As autumn leaves swirl along the Nive River, art lovers and urban explorers flock to Bayonne for Points de Vue, a dynamic blend of artistic residencies and street art that turns city walls into living canvases. Set for October 15 to 19, 2025, in the vibrant heart of Bayonne, France, this ninth edition invites creators and visitors to reflect on conservation, transmission, and the fleeting beauty of public art. Held across historic neighborhoods and extended inland through residencies in Hasparren and Ciboure from October 1 to 14, Points de Vue transforms everyday spaces into a gallery of murals, stencils, and performances, deeply tied to Basque heritage and community spirit.
Launched in 2017 by the Kaxu Galerie (formerly Spacejunk Art Center) in partnership with the City of Bayonne and the Pays Basque Urban Community, the festival has painted over 100 works across the region. It is more than murals, it is a dialogue between artists, locals, and landscapes, questioning what endures in our shared spaces under the southwestern French sun.
A Celebration of Urban Canvas and Collective Memory
Since its debut, Points de Vue has evolved from a local experiment into a national reference for street art, holding true to its roots in accessibility and exchange. Founded to infuse Bayonne’s streets with contemporary energy, it draws on the city’s Basque crossroads, blending French flair with regional identity. Over eight editions, it has welcomed dozens of artists, creating a permanent open-air collection that sparks conversations on culture and ephemerality.
The 2025 edition, under the patronage of the reopening Musée Bonnat-Helleu, poses timely questions: What becomes of publicly funded street works? How do we preserve or let them fade? Expect a program of new creations, guided tours, workshops, and audiovisual shows, with residencies expanding the reach to inland Basque towns. Free entry draws families, students, and tourists, fostering a space where art meets life without barriers.
In Bayonne’s medieval alleys and riverside quays, the festival evokes cozy gatherings around a shared easel. No elite galas here, just paint-splattered hands, lively chats, and the thrill of spotting a fresh stencil on a weathered wall.
The Site: Riverside Walls and Inland Echoes
Points de Vue sprawls across Bayonne’s textured terrain, turning the city’s dual banks into a mural maze. The core buzzes in the Saint-Esprit district at Kaxu Galerie, a former Spacejunk hub now pulsing with exhibits and artist meetups amid half-timbered houses. Murals bloom on quays like Resplandy and bridges over the Nive, where works climb facades overlooking chocolate shops and markets.
The festival radiates outward to neighborhoods like Petit-Bayonne and Balichon, with hidden gems in side streets and industrial edges. Residencies in Hasparren and Ciboure from early October seed inland inspirations, linking coastal energy to rural Basque soul. Attendees wander on foot or bike, maps in hand, pausing for espresso in plazas or fresh piperade at food stalls. The layout invites serendipity, with pop-up villages for demos and the river’s gentle flow as a natural backdrop.
This riverside setting not only spotlights Bayonne’s UNESCO vibes but mirrors the festival’s flow, carrying art from urban hearts to verdant hinterlands like ancient trade routes once did.
A Line-up of Visionaries and Local Echoes
Points de Vue glows with its mix of global icons and rising Basque talents, curating works that probe heritage and humanity. The 2025 roster will feature 10 to 13 artists crafting in situ, from monumental frescoes to subtle interventions, themed around preservation. Highlights include returning favorite C215, the stencil master who painted poetic portraits here in 2017, now revisiting Petit-Bayonne with fresh narratives.
Past editions shone with diversity: 2024’s black-and-white focus brought Ladybug’s emotive faces to Eguzkian residences and Olga Kisseleva’s net-art nods to Pont Saint-Esprit. In 2023, nine creators from Portugal to the Pyrenees adorned walls with tales of roots and resilience, like PichiAvo’s mythic fusions. Residencies often yield site-specific gems, such as 2022’s inland pieces in Isturits tying murals to local lore. Workshops with pros like graffiti initiators and screen-printers add hands-on magic, while Q&As reveal the “why” behind each stroke.
This curation balances bold statements with quiet reflections, ensuring every wall tells a story that resonates from street to soul.
Days of Creation and Nights of Revelation
Mornings at Points de Vue stir with creative hum in sunlit squares. Families kick off with toddler workshops at Kaxu, finger-painting mini-murals inspired by Basque motifs. Aspiring artists join “Become a Street Artist” sessions, learning stencils or skate deck customs over croissants and coffee.
Afternoons pulse with live painting along the quays, where crowds watch brushes dance on scaffolds, cheers rising for a finished face or bold tag. Stalls offer artisanal jams, txakoli wine, and eco-paints, fueling breaks in shaded parks. Guided walks at 11am and 2pm unravel the map, blending art history with neighborhood tales, from 80s graffiti roots to modern migrations.
As dusk drapes the Adour in amber, evenings ignite with openings and performances. The festival village at Galerie Kaxu hosts projections till 11pm, lights casting shadows on fresh works. Sound walks echo urban beats through speakers, while impromptu jams mix hip-hop with txalaparta drums. Late nights spill into bars for artist talks over pintxos, the air thick with inspiration and laughter. The rhythm feels organic, like the tide painting the shore anew each day.
A Festival Built on Exchange and Endurance
Points de Vue cherishes more than aesthetics, it nurtures dialogue on sustainability and inclusion. Partnerships with the Musée Bonnat-Helleu spark exhibits on art’s lifecycle, from creation to conservation, while eco-practices like low-VOC paints cut footprints. Diversity thrives through residencies that embed artists in communities, from Ustaritz farms to Urrugne coasts, honoring Basque, migrant, and global voices.
The schedule weaves structure with spontaneity, like free-expression walls for passersby or school projects tying kids to heritage. No cash prizes dominate, but residencies offer stipends and exposure, launching careers amid communal cheers. In a throwaway world, this fest champions the lasting, urging us to value walls as witnesses to our evolving story.
Planning Your Visit
Mark your calendars: Residencies run October 1 to 14 in Hasparren and Ciboure, with the main festival October 15 to 19 in Bayonne. All events are free, though workshops cap at 15, so snag spots via pointsdevue.eus by September. Download the interactive map for self-guided hunts, and check for shuttle add-ons to inland sites.
Bayonne shines via Biarritz Airport (30 minutes away) or TGV from Bordeaux. Stay in riverside hotels like Hôtel Côte Basque or budget Airbnbs in Saint-Esprit, €80-150 nightly. Mid-October’s crisp 15°C days suit jeans and jackets; rent e-bikes for €10/day to chase murals. Families love the kid zones, and locals get priority for tours, keeping it welcoming for all.
Why Points de Vue Stands Out
In a flood of filtered feeds, Points de Vue feels raw and real. No sponsor silos or paywalls, just scaffolds where a stencil of a forgotten face stops you cold, or a residency-born mural in Hasparren weaves farm life into frescoes. It is the spot to watch C215 layer poetry on Petit-Bayonne bricks, echoing 2017’s magic, or join a sound walk that turns alleys into symphonies.
Anchored in Bayonne’s defiant spirit, from ETA-era tags to today’s transmissions, it proves street art binds us, beautifying overlooked corners like Balichon while pondering their fade. Visitors leave not just snapping pics, but pondering: What mark will I leave?
Explore the Surroundings
Beyond the brushstrokes, Bayonne’s Basque bounty calls. Stroll the Marché des Halles for sheep cheese and espelette peppers, or paddle the Nive for watery views of waterside works. Day trips to Biarritz beaches or Saint-Jean-de-Luz cliffs blend art with ocean air, while inland hikes in Irouleguy vineyards tie residencies to terroir.
Evening fêtes in Ustaritz plazas pulse with pelota and music, enriching the fest’s cultural weave. These detours deepen the immersion, turning a mural hunt into a love letter to the land.
Points de Vue – Artistic Residencies and Street Art Festival 2025 offers more than walls, it crafts conversations etched in color and context. With its riverside revelations, inland inspirations, and heartfelt hues, it beckons you to gaze up, create boldly, and carry the city’s pulse long after the scaffolds fold.
Follow Points de Vue online for updates on artists, maps, residencies, and tips: Instagram: @pdvstreetart
