The announcement was made on Wednesday, April 15, 2026: the concert of Vanessa Paradis scheduled for that evening at the Printemps de Bourges has been canceled for “medical reasons”. The singer was supposed to perform at 9 pm on the W stage, the largest tent at the festival. In the midst of promoting her album “Le retour des beaux jours”, released in late 2025, Vanessa Paradis has been busy with numerous performances. This appearance at the Printemps de Bourges, celebrating its 50th edition from April 14 to 19, was supposed to be her first major festival appearance, before Brussels and Amiens.
Vanessa Paradis bedridden
The festival officially announced the news on its social networks: “For medical reasons, it is with much sadness and regret that Vanessa Paradis must cancel her performance tonight on the W stage”. On Instagram, Vanessa Paradis’ team explained: “Vanessa was looking forward to this first festival appearance and is very sad not to be able to meet her audience.” The statement also thanked “fans and staff for their understanding and support” and concluded: “We apologize for the inconvenience caused.”
Backstage, the singer’s manager, Laurent Manganas, told Le Parisien that the singer was bedridden. “Vanessa is very ill, she is laid up in bed, she can’t sing, she has lost her voice. Vanessa is devastated, it was her first festival, we have been preparing for it for a week. She has been on antibiotics since Tuesday. It’s really heartbreaking that we had to cancel Bourges,” he continued.
What this setback means for Vanessa Paradis and the audience
This performance at the Printemps de Bourges was meant to be a symbolic milestone in the promotion of “Le retour des beaux jours”, after the historic hit Joe Le Taxi and decades of stage presence. Vanessa Paradis is expected to perform on Thursday evening at Forest National in Brussels, and then in Amiens on Friday. Her manager is hopeful she will recover in time for these concerts.
For the public, the festival is addressing ticket holders directly. “For those who wish to be refunded, we ask you to please be patient,” the Printemps de Bourges indicates, promising to communicate the “procedures” “at the end of the festival”. Tickets for the evening at the W stage remain valid with Imany, Oxmo Puccino, Charlie Winston, and Feu! Chatterton. Spectators who wish to do so can request a refund once the procedures are specified. Schedule adjustments at the Auditorium, notably for Dressed Like Boys, allow for the main programming to be maintained.
