Riviera 76, le Woodstock oublié

Riviera 76, le Woodstock oublié (2026)



8.0 2026 61 min —

Director: Christophe Duchiron

Cast: Christophe Duchiron, Christian Vander, Roger Gicquel, Joe Cocker, Gil Scott-Heron

Documentary Music
It was supposed to be France’s answer to Woodstock—a three-day music revolution under the blazing summer sun of 1976. Yet today, almost no one remembers it. Why? Because nothing—and we mean nothing—went as planned. Then, in 2020, this buried legend clawed its way back into the light when 153 metal canisters were discovered in a forgotten cellar, packed with film reels unseen for decades. Those reels tell the story of a festival that dared to be epic: a 350-hectare open-air venue at the Paul Ricard Circuit in Le Castellet, masterminded by the same American team behind the original Woodstock. Joe Cocker roared from the stage. A crowd of 100,000 was expected. The budget hit $1 million. The Rolling Stones even parked their mobile recording truck on-site, ready to capture a live album. But in the end, it all spiraled into a spectacular collapse—fueled by the shadowy underworld of the Var region.

More About This Film

Riviera 76, le Woodstock oublié is a French music documentary about an ambitious 1976 festival at the Circuit Paul Ricard in Provence. Conceived as a French counterpart to Woodstock, the event brought major musicians and thousands of young people together for a large-scale celebration of rock, soul, funk, and counterculture.

Christophe Duchiron reconstructs the forgotten festival through archival footage and testimony, including film reels rediscovered decades after the event. The documentary reveals both the music and the chaotic circumstances surrounding the festival, creating a vivid portrait of a remarkable moment in French musical history.

  • Directed and written by Christophe Duchiron.
  • Produced by Alma Productions with the Institut national de l'audiovisuel.
  • Music artists associated with the original festival include Joe Cocker, Betty Davis, Gil Scott Heron, Magma, and Jimmy Cliff.
  • Previously lost 16mm reels were rediscovered in a Paris basement and restored with INA support.
  • The documentary premiered on French television in September 2026.

Where to Watch

Riviera 76 is distributed through French television and streaming platforms, with France.tv providing an official digital destination.

  • France.tv – free streaming where available
  • CANAL+ – subscription
  • YouTube – free clips or viewing where offered
  • Netflix – subscription if available
  • Prime Video – subscription/rental/purchase where offered
  • Apple TV – rental/purchase where offered