Design Parade in Hyeres and Toulon
Spotlight on interior architecture and designA starter for contemporary creation
Summer in Provence-Mediterranean is marked by an essential event: the Design Parade festival in Hyères and Toulon. On the last weekend in June, a competition brings together emerging talents in the fields of design and interior architecture, leading to an exhibition of their projects throughout the summer (until November in Toulon). Meetings, workshops and off-site exhibitions enrich the program of an event dedicated to young contemporary creation: singular, lively and daring.
5 good reasons to come
- Discover the many facets of contemporary decorative arts
- Get excited about the talent of promising designers
- Visit Hyères and Toulon through the prism of young artists
- Explore an exhibition trail linked to the festival
- Immerse yourself in colorful, inspiring environments and settings
Our advice
To find out more about the programs for this free event in Hyères and Toulon, the artists taking part, and the locations, dates and times of the Design Parade exhibitions, visit the dedicated page on our website.
Dates 2025 coming soon
Sharing contemporary design
Created in 2006 by the Villa Noailles team, headed by Jean-Pierre Blanc, the festival’s ambition is to share with the general public and professionals alike a snapshot of trends in young contemporary design. First held in Hyères, then in Toulon in 2016 – with a second phase focusing on interior architecture – Design Parade will see ten young designers compete, offering them valuable visibility and support. In conjunction with the event, exhibitions in partnership with the Centre Pompidou, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, the Centre National des Arts Plastiques and the Mobilier National take over museums, galleries and cultural sites in Hyères and Toulon.
In Hyères and Toulon, the Design Parade festival also tells the story of a transmission between generations of designers: works by established talents or former prize-winners rub shoulders with proposals from emerging talents. In addition to the effervescent creativity at the heart of the city, Design Parade reveals all aspects of the decorative arts: local craftsmanship is highlighted through the works of designers. The nobility of raw, shaped materials is enhanced by the creative genius of the artists.
Design Parade Hyères
Every summer, it’s an ever-renewed pleasure to discover the works of ten young designers in competition at the Villa Noailles, to immerse yourself in the heart of an event synonymous with creative vitality. From room to room in this legendary venue, or on a stroll through the Villa Romaine, Château Saint-Pierre and the city’s galleries, the festival unveils spaces and furnishings in the bright pop colors, exciting lines and materials of contemporary design.
Design Parade Toulon
From late June to early November, behind the gates of the former bishop’s palace, Toulon celebrates – on the same principle as its neighbor Hyères – interior architecture. Each year, ten young designers in competition present their vision of a living space in a villa on the Mediterranean coast. Ambiences, light, shapes and compositions plunge you into singular universes. In this former episcopal palace with its maze of refreshing terracotta floor tiles, at the Hôtel des Arts and in the galleries in the town center: embark on a creative, colorful and stimulating journey.
Focus on
Villa Noailles
On the heights of Hyères, in the heart of a jewel of modern architecture, experience the effervescence of contemporary creation all year round. Built in the 1920s by Robert Mallet-Stevens for Charles and Marie-Laure de Noailles, the eponymous villa is now an art center of national interest.
With its clean lines and luminous spaces, surrounded by remarkable gardens, it remains a meeting place for artists and creators. Today, the villa hosts numerous large-scale cultural events, exhibitions and festivals.
How to get here ?
Villa Noailles :
On foot: Villa Noailles overlooks the historic center of Hyères.
The easiest way to get there is on foot, from the town center.
It takes around 20 minutes to walk up the narrow streets of the historic center to the villa. Choose flat shoes for ease of use.
By car: there are two dirt parking lots at the very top of the hill, but the number of spaces is limited. During major events such as the Festival de Mode or the Design Parade, free shuttles run between Place Clemenceau and Villa Noailles.
Ancien évêché:
By bus: as the former bishop’s palace is located halfway down Cours Lafayette (no. 69), all Mistral bus routes with stops on boulevard de Strasbourg or avenue de la République will take you to the site in just a few minutes on foot.
By car: park in the QPark Lafayette, Mayol, Peiresc or Porte d’Italie parking lots, and you’re just a few minutes’ walk from the former bishop’s palace.