Paléo Festival

The Paléo Festival de Nyon, usually just called Paléo, started in 1976 and is today the second biggest open-air music festival in Europe, after theSziget Festival. Today this event has grown to include internationally known artists. It has also moved towards the field of L'Asse, accessible either by walking, bus or "le petit train rouge" as locals may call it.

The festival lasts six end-July days, from Tuesday to Sunday and the final main stage concert is preceded by a great firework display with music.

Since its start, 3.5 million spectators and 2500 artists have been part of the Paléo Festival (as of the 2005 edition).

Stages

The Paléo features 6 stages:

• La Grande Scène (the big stage)
• Le Chapiteau (the circus tent)
• Le Club Tent (the club tent)
• La Crique (the creak)
• Le Dôme (the dome)
• FMR (regional bands and free stage)

Since 2003, the Paléo has introduced Le Village du Monde (The World Village) section. Its a whole new space reserved for an invited region of the world. This place offers the region's culture and food. It also includes Le Dôme which shows only artists from the invited region.

225'000 visitors participated to the 2007 edition (+3'800 staff).

Tickets

Tickets can be purchased on the Paléo Website Special offers are available usually as early as November of the year preceding the next Paléo festival with discounted all-week passes. Later in Spring the official program is published and the second, slightly less discounted tickets are available. They are often sold-out very quickly. In the months preceding the festival more tickets are sold at full price.

To fight black market ticket-sale, approximately 500 one-day tickets are held-up to be sold the same day as their validity date and can be purchased either online (to be printed by the buyer) or at the festival's ticket booths.

Once the festival's program is announced, the days featuring big name artists are easily sold out very quickly. Specially in the weekends.

Transportation

As of the 2006 edition, the hourly buses that maitainted late-night service have been replaced by special trains on the standard CFF network. Trains run approximately every two hours. Carsharing facilities are also available.

Yearly Summary

1997

Invited artists:

• Al Jarreau
• Eddy Mitchell
• IAM
• Isaac Hayes
• Jamiroquai
• Jane Birkin
• Johnny Clegg & Savuka
• Khaled
• Morcheeba
• Noa
• Noir Désir
• Pascal Obispo
• Placebo
• Shaggy
• Simple Minds
• Sinéad O'Connor
• Suzanne Vega
• Texas

For a full list see the 1997 history

1998

Invited artists:

• Charles Trenet
• Claude Nougaro
• Dolly
• Eagle-Eye Cherry
• Faudel
• Herbie Hancock
• IAM
• Jean-Louis Aubert
• Joe Cocker
• K's Choice
• Linton Kwesi Johnson
• Louise Attaque
• -M-
• MC Solaar
• Patricia Kaas
• Portishead
• The Prodigy
• The Wailers
• Run DMC
• Stereophonics
• Yann Tiersen

For a full list see the 1998 history

1999

Invited artists:

• Alliance Ethnik
• Ben Harper
• Celia Cruz
• Charles Aznavour
• Cheb Mami
• Fun Lovin' Criminals
• Garbage
• Gotthard
• Iggy Pop
• Stephan Eicher

For a full list see the 1999 history

2000

Invited artists:

• Beck
• Bloodhound Gang
• Buena Vista Social Club
• Compay Segundo
• Rita Mitsouko
• Louise Attaque
• Massilia Sound System
• Mickey 3D
• Morcheeba
• Muse
• Noir Désir
• Oasis
• Patrick Bruel
• Pink Martini
• Renaud
• Saian Supa Crew

For a full list see the 2000 history

2001

Invited artists:

• Ben Harper
• Kool & The Gang
• Lynda Lemay
• Manu Chao
• Natalia M. King
• Placebo
• Red Snapper
• St-Germain
• Texas
• The Young Gods
• Tom McRae
• Vanessa Paradis

For a full list see the 2001 history

2002

Invited artists:

• Zucchero
• Yann Tiersen
• The Cure
• Supertramp
• Pet Shop Boys
• MC Solaar
• Jovanotti
• Noir Désir

For a full list see the 2002 history

2003

Invited artists:

• Asian Dub Foundation
• R.E.M. (band)
• Alanis Morissette
• Ibrahim Ferrer
• Jimmy Cliff
• Massive Attack
• Nada Surf
• Renaud
• Ska-P
• The Cardigans

For a full list see the 2003 history

This year saw the first Village du Monde. Africa was invited with Cameroon, Nigeria and other countries from that continent.

2004

Invited artists:

• Eros Ramazzotti
• Jamel Debbouze (a French comedian in the festival's only non-musical show scheduled on the main scene)
• Pascal Obispo
• Peter Gabriel
• Stephan Eicher
• Starsailor
• Texas
• Muse (band)

Latin America was invited at the Village du Monde. Specifically Venezuela, Colombia, Equator, Peru and Mexico among others.

2005

In 2005, the following world-renowned artists participated at the Paléo (among many others):

• Lenny Kravitz
• George Clinton (funk musician)
• Jamiroquai
• Starsailor
• Rammstein
• IAM
• Stress (singer)
• Pink Martini
• Babylon Circus
• Franz Ferdinand

That year was considered very successful with a cool but clear weather for most the week (except some short showers on Sunday).

Asia was the region invited to the Village du Monde including China, Tibet, Nepal, Vietnam, Thailand and Japan.

2006

Paléo took place from the 18th until the 23rd of July 2006 with the following artists:

• Depeche Mode
• Placebo
• The Who
• Tracy Chapman
• Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals
• Pixies
• Goldfrapp
• Ziggy Marley
• HIM
• The Dandy Warhols
• Dub Incorporation
• Benabar
• Feeder
• Kooks

Eastern Europe hosted the Village du Monde.

2007

• Björk
• Muse
• Arctic Monkeys
• Jean-Louis Murat
• Rachid Taha
• Arcade Fire
• Arno
• Malouma
• P!NK
• Robert Plant
• Laurent Voulzy
• Grand Corps Malade
• Joey Starr
• Stress
• Oxmo Puccino
• Daby Toure
• Zucchero
• Lynda Lemay
• Ayo
• Groundation
• Bitty Mc Lean feat. Sly & Robbie
• Tryo
• Sanseverino
• Emily Loizeau
• Gad Elmaleh
• Air
• The Young Gods
• Cassius
• Renaud
• Zazie
• Gogol Bordello
• The Locos
• La Ruda
• Tinariwen
• Michel Corboz
• Natacha Atlas
• Idir

2008

Announced lineup for 2008 includes:

• The Hives
• The Raveonettes
• Massive Attack
• Mika

And REM headlining the Sunday night.

External links

• Paleo Festival
• A complete history of the Paléo