At the point that on April 9th, lawmakers adopted a text in first reading containing measures to suppress these clandestine techno parties. This proposed law from the Horizons party was combined with another text presented by the Interior Minister, Laurent Nuñez, called Ripost and adopted on May 6th in the Senate. It aims to strengthen the penal and administrative response against various forms of “disorders” including these “wild parties.”
In the face of this legislative arsenal, some want to remind others of the essence of these events, based on gathering around techno music, free from any kind of discrimination, whether financial or physical. This is the case of Thomas Ovide and David Muñoz, two Bayonne residents who are fans of these gatherings.
“At the core, we are just talking about people coming together to have a party,” says David Muñoz. He co-founded the RFX association, which organizes techno music events inspired by the world of free parties. The small group of friends behind the organization preferred to stay on the side of legality. “We sometimes organize undeclared parties because certain systems cannot be implemented in conventional evenings,” he explains. These gatherings still remain below the legal maximum threshold of 500 people, which is expected to be lowered to 250 with the new law.
Lack of Awareness of These Events
For them, this negative image is mainly due to the lack of awareness of these events. “You can find artists there who would never perform in a club. Free parties are places of musical avant-garde and political expression,” says Thomas Ovide. He has been behind the turntables several times at these events.
The sociologist Anne Petiau was interested in the work of musicians and the different modes of involvement in this counter-culture. “This movement originated in England during the Thatcher years after nightclubs were banned from opening after 2 a.m. The context was different in France at the time, yet it developed, showing how much interest these music styles had for young people,” she explains.
Despite this ideal start, various excesses have been reported in the local and national press multiple times. One of the most striking was the organization of a gathering at the end of August 2025 in Aude, in an agricultural plain located in an area affected by a massive fire three weeks earlier, where one person had lost their life.
“I agree that this episode was not very clever or moral,” emphasizes David Muñoz. “But that is not the majority of cases. I think instead we should promote dialogue between organizers, authorities, and landowners to ensure that they run smoothly.” “We always tidy up the spaces we use. Everyone takes responsibility by attaching a trash bag to their rearview mirror, for example,” adds Thomas Ovide.
From now on, organizing these events will be considered a new offense, punishable by 2 years in prison and a fine of 30,000 euros. Participants will also face fines, ranging from 1,500 to 3,000 euros in case of recurrence.
