12,000 Attend Illegal Rave in Southern France Amid Safety Concerns

Mass Gathering in French Nature Reserve

Approximately 12,000 people have gathered for an unauthorized rave event in Mont-Lozère-et-Goulet, a nature reserve in southern France's Lozère department. Local authorities confirmed the illegal gathering began Friday morning.

Safety Warnings and Fatality

The regional prefect has issued urgent appeals for attendees to leave the area immediately. This comes after a fatal accident involving a 25-year-old woman en route to the event. Her vehicle overturned on an unpaved road, resulting in her death and injuring another passenger.

Fire Hazard and Police Response

Authorities have blocked major access roads due to extreme fire risks in the drought-stricken Cevennes mountain region, where wildfires recently occurred. Fire services remain on high alert with 80 personnel deployed. Despite police reinforcements, officers haven't intervened directly as attendees continue arriving via forest paths.

History of Illegal Raves

These unauthorized "teknival" events frequently occur in remote European locations during spring and autumn. In May 2025, Montvalent village hosted 9,000 ravers despite having only 300 residents, causing €50,000 in agricultural damage. The neighboring Gard department recorded 47 such events in 2023.