Photo : Communale Saint-Ouen
Kouss-Kouss Festival
Trade your standard Sunday meal for a celebration of the legendary couscous in an iconic repurposed hall just outside the city center. You will get to sample expert-made semolina dishes with bold twists while diving into creative textile workshops using garden herbs. It is the perfect opportunity to connect with local chefs and tap into your artistic side in a truly vibrant setting.
Communale Saint-Ouen
About
The Kouss-Kouss Festival arrives at Communale Saint-Ouen on Sunday, October 18, 2026, for a day dedicated to Mediterranean culinary heritage and botanical discovery. This event invites you to explore the link between nature and food through guided garden walks, a collaborative feast with chef Abdel Alaoui, and creative textile workshops. Whether you are interested in plant-based design or communal dining, this gathering offers a unique sensory experience. Please note that the foraging activity at Serre Wangari is free of charge, though you must book in advance to secure your spot for this immersive outdoor session.
PUT SOME GRAIN IN YOUR LIFE!
Sunday, October 18, from 11 am to 5 pm, we are pulling out all the stops. Come spend a day dedicated to sharing, delicious aromas, and homemade food at Communale Saint-Ouen.
PROGRAM
A total immersion, from soil to plate, and then to fabric!
11 am - 1 pm: Picking and fresh air at Serre Wangari
We start by treating ourselves to a dose of greenery. Head out to stretch your legs during a sensory stroll in the gardens of Serre Wangari. Come discover the secrets of herbs and spices, understand the cycle of these magical plants, and leave with your own fresh, fragrant bouquet. (It's free, but don't wait to book).
From 1 pm: Giant KOUSS•KOUSS with Abdel Alaoui
Giant couscous and gourmet connections with Abdel Alaoui and CASM 93. After the effort, the reward. In the ranking of dishes that everyone agrees on, couscous tops the podium. Great semolina, perfect cooking, fragrant broth, and a clever aromatic twist: it's time for serious business. To do things right, Abdel Alaoui (the ace of semolina and author of Couscous Connexions) is teaming up with the big-hearted chefs of CASM 93. Committed women, firmly rooted in the local area, who put all their culinary talent to work for the collective. On the menu: sharing, generosity, recipes that shake up the classics (thiéré style, attiéké, or even sweet versions), and a warm, inviting atmosphere.
Shared meal: €15.
3:30 pm - 5 pm: Botanical printing workshop with Les Déteintes To digest gently, we move into creative mode with Flora and Marianne from the Déteintes studio.
Come get initiated into the art of sustainable design! Using aromatic plants from the garden, you will learn two impact techniques: eco-printing by rolling and heating, and tataki zomé (yes, the famous hammering of plants onto fabric). You leave with your own colorful, unique, and natural creation.
Workshop: €5.
What awaits you is a local, committed, eclectic, and gourmet day.
BUT WHAT IS KOUS-KOUS?
It is a culinary and cultural festival dedicated to couscous. Kouss·Kouss has been held in Marseille since 2018 and brings together more than 300 locations throughout the city each year: restaurants, food shops, markets, cultural venues, and public spaces.
For its 9th edition in 2026, centered around herbs and spices, the festival celebrates Mediterranean culinary heritage, expertise, and plant uses, while questioning our relationship with the living world, food, and the landscape.
Kouss·Kouss is part of the Marseille Summer and the 2026 Mediterranean Season.
A production by I.C.I – Les Grandes Tables and Marseille Centre, in partnership with the Marseille Tourist, Leisure and Congress Office and the City of Marseille.
Our take on this event
On Sunday, October 18, 2026, Communale Saint-Ouen hosts a day centered on the culinary and cultural significance of herbs and aromatics. The program begins at 11:00 with a fragrant garden walk at Serre Wangari, where you can learn about plant cycles and create your own fresh bouquet. Participation in this activity is free, but reservations are required.
At 13:00, chef Abdel Alaoui and the cooks from CASM 93 invite you to a giant couscous feast. Priced at 15 euros, this shared meal celebrates generous, community-focused cooking, featuring twists on traditional recipes like thiéré and attiéké. It is an opportunity to enjoy a collective dining experience in a welcoming atmosphere.
From 15:30 to 17:00, the focus shifts to creativity with a 5-euro botanical printing workshop led by the Les Déteintes studio. You will experiment with eco-printing and tataki zomé, using aromatic plants to craft your own unique piece of dyed fabric. This event is part of the 9th edition of the Kouss-Kouss Festival, which explores Mediterranean culinary traditions and our connection to the living world.
