“It’s close to my heart”: these volunteers without whom the Ploucs festival in Dordogne would not exist

For over twenty-four years, tireless volunteers have been bringing this event to life on the hillsides. They will meet in Gageac-et-Rouillac on Friday, July 4th and Saturday, July 5th.

Kilos of electrical cable to unroll, a refreshment stand to set up, signs to paint, slates to clean... Under a blazing sun, around thirty people are busy on Saturday, June 28, at the place called Le Galinou in Gageac-et-Rouillac (Dordogne) to set up the unmissable early summer event on the hillsides of Saussignac. Six days before the launch of the Ploucs festival, the volunteers are already fully mobilized. While around fifteen of them are particularly involved throughout the year, there will be 160 to ensure the smooth running of the event on Friday, July 4 and Saturday, July 5.

At 36, Anna Boisvert is one of the leading figures of Les Ploucs. It must be said that her father, Brice Boisvert, was part of the founding core of the event that launched La Nuit de la Musique in 1995. A teacher at Jacques-Prévert College in Bergerac, the thirty-year-old was raised on the festival, where her mother is also involved as a volunteer. Moreover, the couple is still involved in logistics and cooking. "There's a huge emotional side to it," she acknowledges. "The idea is also to highlight where we come from." Locally sourced food and drinks, affordable prices while maintaining a quality program: this is the mantra of the team of six co-presidents of which she is a member.

In 2024, Christelle Arculeo, brought on board by Anna Boisvert, "sold tokens" at the festival. When she was told they needed people year-round, she didn't hesitate. She has since joined the four-person programming team. "We meet to discuss the artists we've identified and we review the applications, then we decide together," she notes. "Then we have to sort everything out: contracts, accommodations—with locals, of course." At Les Ploucs, there are no headliners, but rather emerging regional groups. "It's very intergenerational, the atmosphere and the welcome are great," says the thirty-year-old.

For as long as he can remember, 26-year-old Axel Roches has always been familiar with the Ploucs festival. He's often helped out with the event's set-up, but this year, he's taken it a step further by committing to the year as the kitchen's purchasing manager. "This is the first year I'll be on the other side of the counter; you can't imagine the work it entails upfront," he says. This week, he "took time off" to be there. "It's close to my heart," says the man who brought his brother, cousin, and two friends along as volunteers.

“There’s a good mood, it’s friendly and it’s better than staying at home.”

They've always "lived here" and wanted to "participate." Oriane and Iona, both 16, have already spent five years volunteering. "Personally, I absolutely wanted the volunteer T-shirt. That's why I got involved," explains Iona. Since then, they've even recruited Laura, who has been a volunteer for three years. "There's a good atmosphere, it's friendly, and it's better than staying at home," the teenagers say.

For over ten years, Gaëtan Bonnaire has been involved in the presidency of the Ploucs, "the soul of the hillside villages." "It takes a lot of free time; it's a gift of oneself and of one's material resources. No one asks for reimbursement for gas even though they could," notes the 38-year-old. Far from the "supermarket festivals," the Ploucs cultivate their rurality with a spirit of mutual aid, where everyone is ready to give of themselves.

He didn't experience the festival as a child, but Thomas Maillé, 37, quickly fell into its lap when he discovered the event. Since then, he has joined the co-presidency. "I felt there needed to be a rotation of those who take on responsibilities, because we give a lot of ourselves," he observes. A carpenter and sheep farmer, he is lending his field next to the farm to host this edition in Gageac-et-Rouillac. In fact, it's his lambs that will be on offer this weekend.