Summer Festivals in France 2008

More festivals taking place in France this summer, selected for their interest, variety and fame on the French cultural stage.

South
  • Vence, Cote d'Azur, Les Nuits du Sud, concerts, 11 July to 9 August - A "Music of the World" festival with expositions and concerts for free from 10h to midnight. Artists include Dee Dee Bridgewater, Goran Bregovic et l’Orchestre des mariages et enterrements, Moriarty, Stephan Eicher, Ramiro Musotto, Orchestre National de Barbès, Jimmy Cliff
  • Toulon, Var, Jazz a Toulon, Concerts, 17 July to 27 July - This festival is composed of three events a day: an exposition/workshop during the day, a concert during the French "aperitif" and a concert afterwards. At the end of the festival, the band that was the most popular will be asked to play again during one last concert.
  • Saint Cyr-sur-mer, Vars, Théâtre de Verdure, Festival de Fregate - 19 July to 07 July - Theatre performances, Stand-up comic shows and music. An eclectic festival for all. In the open air with Gérald Dahan, Patrick Fiori, Jacques Letourneur, Didier Lockwood Trio
  • Orange, Vaucluse, Theatre Antique, Les Aut'antiques d'Orange - 10 August to 12 August - Beautiful festival with dance presentations and pop rock concerts. There will be perfoming: Bernard Lavilliers, Tiken Jah Fakoli, Christophe Maé and the dance show "Show Dance"


North
  • Domaine de Saint-Cloud, Ile de France, Paris, Rock en Seine - 28th August to 29th August - Sixth Edition of this festival blending rock and hard rock style with a special theme this year "rage against the machine" on the stage you will find a mix of the well known artists like REM, Justice,amy winehouse, Raconteurs, Apocalyptica, Plain White T'S.
  • Paris, Le Monde à vos pieds. Le cabaret sauvage - 9th July to 26th July - If you cannot travel the world…don’t worry the world come to you, and leads you to 13 shortstop round the world, inviting you to listen to music and style coming from all over the world.
  • Paris, Les étés de la danse, aux Grands Palais, Paris - 21st July to 9th August - Every year, Paris becomes the kingdom of the classical ballet. This year, the Grand Palais greets dancers who directly come frrom Montréal.
  • Picardie, Jazz aux Champs Elysées: 22nd June to the 7th September 2008 - This festival takes place in Picardie, every second Sunday, in the magnificient botanic garden of Saint-Quentin : les Champs-Élysées. It concerns all jazz lovers. Every jazz singer will be represented as Jo Ann Pickens and the Blue Rhythm Band, Gilda Solve, Slapscat, Pauline Atlan, Shona Taylor et Triocéphale. Parc des Champs Elysées 02100 Saint-Quentin
  • Champagne Ardennes, Festival des musiques - 5th July to the 10th August - Different places in Châlons and in Champagne-Ardennes. Perfect place to discover the music all over the world and, by the way, to know the culture and way of living of each of us… A free travel around the world, but just in Châlons, 51000 Châlons-en-Champagne.
  • Haute Normandie, Les Z'estivales - 28th June to the 10th August - Festival in different places of the historical city of Le Havre. The festival takes place on the beach of Le Havre, every week end. We will be able to discover modern musics as well as classical musics, theaters, dances, circus. Entirely free, the festival welcomes 50 professional compagnies, Divers lieux dans la ville, 76600 Le Havre.
  • Haute Normandie, Les Musicales de Normandie - 1st August to the 5th September - All kinds of music will be represented by lots of great artists such as classical ballets: Symphonie n°3 en sol majeur » & « Concerto en ré majeur pour pianoforte et orchestre » Mozart, « Concerto “Jeune homme”, l’Académie de cuivres de Dieppe and other famous musical bands.


West
  • Angoulême, Poitou-Charentes, 18th to 19th July - Garden Nef Party Festival - Music festival, Second edition of the music (mostly Rock) festival. Artists: Iggy & The Stooges + The Hives, The Raconteurs + Justice, Nada Surf + Hushpuppies, The Do + Moriarty, Brian Jonestown Massacre + The Kills, Simian Mobile Disco, Patrick Watson, Archie, Bronson Outfit.
  • Belle-Ile-En-Mer, Brittany, 19th July to 15th August - Belle-Ile-En-Mer Lyrique-en-mer Festival, Lyrique-en-mer Festival's eleventh season. The Artistic Director has chosen Puccini’s Tosca and Rossini’s Barber of Seville for 2008, and the Belle-Ile's churches will play host to the sacred music concerts, this year with Brahms' German Requiem.
    Chartering five boats will allow to welcome a total of more than one thousand day-tripping spectators from the mainland. Each opera will be performed six times, for a total of twelve performances at the historic Citadelle Vauban. Artists: The festival's own Choir and Orchestra.
  • Bergerac, Aquitaine, 18th July to 25th August - Jazz music festival with emphasis on music improvisation and modern jazz, with concerts given in churches and chapels of Périgord. Musicians from all over Europe (Norway, Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium. Artists: Aneris, The Silencers, M. Doneda.
  • Sarlat, Dordogne, Aquitaine, 18th July to 5th August - Festival des Jeux du Théâtre - Theatre & acting festival. 2 Twenty shows among which you can attend the first one for free, with lectures and debates. The festival welcomes new talents as well as renowned artists, actors, writers, directors… All shows are held outside. Ex.: LA DISPUTE of Marivaux, with Féodor Atkine, Hélène Bosc, Arno Chéron, Julien Defaye, Soizic Gourvil, Hervé Herpe et Nicole Kaufmann. LES TROIS MOUSQUETAIRES of Alexandre Dumas, with Pierre Matras, Laurent Collombert, Cédric Chapuis, Stéphane Batlle, Muriel Darras.
  • Blaye, Gironde, Aquitaine, 22nd to 31st August - Festival de théâtre de Blaye et de l'Estuaire - Modern theatre festival, Modern theatre festival. You can discover this year's best theatre creations. Each day in the evening there is a dancing and singing show. Theatre
    Program: Enfant de harki, Voltaire's folies, The brides, Suite 1, La chance de ma vie, Tribute to Kerouac,, Sublim'Interim, Le ventre des philosophes, Mastication, Les dits de la jarre, La cantatrice chauve, Terra mobilae , Poème du petit poucet, L'éloge du vin.
  • Angers, Maine-Et-Loire, Pays de la Loire, 10th July to 21st August - Angers l'Eté, Music festival, Multiple music styles are welcome in Angers during the festival. World music, French variety music, Jazz,... Free Jazz concerts are also held. Artists: Salem Tradition, Lo Còr de la Plana, Melingo, Ursus Minor, Mystère Trio, Emmanuel Bex, Yaron Herman Trio, Kinda Dukish-Ellington Project, Jazz Chamber Orchestra, Zita Swoon, Bo Weavil, Lucilla Galleazi.


East
  • Douzy, Ardennes, Douzy'K Festival, Concerts, 25th July to 27th July - A bundle of concert with a few of the most popular French bands of the moment in differnet styles of music. Artists are: Wax Tailor, Magma, Empyr, N*cest, Ez3kiel, Black Bomb A, Les Wriggles, Ra, Life Tree, Didier Super, Amadou & Mariamand Kracooqas.
  • Selestat, Bas-Rhin, Festival Lez'arts Scéniques, Animations, concerts and conferences, 1st to 3rd August, Festival with a large panel of artists. This year's will be oriented towards Japan as a cellebration of 150 years of Franco-Japanese relations. Artists will include: Mass Hysteria, Lofofora, Entombed, Hatebreed, Ez3kiel, Apocalyptica, Pigalle, The Toy dolls, Les Tetes Raides, Hocus Pocus, High Tone, Max Roméo.
  • Villegusien, Haute-Marne, Festival Chien à Plumes, Concerts - 8th August to 10th August - Reggae, Ska, Rock and Electronic musics with some of the most influencial artists of the moment. Artists include: Didier Super, Pigalle, Beat assaillant, Tiken Jah Fakoly, Kaktus Groove Band, L'Epicerie, Java, Kaly Live dub, Prowpuskovic, ALB, Hocus Pocus, Maceo Parker, Tremplin, Les Têtes Raides, Kiemsa, Dj Missill.
  • Charleville-Mézière, Ardennes, Festival Cabaret Vert, Concerts - 29th-31st August - The "Cabaret Vert" is a festival created to economicaly help the development of the region which is suffering from a poor economic and demographic situation. Artists include: ETHS, La Rue Ketanou, Sna Fu, Arno, Missil, Groundation, Zombie King, Barcella, Headcharger, Shakaponk, Svinkels, Marco Gayo, Girls in Hawaii, Emir Kusturica, dEUS,Yuksek, Pigalle, Fils de Teuphu, Louis Bertignac, Raj and Sliping Kangooroos.
  • Saint Louis, Alsace, Conc'Air, Concerts - 18 July to 16 August - Concert festival in Alsace with Patrick Fiori, Hélène Ségara, Smoky Joe Combo and the Ensemble Troïka.

  • Next: Festivals in summer 2009.

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