If you haven’t sat outside under a starry sky listening to live music, you haven’t truly experienced Provence. For this is a musical land and in the balmy summer nights wherever you turn you will find it. Whatever your musical bent there is something for everyone in Provence this summer, from jazz to opera, steel bands to baroque.
Many concerts are free, ticketed events start at around 15€ and you can usually book tickets online. Here are our favourites:
Jazz dans les Vignes, Vaucluse 25 June – 6 July
A series of concerts set in some prestigious vineyards just to the north of Avignon. Sit back with a glass of Gigondas or Vacqueyras and let the music wash over you.
http://www.jazzdanslesvignes.fr/
Aix Festival, 30 June – 20 July
A huge festival with 3 main components:
Opera – this is serious stuff – most evenings are in the stunning Grand Theatre De Provence and it kicks off with Così fan tutti. Also works by Debussy, Handel, Stravinsky. Tickets start at 30€, expect to pay 270€ for top tickets.
Concerts – in a variety of venues in and around the city. There are many free concerts and a huge choice of music from baroque to choral and jazz to opera recitals.
Aix in June – As a precursor to the main festival June sees a huge number of free musical events across the city, culminating in the dynamic Cape Town Opera Choir performing on the Cours Mirabeau in the very heart of Aix.
www.festival-aix.com/en
Marseille Jazz, 20 – 29 July
For the 17th year, Marseille hosts its Jazz of Five Continents – everything jazz at venues that are events in themselves: Palais Longchamp, Belle Friche du Mai and MUCEM. Jazz is a broad genre but this truly has a bit of everything including big names Jamie Callum and Seal.
www.marseillejazz.com
Festival Resonance, Avignon, 21-24 July
A lively festival with many free concerts: disco, electronic, hip-hop and held in locations that celebrate Avignon’s historic architecture – a DJ is even installed on the iconic Pont d’Avignon!
www.festival-resonance.fr
Luberon Musicales, 23 July – 6 August
For the 28th year this prestigious music festival takes place in and around some of the prettiest Luberon hilltop villages. For lovers of baroque and romantic classical music in the most exquisite settings.
musicalesluberon.fr
Music in the Street, Aix-en-Provence, 23 – 31 August
For nine days in August Aix comes alive yet again to an extensive programme of music that runs all day long on the streets of Aix. Expect anything from choral recitals to steel bands and classical Spanish guitar to soul and funk. The full programme is at
http://www.aixenprovence.fr/IMG/pdf/mdr_prog2014_web-1.pdf