Cambodia & Community: the Francophonie Village lights up again in Siem Reap
After 15,000 visitors last year, the Francophonie Village is putting its tents back up along the Siem Reap River from 6 to 8 November 2026. Entry is free again. The event takes place ahead of the Francophonie Summit.
Just look at last year's photos. At dusk, the string lights come on under the trees. The flags of Cambodia and France snap above the white tents. In front of the stands, nobody walks through any more: people stop, taste, talk.
The scene is about to repeat itself. From Friday 6 to Sunday 8 November 2026, the Francophonie Village returns for its third edition along the Siem Reap River, at the corner of Street 5 and Pokambor Avenue. It is organized by the Siem Reap section of the France-Cambodia Chamber of Commerce (CCIFC), with public and private partners. Activities start at 10 a.m. Concerts and DJ sets take over from 6 p.m.
2025: the year the Village exceeded expectations
From 14 to 16 November 2025, more than 15,000 people came through the gate, which was free. More than 50 exhibitors had set up along the quays: artists, craftspeople, restaurateurs, associations, institutions, companies. More than 15 shows and workshops filled the days, from concerts to fashion, by way of street art and cooking.
The Village also made noise online. Official influencer Jeremie KC racked up more than 5 million views. Radio National of Kampuchea, TV Siem Reap / Angkor Info, The Better Cambodia and Cambodge Mag covered the event. The Siem Reap provincial administration published its own official statement.
François Schnoebelen, president of the Siem Reap section of the CCIFC and director of the Paul Dubrule School, summed it up for Cambodge Mag the day after the event: “This second edition of the Francophonie Village clearly marks a turning point.” Then: “We have moved up to a higher scale.”
The site had changed. The Village had left its 2024 location, too hot and too exposed to the sun, for the riverbank. “This year, we chose the riverside, with its trees that act as natural air conditioners,” François Schnoebelen explained.
On stage, Canadian singer Fabienne Thibeault, guest of honor, opened the festivities. TotalEnergies, Sofitel Angkor and the Quebec region were among the partners. Three languages moved from stand to stand: French, Khmer and English.
Four worlds, one riverbank
The Village is built around four themes: art and culture, science and education, games and entertainment, gastronomy and hospitality. Last year, that meant a ceramics stand where you could watch the clay turn, a hospitality school presenting its courses, tasting tables, shelves of books.
The organizers promise the same recipe: demonstrations, workshops, shows and an evening market. In 2025, the Paul Dubrule School took charge of running the site. “All the logistics, from the tents to the electricity, were handled by the school,” said its director.
Three days, three moods
Friday: the party opens. The Village starts in the evening with an inauguration ceremony, official speeches and traditional Khmer dances. A Franco-Khmer fusion concert follows, and a DJ set closes the night. Meanwhile, the stands serve food that blends Francophone and Khmer flavors, and the riverbank lights up.
Saturday: families' day. Workshops for children and parents in the morning. Street shows and participatory cooking in the afternoon: everyone pitches in. In the evening, the big concert brings together DJs, contemporary dance and Franco-Khmer collaborations.
Sunday: slowing down. Traditional games, creative workshops, tastings around “l'art de vivre à la française”, crafts and gastronomy until late afternoon. The day ends with a family film screening by the water.
Sihanouk, the quiet host
The Village makes room for King Father Norodom Sihanouk. He was one of the three founding members of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, and a fervent defender of the French language. Archives and images will retrace his political, cultural and artistic career.
The place suits it. Fifty-six years after the creation of the OIF, the Summit is held in Siem Reap, the town where Sihanouk stayed at his private residence, Amansara. There he gave free rein to his artistic projects, on the banks of this same river.
A living lab before the Summit
For CCIFC Siem Reap, the Village is also a dress rehearsal. “Our Village is a showcase, a kind of living laboratory in preparing for this summit,” François Schnoebelen said in 2025. Public institutions, private companies and cultural actors work together there before the delegations arrive. The idea: for the Summit to show Cambodian hospitality and Francophone cooperation at their best.
As for the future, he put it this way last year: “There is a real will to make the event lasting, with an annual dynamic.”
Companies can join in. CCIFC Siem Reap offers three partnership packages: Bronze at USD 1,500 (one booth), Silver at USD 2,500 (two booths) and Gold at USD 5,000 (two booths, logo in the most prominent position, all the influencers on the operation).
Practical information
• Dates: 6 to 8 November 2026
• Location: along the Siem Reap River, at the corner of Street 5 and Pokambor Avenue
• Hours: activities from 10 a.m., concerts and DJs from 6 p.m.
• Entry: free
• Languages: French, Khmer, English
• Contact: siemreap@ccifcambodge.org. Event contact: Sathya Sor, +855 17 270 218
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