What it's about
Festi'Thaï is an annual Thai massage festival in France, launched in 2018 by Cécile Hérault. The ninth edition in 2027 has the theme "Vivant". The festival is guided by four principles of being: kindness (Metta), compassion (Karuna), compersion (Mudita) and equanimity (Uppekha), and aims to give the art of presence through touch a real place in everyday life.
Each edition is built around a theme, with workshops developed by invited teachers. The programme of recent editions included Thai massage, Osteothai, BMC and Wuo Tai workshops for all levels, satellite workshops such as yoga, qi gong, singing and dance, a Festi'Kids programme for children aged 3 to 14, a tent for expectant mothers and mothers with babies, a co-creation space, a massage area under the trees, three evening events and a makers' market.
The festival is open to newcomers and experienced practitioners, with introductory and more advanced workshops. The 2027 edition is announced for 2 to 5 July 2027, with details to follow on a new website. According to Cécile Hérault, each edition takes place in Fonroque in the Dordogne; in 2026 this was the Lou Tuquet campsite near Bergerac, with camping in a tent or van included in the festival pass.