Brasserie d’Oé
Tours of the Musée L’Arche d’Oé