The Paléo Festival in Switzerland ended its collaboration with Patrick Bruel following accusations from a volunteer masseuse

Nyon – 25.05.2026: The Paléo Festival in Nyon, Switzerland, has ended its collaboration with French singer Patrick Bruel after a volunteer massage therapist reported “unacceptable behavior” by the artist in 2019. This decision was made following a report by the French TV program “Sept à Huit” on May 24, 2026, in which the massage therapist detailed an incident during Bruel’s performance at the Paléo Festival in July 2019.

According to the anonymous massage therapist, Bruel lay completely naked on a couch backstage during the massage and asked to have the pubic area massaged. She described this behavior as “unacceptable.” In a statement on social media, the Paléo Festival emphasized that it takes the incident “very seriously” and supports the volunteer. “It is clear that we will no longer invite Patrick Bruel to the Paléo Festival,” the statement read.

After the 2019 incident, the massage therapist initiated legal action which ended in an out-of-court settlement. It is reported that she withdrew the lawsuit after a financial agreement, in which Bruel donated several thousand euros to an organization supporting migrant women. Bruel’s lawyer confirmed the settlement but denied the accusations, stressing that “there was no gesture from Patrick Bruel” toward the massage therapist. “The settlement was proposed by the prosecutor, as is usually the case in Switzerland in less serious accusations,” he added.

These accusations are not the first against Bruel. In 2019, several similar allegations were made by massage therapists from various locations in France, including Perpignan and Ajaccio. This led to investigations into sexual harassment and exhibitionism. However, these cases were closed in December 2020 by the Nanterre prosecutor’s office due to lack of sufficient evidence confirming a crime.

Despite the cessation of investigations in France, the Paléo Festival in Nyon decided to end its collaboration with Bruel due to the 2019 incident. “Respect and safety of our community are not negotiable,” the festival emphasized in its statement. This decision also comes against the backdrop of Patrick Bruel’s upcoming tour, which is set to take place in the coming months in Switzerland.

The accusations against Bruel once again raise questions about the responsibility of artists and organizers when dealing with such accusations. It remains to be seen how the situation will develop further and what impact it will have on Bruel’s career.