Paléo: Daniel Rossellat: “We had a capricious star, the rain”

There have been more than 200 concerts and shows over six days at the Paléo 2025. But Daniel Rossellat, the director of the festival, knows this well: there is a subject that will always speak more than all the others. “It did not escape anyone that we had a big star, capricious and who ended up keeping his promises: the rain,” he launched on Sunday at the opening of the balance sheet of the 48th edition.

After three rainless editions, the weather was, in fact, unpredictable all week. And the festival was pretty good, with the first four evenings almost all dry. Until Saturday, when between 17 and 23 mm of water fell on the site. Sunday is also uncertain. Also, 73 tonnes of China straw (from the region, specifies the Paléo) were spread over 80,000 m² and 25 m³ of wood chips were added in front of the large stage.

As for whether the Sunday drones show will indeed take place, “we will see,” says Daniel Rossellat. The festival had decided to offer one at the last minute, already on Saturday. It did not take place, because of the showers (it takes at least two hours of dry before the show). Recall that drones replaced fireworks last year, which could have been drawn under these conditions. “The debate will return,” admits the director of the Paléo.

But let’s go back to the general report of the 48th edition. On the security side, there was no major problem, even if Friday evening was “a little more tense”. Besides, Daniel Rossellat says he is proud of the effective system of his demonstration: “If there are a few couillons, we must take care of it quickly,” he said.

On the artistic side, Jacques Monnier takes over. He said he was “very happy to reconnect with the guitar riffs”. That is to say: rock. “Less programming was not a choice on our part. Simply, there was no big opportunity. ” He thinks of Queens of the Stone Age, the Sex Pistols with Frank Carter, Texas, Simple Minds and Jean-Louis Aubert.

For the historic Paleo programmer, the pop queens were unanimous: Santa, Clara Luciani and Zaho de Sagazan. The latter even “adored” the extreme conditions of Saturday evening. He also quotes Macklemore, who made “one of the most powerful and committed concerts of the festival”, and Will Smith who was “correct, generous, American”. In bulk: justice, Pierre Garnier, Anetha, Elgrandetoto, Judeline and Youssef Swatt’s also marked.

The campsite welcomed 8,000 inhabitants over the week. The new campsite area has sold out, as well as the family area. We too take the opportunity to salute the work of the 5,400 volunteers.

During its next edition (July 21 to 26, 2026), the Paléo does not provide for a major change. Especially since the 50th will take place in 2027 – “we are not going to grill all our cartridges before”, smiles Daniel Rossellat. The village of the world will travel to the Nordic countries, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden and Norway.