‘Not even residents can enter’: illegal rave takes 20,000 to military zone in France with explosives from the First World War

A road sign warns: “Shooting range, shooting day and night, danger.” The place hosts the “teknival” rave party in a military area in Cornusse, near Bourges, in central France, on May 2, 2026. Kenko Tribouillard/AFP More than 20,000 people continued to gather this Saturday (2) in a “free party” set up at a French Army shooting range, near Bourges, in the Cher department. The event, completely illegal, takes place in a military area classified by authorities as “very dangerous”, due to the presence of old ammunition and regular tests of heavy weapons. In the village of Bengy, just a mile and a half as the crow flies from the Cornusse military grounds, the bass drums shake the walls of Anne’s guesthouse. From the window, she watches the constant flow of young people crossing the countryside towards the “teknival”, an electronic music mega-rave generally illegal in France, organized without authorization. Trending videos on g1 In an interview with “Franceinfo”, she stated that she spoke with civil protection teams who should use her space to take a hot shower and rest for a few hours. Her domain is the last before “no man’s land” marked by signs saying “Military land: entry prohibited”, and she says she is perplexed by the situation. “Not even we, the residents, have the right to go there. We can’t walk the dog, we can’t cross these fields. Every week there are gunshots, Caesar cannon tests, missile tests. We hear it exploding as if we were in Ukraine”, he says. Party grows despite warnings People walk through the site of the “teknival” rave in a military area in Cornusse, near Bourges, in central France, on May 2, 2026. Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP The crowd continues to increase, and the party that started on Friday continues without serious incidents, according to the city hall, which insists on calls for caution. Authorities counted 20 thousand participants this Saturday morning (2), but many others continue to arrive for the night, considered the high point of “Teknival 2026”. For some young people, it is as much about celebrating as protesting against the tightening of rules aimed at curbing illegal raves. Since Friday, the military grounds have been transformed into a sea of ​​tents, vans and vehicles scattered across an immense field. In front of the sound walls, young people in colorful clothes — or without shirts — dance non-stop. The rural landscape was taken over by an ephemeral city. In Cornusse, a small village less than 2 km from the site, the favorable wind reduced the noise impact, and the main concern became logistics: garbage, circulation and welcoming visitors. The mayor, Édith Raquin, says that coexistence has been surprisingly cordial. “There were many conversations, including with elderly people who don’t really understand this type of festival, but were happy to talk to young people,” he told Franceinfo. Cuts caused by shrapnel Participants of the ‘teknival’ rave in a military area in Cornusse, near Bourges, in central France, on May 2, 2026. Kenzo Tribouillard / AFP According to the city hall, emergency services had treated 12 minor injuries by Saturday morning. During a visit to the security device, Mayor Philippe Le Moing Surzur also mentioned a person being run over by a vehicle. Forty-five firefighters and 30 civil protection first responders remain mobilized, with reinforcement capacity if necessary. The authorities’ biggest fear is the presence of old ammunition. “We need to be prepared for the worst, and the worst would be a Second World War ammunition explosion,” said the mayor. Extremely sharp shrapnel has already injured some participants since Friday. Organizers published pictograms on social media asking people not to light fires, not dig the ground or collect objects. Even so, some of the injured were injured precisely when handling metal fragments found on the ground. 600 French military police mobilized In total, 600 military police were positioned at 14 control points around the area, where the first participants arrived in the early hours of Friday. Security forces have already registered 32 fines — most for drug possession —, in addition to 26 traffic violations and four arrests. No police force enters the party grounds, confirm participants interviewed by AFP, who describe the atmosphere as “very, very peaceful”. A 22-year-old young man, who requested anonymity, admits he was impressed: “I knew a lot of people would come, but when I arrived here, it was a shock to see so many people gathered in the same place.” For her 19-year-old friend, the massive presence — with many foreigners — is “a big message against repression”. Buried ammunition and prohibited areas used as bathrooms The city hall reinforces that the land contains ammunition residues. The shooting range has been operating since the First World War, recalls Denis Durand, mayor of Bengy. “It’s military land created in 1917. There were tests during the First World War. At the time, no one worried about unexploded charges. I think there is a real danger,” he says. “And we are right in a shooting zone.” Under normal conditions, even farmers who cultivate nearby land need authorization from the Army to move around. But, this Saturday, hundreds of teufeurs cross the shooting range on foot, under the gaze of two soldiers in a white pickup truck. The mayor ordered that no one should approach wooded areas, considered to be at maximum risk. However, as there are no bathrooms at the teknival, it is precisely to these woods that participants go to relieve themselves. The mayor of Cornusse fears the arrival of even more people. “We expect other people to arrive throughout the day. The first festival-goers, who arrived on Friday morning, told us that May 2 would really be the most important day of the meeting,” he told Franceinfo. Organizers expect up to 30,000 people. Organizers estimate that the event could reach 30,000 participants at its peak, coming from France and neighboring countries. On Friday, the mayor of Cornusse reported seeing English, Germans, Dutch, Swiss, Italians, Spanish and even Ukrainians among the new arrivals. Meanwhile, residents like Anne continue to hear the beats that vibrate their windows, watching the transformation of a restricted military zone into one of the biggest improvised “teknivals” of recent years — and fearing that, beneath the music and the euphoria, there remains an invisible risk buried in the ground since 1917. * With AFP and Franceinfo

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