Opera Garnier, Opera National de Paris or Palais Garnier, or more known commonly as the Paris Opera, whatever you call it, it’s generally considered to be one of the most important buildings in Paris.

Opera Garnier | the Versailles of Opera Houses

It’s actually not as old as you might think. In 1860, the city of Paris held a contest to choose a design for the new opera house. It was at a time when Paris was undergoing huge change under the direction of Georges-Eugène Haussmann, commonly known as Baron Haussman. Napoleon III appointed him to carry out a massive urban renewal programme in Paris. More than 170 designs were submitted and Charles Garnier, just 35 years old, was the winner. Born in rue Mouffetard, Paris, in 1825 he was formally educated but unknown. The opera house opened on 5 January 1875 and it was to make him internationally famous.

In creating Palais Garnier, he crafted the architectural style of the Second Empire. When Empress Eugénie, perplexed by the building’s lack of unity, asked him: “What is this style? This is no style, it is not Greek or Louis XVI”, Garnier replied “No, those styles are all outdated, this is Napoleon III”.

It wasn’t an easy project. During the course of its construction delays were caused by the discovery of an underground lake, a war in 1870, the Siege of Paris and fall of the Second Empire. Napoleon III died two years before the work was finished.

The Paris Opera company founded by Louis XIV in 1669 moved here, its 13th home, on 15 January 1875. It was an enormous success and became the showpiece of Haussman’s new Paris. To this day it is one of the largest theatres of the world with 1,979 seats.

Gold, glamour and glitz

Opulent, ornamental, gleaming, glamorous and glitzy – wow factor galore is what the Opera is all about both inside and out. The moment you enter its doors to the grand, mirrored foyers, designed for the rich to see and be seen, there’s no doubting that this was meant to be a statement building.

One of the most famous aspects of the building is the Grand Staircase built from white marble, with beautiful mellow lighting, sculptures and lots of gold – it’s utterly breath-taking and a theatrical setting. Though, if you visit in 2019 you might find the sight of two gold painted tractor tyres a bit bizarre. They’re part of a modern art installation by French artist Claude Lévêque to celebrate 350 years of the Paris Opera. Not all who see it are enthralled. It’s not the first time that Palais Garnier has caused controversy with its art choices.

In 1964, the ceiling of the auditorium was updated with a painting by Marc Chagall. So great was the criticism at this choice that the original painting by Eugene Lenepveu was retained underneath it.

Chagall’s secret message in the ceiling of the Paris opera house

The ceiling painted by Marc Chagall is now considered one of the wonders of Paris. Countless thousands have stood looking in awe at the incredible colours and images. Recently a secret was revealed in the painting. The Google Art Project which designs the most powerful cameras in the world and photographs major artworks around the world, captured images of Chagall’s painting. They invited Chagall’s son to review the images and he told them that his father had told him that he had painted him as a baby. But, he had never been able to see the image despite looking for many years.

The Google team zoomed in on the photos. And, incredibly, after more than 50 years the image was revealed. It was Chagall’s son, painted as a tiny baby, the son of Chagall (read more about Google’s discovery of Chagall’s secret painting).

Below it hangs an enormous, 340 light, 7-ton bronze and crystal chandelier designed by Garnier. In 1896 a counterweight, used to lift it for cleaning, fell into the audience and killed a theatre-goer. It was partly this which inspired the famous tale of the Phantom of the opera by Gaston Leroux in 1910. In fact go there today and you’ll see a door marked for the Phantom’s box!

A monumental Opera House

The stage is the largest in Europe and can hold up to 450 artists! When you visit there are often rehearsals ongoing so you can’t always get into the auditorium all the time but may have to wait to see it. In the Grand Foyer, lined with mirrors and lights is just like the Gallery of Mirrors at Versailles. It’s easy to imagine it in the 19th century, thronging with jewelled, wide gowned ladies and top-hatted gents. It was as much then, if not more so, about showing off your wealth as it was about seeing an opera.

It’s said that the opera house has 2,531 doors, 7593 keys and six miles of underground tunnels with a secret lake – where the Phantom of the Opera lives!

You can take a tour (self-guided or guided) to enjoy it in all its splendour. And, of course you can see an opera there – but book in advance, tickets sell like hot cakes!
How and where to get tickets from: There are a wide range of performances year round from ballet and opera, both classical to modern and a range of prices from 15 Euros to hundreds of Euros.
Book online at: www.operadeparis.fr
Guided tours take place in English each day at 11:00 and 14:30. Reserve online at Opéra Garnier or via tour companys like Cultival.

Fans of Escape Game might like to know you can take part in an immersive journey in the footsteps of the Phantom of the Opera, animated by actors in period costume! Book online at Opera de Paris (link above)

Discover more great things to do in Paris at: Parisinfo – the official website for the Paris Tourist Office

Read how Paris Garnier inspired the famous Opera cake
Ten things to do in Versailles

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There’s no denying that the French love a festival, their many and diverse street celebrations always seem to bring out the soul and essence of a city. And surprisingly, the sleepy and historic city of Vienne in the Isère department of the Auvergne Rhône Alpes region in the south east of France, is no exception.

For two weeks from late June until mid-July, Vienne’s ancient walls, cobbled streets and many Roman remains throb to the rhythm and beat of jazz and blues, as its remarkable annual Jazz a Vienne festival gets underway.

Jazz a Vienne

Vienne is a modest city, with thousands of years of history and a population of a little under 30,000. It’s surrounded by outstanding natural beauty with rolling hills, ancient ruins, vineyards clinging to steep rocky terraces and orchards. It sits on the banks of the majestic River Rhône which sweeps slowly by.  For most of the year,  there’s a sense of quiet calm, bathed as it is in southern sunshine and a reassuring sense of its own important place in history.

Which is one of the reasons that the Jazz a Vienne festival is quite such a surprise and a delight. It’s the main jazz festival in France and one of the biggest in Europe, attracting some 200,000 festival goers every year.

Free and paid events take place around the city. Narrow, cobbled lanes throb with the sound of music, the Roman gardens of Cybèle in the heart of the city become a stage. So do the ancient Roman ruins at the Musée de Saint Romain en Gal across the river. While the stunning and ornate Théâtre à I’Italienne hosts midnight performances.

Jazz in Vienne Festival 2018

In 2018, some 250 different events or concerts are planned, with 4 main stages and 200 free events. Each day the festival runs from noon to midnight. The programme includes musical lectures, film screenings, and live music in the city’s many cafés and restaurants. Hedonistic beats dance off the Corinthian columns of the Roman temple.

The most exhilarating venue has to be the stunning and huge Roman amphitheatre, with its unique acoustics and atmosphere. Lit up at night, with a huge sense of history, some 14,000 revellers enjoy headline acts. The fantastic line up includes international stars like Earth, Wind and Fire, Gregory Porter, Jeff Beck and Sting! And if you can’t get a seat in the amphitheatre you can always enjoy an aerial view by walking up Mont Pipet directly above.

The music isn’t necessarily strictly jazz and the festival embraces gospel, blues, soul, funk, ethnic and quite a lot more. The festival describes itself as eclectic and opulent, vast but intimate. For two weeks, music is everywhere, echoing back off the Rhône and the mountains, lifting the soul and feeding the mind. It’s an extraordinary moment in time when the wonders of Rome collide with the wonders of music and for music lovers looking for something unique, it really shouldn’t be missed.

Practical Information

Jazz a Vienne runs from the 28^th June to the 13^th July 2018, and you can find out more and book tickets at their website: www.jazzavienne.com

Vienne is about 40 minutes from Grenoble airport by car and Ryanair flights from London Stansted to Grenoble Airport start from £9.99 one way and run from until the 27 October 2018 – details www.ryanair.com.

For more help planning your trip contact the tourist office at www.vienne-condrieu.com

 Lucy Pitts is a freelance writer, Editor of Fine Magazine and deputy editor of The Good Life France

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France has long had a penchant for jazz and in the summer there are jazz festivals galore. There’s nothing quite like listening to the sweet sounds from a café in a tree-lined square,  alongside the Mediterranean or in a park under a setting sun.

Jazz in Marciac

The small town of Marciac, tucked away in the valleys of the Gers, southwest France packs a big jazz punch. The annual festival takes place every summer and it’s no ordinary jazz event – this is 15 days of world class jazz, drawing more than 250,000 people to enjoy the 15 days of performances. Marciac Jazz Festival has become one of the most important jazz events in the world nevertheless, the buzz in the town remains authentic, fun and vibrant. Over the years the festival has seen Dizzy Gillespie, Nina Simone and Ray Charles take to the stage and thrill the crowds – the programme never disappoints.

Details: Jazzinmarciac.com www.jazzinmarciac.com; read our full review of Jazz in Marciac.

Jazz in Juan-les-Pins, Antibes

The cultural heart of the Cote d’Azur is a place to sit and watch the world go by. It’s also where you’ll enjoy a jazz festival in what must be one of the most lush settings in the world. Cannes is in the background, the Mediterranean Sea glistens in the sun, the scent of pine trees fills the air. The longest running of European jazz festivals is legendary.

Details jazzajuan.com read our full review of Jazz in Juan-les-Pins, Antibes

Jazz in Normandy

In late spring the apples trees vibrate to the sound of music as Coutances, in the department of Manche turns from a sleepy medieval market town to a thronging jazz town. Punching way above its weight, the eight-day festival spills out of marquees, social halls, bars and church buildings on to streets thronged with music lovers. 50 plus concerts, presenting a kaleidoscope of jazz styles, from Dixieland and boogie-woogie to avant-garde.

Details: jazzsouslespommiers.com Read our review of Jazz sous les Pommiers, Normandy

Jazz in Nice

Nice is home to one of the oldest jazz festivals in Europe. It opened in 1948 and headlining the bill was one Louis Armstrong and his All Stars. Held annually in July, in the height of the summer sun, it’s a mellow, fun and fabulous festival that takes place in the centre of the sunny city with up to 9000 spaces for jazz fans over 5 nights of music and mayhem.

Details: nicejazzfestival.fr

Jazz in Paris

Seven weekends of jazz events in the lovely Parc Floral make for a music lovers dream come true. This event has become ever more popular since it was founded in 1994 and now attracts more than 100,000 spectators. From mid-June to the end of July, the city hums and Parisians flock to the park to enjoy jazz in the open air. You pay to enter the park, the concerts are free. Take a picnic and chill – it’s a great way to feel like a local and experience authentic Paris.

Details: parisjazzfestival.fr

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Marciac is a Gascon bastide village that dates to the end of the 13th Century, set among the sunflowers and cornfields of the Gers. Despite its petite size it has a global reputation thanks to the famous jazz festival that takes place each year pulling in almost quarter of a million visitors. To a town with barely more than 1000 residents, that’s an incredible number.

Marciac Jazz Festival 2017

Celebrating its 40th year, the Jazz in Marciac festival has an even larger array of international jazz musicians on the bill than usual. Norah Jones is headlining, with Herbie Hancock, Ibrahim Maalouf, George Benson, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Chucho Valdès, Stanley Clarke, Richard Galliano, Didier Lockwood and Roberto Fonseca among the many other artists who come back time and time again. Last year, Jamie Cullum played for the third time and tore the roof off!

There are around 225,000 visitors during the 20-day festival. The event is the highlight and focus of the year for this village in the heart of D’Artagnan country. From the last weekend of July until the 25th of August, every door, garage, barn or window that opens onto the streets becomes a gallery, restaurant, artisan workshop, or local produce stand. Visitors come from all over France, as well as Europe and the USA.

Each year a huge marquee seating more than 5,500 is constructed on the rugby club grounds to house the main concerts. Hundreds of young people register as ‘bénévoles’ (volunteers) and help the whole event to run smoothly. They collect tickets, usher people to their seats, drive artists back and forth, translate, blog and man the toilet blocks set up throughout the village.

Artists and artisans at Marciac Jazz Festival

Renowned artist, Perry Taylor, is among the many creative souls who sets up a gallery each year during the 3-week festival. His humorous drawings of life in South West France are appreciated by the jazz lovers as is the cool air of the old barn where he hangs his art. You’ll find it just off the main square (rue des Cinq Parts) and it’s a welcome break from the heat and the bustle of the festival. Last year, the gallery had 10,000 visitors.

Perry’s drawings focus on life in the Gers, jazz, regional cuisine, rugby, hunting and all things ‘Gascon’. His gallery is full of originals, prints, greeting cards and his two books of collected drawings. For 2017 Perry has invited ‘upcycling’ sculptor, Yannick Beslot to join him in the gallery, with his recycled musical instruments and spare parts.

Website for perrytaylor

Jazz in Marciac 2017 is from 28 July until 25 August.

Nearest airports, Toulouse, Tarbes-Lourdes, Pau and Bordeaux,

For tickets and information: www.jazzinmarciac.com

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Tucked away in the small valleys of the Gers in south west France is the classic bastide town of Marciac. It’s not huge, it has a population of around 1300, a central village square with the town hall as its main feature and the four sides of the square are lined with shops and cafés.

But one thing makes Marciac unique amongst the many bastide towns of France and that is Jazz.

The Jazz Festival of Marciac

Back in 1978 a small group of friends led by school teacher Jean-Louis Guilhaumon started a small jazz festival. Nearly 40 years later, it has become one of the most important jazz festivals in the world.

Over 250,000 people visit the Marciac Jazz Festival over its fifteen days. 65,000 attend concerts in the Chapiteau (a huge marquee) erected on the town’s rugby pitch. It’s here that not just some, but nearly all of the biggest names in Jazz have played over those 40 years.

Now I have to confess that though I am not a jazz fan I am a huge fan of music. However, two days in Marciac converted me.

The highlight of the 2016 festival for many people was a performance by the legendary Ahmad Jamal. At 86 years old he came out of retirement to play his only concert in the world that year in a little bastide town in Gascony, when I asked him why he said “when Jean -Louis asks, you say yes, he is a very special man.”

One time school teacher Jean-Louis Guilhaumon is now mayor of Marciac and President of the Marciac Jazz festival. He is also Vice-President of the regional council of the Midi-Pyrenees.

He is immensely proud that the college he taught at now has Jazz on the curriculum. 20 pupils from the area have gone on to be professional musicians and the town has a permanent concert venue, the very modern 500 seat L’Astrada , which hosts music, theatre and dance throughout the year.

Music is everywhere when the festival is on. Every bar, street corner and alleyway has musicians playing, the square is one free festival, vibrant, exciting and great for the trip jazz fan or not. Over the year’s luminaries such as Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, Nina Simone and Ray Charles have played Marciac.

But Marciac is not just a town for the jazz festival. It’s worth visiting anytime of the year with a great street market and warm evenings from Spring to Autumn, perfect for late night dining and talking under the stars. The Jazz Museum Les Territoires du Jazz makes for a great visit as do the local Armagnac vineyards and those of Plaimont wine growers where you can sponsor a vine named after a jazz musician.

Marciac turned out to be a bit of a surprise, a very pleasant surprise.

Read about the artists of Marciac Jazz Festival – bringing joie de vivre to the town and its visitors!

Find more fabulous things to do in France at: uk.france.fr

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We’ve put together details of some of the best known, best-loved or just plain fun annual music events in France.

If you know of any music events that you think we should include so that other people can enjoy them too, please let us know via our Contact Form.

France Music events in May

Belfort International University Music Festival

Each June in Franche Comté – approximately 2000 musicians, amateur choral singers, performers, orchestras and bands from around the world gather for a musical festival like no other. The Festival is open to any French or foreign music group predominantly consisting of students or pupils of music academies and music schools, as well as to musical groups practising music as amateurs. The Festival welcomes all musical genres: classical music, new music, jazz, rock music, music of the world, brass bands, opera etc. There are 200 free concerts; for more details see the official website: www.fimu.com

France Music events in June

Paris Jazz Festival

Mid June to end July in Paris.  Annual jazz festival presents a summer programme of free concerts in the Parc Floral, check the website for what’s on and when: www.parisjazzfestival.fr

Fête de la Musique

21 June, Paris and across France.  For the last thirty years, on the same day each year, Paris has opened its streets, stages, hospitals and prisons to any and all musicians in a huge all-day free music fête. All concerts and events are free, and include performances by the largest and most famous institutions as well as amateurs.  Held on the day of the summer solstice details can be found on the following website:  www.fetedelamusique.culture.fr

Main Square Festival

At the end of June to the beginning of July in Arras – the Main Square Festival takes place over a long weekend.  It’s becoming increasingly popular due to the big name acts and great local talent that is booked, plus easy access to the venue, welcoming locals and a great atmosphere.

France Music events in July

Aix Festival

July, Aix-en-Provence. For fans of opera and classical music and beautiful venues, there is much here to thrill. There are many performances held in stunning locations – theatres, cathedrals chateau etc. You can see all the details and book details on the festival website: www.festival-aix.com

Festival Beauregard

July, Hérouville Saint-Clair, Normandy – big name performances including the Kaiser Chiefs, Garbage, Franz Gerdinand and many more for three days of great music in (camping available on site). www.festivalbeauregard.com

Orange Festival

7-30 July Orange, France – The festival dates back to 1860 and takes place in the Roman Theatre in Orange, the only building of its kind which still has its acoustic stage wall. For details of the performances and performer and to book tickets see the Orange Festival website: www.choregies.fr

International Festival of Baroque Opera

July, Beaune.  There are many musical events in Beaune but this is one of the most prestigious festivals of baroque music in Europe. It perpetuates the musical tradition of the Court of the Dukes of Burgundy which was considered one of the brightest and most sumptuous of the fifteenth century www.festivalbeaune.com

La Francofolies

July, La Rochelle – annual music festival attended by 150,000 people and with over 2,300 musicians and groups. www.francofolies.fr

Jazz Festival of Nice

July, Nice – offering a wide-ranging mix of jazz, from gospel and blues to urban funk, and from African roots to experimental sounds. Performances are staged in the arena of the gardens of Albert 1st, and the gardens next to Place Masséna; the events which take place over the course of a week attract tens of thousands of fans.  For dates and tickets see www.nicejazzfestival.fr

Jazz Festival Marciac

July and August sees one of the best jazz festivals in the world take place in sunny Marciac. Big names, sunshine, street performances and a brilliant atmosphere make this an absolute must do for jazz and music fans. www.jazzinmarciac.com

France Music events in August

La Musique Cordiale

August, Seillans, Provence – Two weeks of great classical music and opera performed by students, professionals and established names. Performed outdoors in Seillans’ town square and various nearby venues. Some of the concerts are free and to book tickets for those which are not see the website: www.musique-cordiale.com

France Music events in September

Montlouis Jazz Festival

September Montlouis, Burgundy – Annual event at which around 250 jazz and blues musicians join together for a packed musical programme. www.jazzentouraine.com

Les Nuits de Nacre Accordion Music festival

September in Tulle, Limousin join in the fun of the “Mother of Pearl Nights”. An accordion music festival with lots of sing-along action and jollity. www.accordeon.org

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It was with some excitement that I ventured out on a chilly January day to the Sceneo events venue in St Omer, northern France. It’s a lovely rural town, but I wasn’t there to enjoy the architecture, fabulous boulangeries and cosy cafés. I was there to meet a man called Gary Mullen and to have a rocking night out.

Gary, from Scotland, was in northern France to perform at Sceneo as his alter ego Freddie Mercury. I was lucky enough to grab some time with him and ask him about life on the road as a legend. Some of you may know him from the “Stars In Their Eyes” TV Show in the UK – he won it with the highest number of votes any act has ever received.

“I love my job” Gary told me “When people come to see us perform, they can forget their troubles for two hours and just enjoy themselves”. He’s a lifelong Freddie Mercury and Queen fan “when we played at the same Paris Venue as Queen, and I was in the dressing room he’d been in – it was amazing” he says. Being Freddie Mercury is an absolute passion for Gary. When he puts on the costume, it’s uncanny, he has the mannerisms, the cheekiness, the look of the legend. He’s performed as Freddie all around the world including BBC Proms in the Park. When you see him in the guise of the Queen singer and frontman, it’s an uncanny experience, as if the superstar has come back to rock us one more time.

Queen were an iconic band, their music has never dated and it’s as invigorating, skilful and brilliant as it ever was. That night in France, I sat in the audience enthralled alongside thousands as Gary and his talented band The Works turned into Freddie Mercury and Queen.

I can honestly say it was one of the most exhilarating concerts I’ve ever been to. French audiences are normally quite reticent in my experience but there was none of that here. “Get up and dance” cried Freddie and – to my astonishment they did. They boogied to “Fat Bottomed Girls”, they clapped to “We Will Rock You”, they whooped to “We are the Champions“. People stamped their feet and sang along to “Radio Gaga”, those that couldn’t get to the floor space and dance that is. Listening to Gary and The Works give their all is a wonderful homage to Queen but it’s more than that, they’re all exceptional performers in their own right.

Going to One Night of Queen leaves you feeling energised and smiling. The lighting, sound and stage presentation are superb. The performance is dazzling. When Gary ran on to the stage bear-chested waving the French flag, the crowd went wild. This is a truly fabulous, feel good night out.

If you get the chance to see Gary Mullen and The World perform One Night of Queen – and they tour worldwide – go, I guarantee you’ll have your night well and truly rocked.

Tour Dates 2017

Gary Mullen and The Works website

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I’ve been a regular at this jazz festival over the past few years and every year when the programme is published I cannot resist just one more visit! I duly pack my bags and set off for the French Riviera and head for Antibes/Juan-les-Pins…

If you’re of a certain age you may well remember Peter Sarstedt famously mentioning Juan in his 1969 No 1 hit: ‘Where Do You Go To My Lovely’. The lyrics tell of a portrait of a young girl who becomes a member of the Euro jet-set spending her summer holidays whiling away the time in Juan-les-Pins sipping Martini! Heaven on earth! And it really is… it’s a place to sit and watch the world go by, sipping Martini in one of the many street cafés and bars that favour this enticing place which is full of life with people of all ages partying to the early hours.

Another thing to enjoy here is listening to some of the world’s most iconic jazz performers in what must be one of the  most attractive settings in the world, la Pinède Gould, the Pine Grove, named after American businessman, Frank Jay Gould, a good friend of Charlie Chaplin.

The Pinède is set in an enviable position gracefully overlooking the Mediterranean with the backdrop of Cannes adding greatly to the overall flavour and atmosphere of the environment. And in contrast to the hubbub of 24-hour living in Juan you’ll find the old town of Antibes – neatly divided by Cap d’Antibes – provides a peaceful and serene alternative. The longest-running of all the European jazz festivals, Jazz à Juan (as it’s now billed) has established itself over the decades as a legendary event where jazz memories are born but above all where jazz thrives and still lives on!

Such has been its success that it has spawned a number of other similar festivals throughout Europe. The late Claude Nobs, creator of the Montreux Festival, affectionately said: ‘If I hadn’t stopped by Antibes, Montreux would never have happened!’ Praise, indeed!

The festival embraces every jazz style you can possibly think of from swing through soul to rock.

Such revolutionary and revered figures as Charlie Mingus came in the early years armed with the baptismal foundations of free jazz while that genius named Ray Charles made his European début here and John Coltrane hit the jackpot with his mythical interpretation of ‘Love Supreme’ in 1965. And when Miles Davis graced the Pinède it created an ‘event’ in itself while Satchmo was the ‘event’!

And the show goes on with a host of leading contemporary players now setting the pace and the Pinède alight. The 2016 programme is packed with a host of top acts and features two of America’s leading saxophonists, Archie Shepp (champion of free jazz) and Charles Lloyd (the most hip of all tenor sax players).

One of America’s iconic blues guitarists – revered by Eric Clapton who said that he is the ‘best guitarist of all time’,  is also back on the agenda to show off his earthy, roaring and driving Louisiana blues-style sound which he dispenses with clarity and ease. Born in 1936, Buddy Guy is a living legend and has enjoyed a career spanning more than half a century, selling millions of albums and collecting honours galore along the way.

One group to look out for this year is French-based outfit, Maryline and the Family Company. They look set to rock the Pinède to the wee small hours offering their audience a feast of rock ‘n’ roll and country-rock classics as a tribute to American music. In fact, it was at a country-rock gig at the South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas, that they first met. Returning to France, they took the plunge and started their own ‘family’ business based upon their shared enthusiasm for the music and the great songwriters they most admire.

France (and Paris, in particular) has been so important in nurturing and developing jazz since the Roaring Twenties. Antibes/Juan-les-Pins became a second home to many jazz-loving Parisian vaudeville stars such as Maurice Chevalier and Mistinguett, and has surely carved its name with pride in the history of jazz.

Turn the clock back and you’ll touch base with the immortal songbird, Ella, who’s still fondly remembered for famously improvising a duet with a chirping cicada, which, if you don’t know, is a stout-bodied insect with large membranous wings. The male of the species has drum-like organs and produces a high-pitched drone. Just the right note for Ella it seems!

One man who’s indelibly linked to Antibes/Juan-les-Pins and a famous party-goer was American soprano sax player, Sidney Bechet. A pathfinder of the New Orleans revival style, Bechet tied the knot in Antibes in 1951 and the nuptials were followed by one of the biggest street parties ever to be seen on the French Riviera. After Bechet’s death in 1959 the festival was founded in his honour.

The festival runs every year for 11 days in sunny July, there’s always a lot going so check out the programme – and get ready to pack your bags!

Details: Jazz a Juan 

Tony Cooper has been working across the field of publishing for a great number of years and worked for Eastern Counties Newspapers/Archant, based in his home city of Norwich, writing on travel, cultural matters and motor sport. He’s now a regular contributor to various regional newspapers and lifestyle magazines.

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My summer in the Lot area, south west France, has been filled with music and in August my friends and I attended a concert organised by the Festival de Figeac at the Chateau de Beduer which is located in the Cele Valley. We found seats and sat admiring the courtyard of this 11^th century Chateau as dusk deepened and coloured flood lights illuminated the Chateau’s ancient stone walls. A gleaming Steinway grand piano stood center stage. As we waited for the 9 pm start time, however, we noticed dark clouds gathering overhead. They made the sunset beautiful, but as violinist Olivier Pons spoke his opening remarks, they began to spill a raindrop here and a raindrop there. The piano was quickly closed and covered; we waited ten minutes to see if Mother Nature was going to cooperate with this outdoor concert. She did…kind of.  The pianist, Risto Lauriala with Pons on the violin swept us through Dvorak, Tchaikovsky, and Pagnini, but as we applauded their superb performance, we began to be peppered with raindrops once more. The piano was again covered, but this time the crowd was shepherded under cover while benches and chairs along with the blanketed Steinway were moved into the galleried Salles des Etats, the grand reception room of the Chateau.

While it was unfortunate that the concert had to be interrupted to relocate the audience and the musicians, it was an unexpected gift to be inside the Chateau. Privately owned, it is not normally open to the public and lacking sufficient funds to rent it by the week, this may have been my only opportunity to sneak a peek at its beautiful interior.

The musicians were hastily staged in front of the huge wall-to-wall, two-story 15th century stone chimney and hearth while the crowd filed in. The piano was quickly re-tuned.

Both the room and its gallery were packed with people on benches, chairs or even sitting on the stone floor, surrounding the musicians for a cozy and intimate finale to the evening. Pons and Lauriala were joined by violinists, Veronique Constant and Corinne Contardo, and cellist, Helen Linden. For the next 45 minutes we were lifted and lulled, inspired and intrigued by Dvorak’s Quintella. Being so close to the performers, it became obvious just how physical a musical performance is. The cellist never sat still…she was leaning, swaying, and bouncing the entire time she was drawing her bow and plucking the strings of her instrument. Likewise, the violinists were tapping their feet and sometimes stomping them on a dramatic note, moving with the emotion of the music. It was midnight when the musicians took their final bow to the thunderous and appreciative applause of an enthralled audience. As we slowly made our way through the Chateau’s high arched medieval gate into the warm night air, you could feel the crowd sigh with satisfaction. It was an evening of magnificent music wrapped in the magic of a majestic Chateau. Summertime in the Lot! Who would want to be anywhere else?

This concert was part of a two-week series of events in conjunction with the annual music festival in Figeac. Professional musicians gather here to play and teach master classes. The concerts are the culmination of their hard work and hours of practice and are performed in churches and chateaux in our local towns and villages. You can visit their website for additional information: www.festivaldefigeac.com about participating in the master classes, purchasing tickets, and the concert schedule.

By Evelyn Jackson

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The annual Jazz Sous Les Pommiers (‘Jazz Under The Apple Trees’)  Normandy Jazz Festival draws top stars and huge crowds…

An ancient barn in the yard of the historic Manoir de Coutainville, an oyster farm on the unspoilt coast at Blainville – each echo in turn to an eclectic mix of jazz, a multi-faceted music form that’s long enjoyed massive popularity among the French.

The annual Normandy Jazz Festival takes place in May and  June and is a riot of good times and great music. Yes, there will be seasoned jazz buffs aplenty thronging the little mediaeval market town of Coutances and its rural surroundings for the festival but this is a celebration aimed just as much at the mass public, for whom the overall ‘let the good times roll’ ambience of a fun family day out matters far more than the proficiency or otherwise of the performers – who range from local amateur players to seasoned international stars. And the French certainly know how to throw a party!

Kaleidoscope of styles at the Normandy Jazz Festival

Punching way above its weight, the eight-day festival spills out of marquees, social halls, bars and church buildings on to streets thronged with more than 50,000 ticket holders for the programme of 50 plus concerts, presenting a kaleidoscope of jazz styles, from Dixieland and boogie-woogie to avant-garde.

Normandy, with its ‘1066 And All That’ connections, figures strongly on the radar for ex-pats and visiting British tourists alike and a warm welcome awaits them at this fun-packed event. On arrival, we were met by Gérard Collet, a volunteer at the festival since the very first edition, three decades ago. Despite its high levels of professionalism, the event relies extensively on community effort and goodwill. It’s an organisational tour de force.

Normandy Jazz Festival Massive street party

“The whole town embraces the event,” enthused Gérard, “This is normally a quiet little place but each June it becomes not just a major cultural and gastronomic event but a massive street party.”

Listening to jazz being played in the sun while you quaffe Champagne and slurp fresh, plump local molluscs at a seaside oyster farm is one of life’s most wonderful pleasures. Afterwards we pedalled off into the evening as part of an organised fun bike ride that saw 50 or 60 of us cycle leisurely past the apple orchards from venue to venue.

Other highlights include a free tasting of local cheeses and feasts on seafood, sausages, crépes, cider, Calvados and other local specialities, for this is a gastronomic as well as musical celebration.

Carnival procession

Then there was the colourful spectacle of 10 perfectly honed marching bands from as far afield as Brazil, Macedonia and Finland, parading carnival style in a noisy street procession through the town’s squares and along its crowd-thronged boulevards.

Averting the danger of overdosing on all that music, we took time out to explore some local attractions. Set on the sweeping Bay of Mont Saint-Michel, the lively seaside resort and fishing port of Granville is a fortified town whose massive granite walls pay testament to its strategic importance during the Hundred Years War and its role as a base for fearsome corsairs making raids across the Channel.

Amid a beautiful cliff top garden in the town’s gracious suburbs stands Christian Dior’s childhood home, which now serves as a fascinating museum, dedicated to the designer and his iconic fashion house. Villa Les Rhumbs is today a treasure trove of memories, restored to its original 1920’s style and full of artefacts of the great couturier.

Formerly capital of the Cotentin Peninsula, Coutances itself has historic attractions, including a cathedral with 8^th Century origins.

Our accommodation was at the comfortable Hotel Cositel, set in a peaceful location on the outskirts of town – a haven that also hosted many of the artists.

If you love music, great food and like to enjoy yourself – then you’ll love the Normandy Jazz Festival!

For further information visit www.jazzsouslespommiers.com;  www.normandy-tourism.org; www.manchetourisme.com

Roger St. Pierre is proudly British and passionately Francophile and has been to every one of France’s 94 metropolitan departments. 

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