An indoor festival over 3 weeks in late Winter in various cities South East of Paris, with a big American free jazz identity and frequent French or European opening acts.
Festivals
In France, jazz is such an integral part of the cultural fabric that seasonal festivities in villages and cities all over the country invite jazz groups to perform during the summertime. However, this section sets aside summer festivals run by city councils to attract tourists with fancy American headliners or local groups, to present a selection of professionally run jazz festivals with their own artistic profile.
Throughout the country, approximatively 80 professionally run festivals may be open to Europe.
For more information, see:
- AJC members festivals: https://ajc-jazz.eu/en/members-page/
- The national directory edited by the CNM: https://www.cnmwork.fr/annuaire
N.B.: this directory is quite new, so it might not be exhaustive (e.g. contacts are not registered yet).
EJN MEMBER
Image
Pantin,
France
March
April
An indoor festival over 4 weeks in the Spring in various cities North East of Paris, with a very diverse set of genres and a majority of France-based musicians.
Image
Paris,
France
An indoor festival over 3 weeks in September in various venues in Paris. Lots of soul music, lots of big American names and some European ones.
Image
Paris,
France
A festival dedicated to European jazz taking place over 3 weeks in November in Paris’s many foreign institutes.
EJN MEMBER
Image
Strasbourg,
France
November
A festival turned towards Europe, especially Germany. The Jazzdor association organises two festivals a year: one in Berlin over 4 days in June, and one in Strasbourg over 15 days in November.
Image
Le Mans,
France
A 40-year old festival taking place over 2 months in the Spring in Le Mans region. Considering its name, it is less turned towards Europe than one might have expected, but does program European artists.
EJN MEMBER
Image
Coutances cedex,
France
May
Literally “jazz under the apple trees.” A yearly professional “rendez-vous” 4 days at the end of August in Normandy.
Image
France
Another yearly professional “rendez-vous” over 2 weeks in November in Nevers (in the middle of France).
Image
France
An outdoor festival in Nantes and around Nantes over the last week-end of August, partly on boats.
Image
Nancy,
France
An indoor festival over the first two weeks of October in Nancy (East of France). Besides jazz, it is open to genres such as electronic and pop music.
Image
Marciac,
France
One of the biggest and most well-known outdoor international festivals, taking place the first two weeks of August in the South West of France. Highly commercial. Home of Wynton Marsalis and John Zorn.
EJN MEMBER
Image
Juan-les-Pins,
France
July
The French Riviera festival you might have heard about in history books or in musicians’ biographies. Since Keith Jarrett retired, no one interesting has played there.