From the Eurockéennes de Belfort to Beaune's baroque opera, plus jazz in Couches and foodie fairs in the Nièvre, eleven festivals to enjoy this weekend.
The first weekend of July marks the real start of the festival summer in Burgundy-Franche-Comté. On July 4 and 5, the region pulls out all the stops. Giant rock booms by the Malsaucy lake. Baroque opera settles under the glazed roofs of the Beaune Hospices. Further off, jazz fills a medieval village and foodie fairs liven up the banks of the Loire. Craving big stages, heritage or good food? Our pick goes to the Eurockéennes de Belfort, a landmark of French rock living out its final days this weekend. Here are eleven outings to enjoy, from the four stages of the Malsaucy to the ruins of a Comtois castle.
Les Eurockéennes de Belfort (90): 130,000 festival-goers by the Malsaucy lake
From Thursday July 2 to Sunday July 5, the Presqu'île du Malsaucy in Sermamagny hosts Les Eurockéennes de Belfort, the best-known rock festival in France. Since 1989, this gathering has drawn more than 130,000 festival-goers each summer. Four open-air stages spread out in a natural setting, a few kilometres from Belfort. Rock, metal, electro, hip-hop and world music meet across a line-up of international headliners. Saturday and Sunday wrap up four days of rare intensity, between discoveries and huge concerts. Love big stages and a swim between sets? This is the date not to miss this weekend.
Beaune International Baroque and Romantic Opera Festival (21): baroque takes over the Hospices
From Friday July 3 through July 26, the Beaune International Baroque and Romantic Opera Festival opens one of Europe's most prestigious baroque music seasons. Founded in 1983 by Anne Blanchard and Kader Hassissi, it unfolds in Beaune's finest venues. Think of the civil Hospices with their famous glazed-tile roof, or the Notre-Dame collegiate basilica. Over four weeks, the programme features baroque operas, oratorios and recitals led by first-rate performers. The opening weekend sets the tone for a demanding edition, to be savoured in a unique heritage setting at the heart of the Burgundy vineyards.
Les Nuits Bressanes in Louhans (71): French pop at the Stade de Bram
Saturday July 4 is the final night of Les Nuits Bressanes, at the Stade de Bram in Louhans, after a Friday opening. Created in 2012, the festival has quickly become a major summer date for French chanson and variété. It draws up to 6,500 spectators. From Julien Clerc to Soprano, big names of the French scene take the stage. This small Bresse town is known for its Monday market and its prized poultry. A crowd-pleasing, unifying night, perfect for singing along under the Saône-et-Loire sky before the curtain falls.
Jazz à Couches (71): thirty years of jazz in a medieval village
From Wednesday July 1 to Saturday July 4, the medieval village of Couches vibrates to Jazz à Couches. For more than thirty years, this human-scale festival has paired artistic ambition with Burgundian conviviality. Everything happens under a marquee at the leisure area. Its line-up has welcomed names such as The Robert Cray Band, Jacky Terrasson and Hugh Coltman, alongside emerging talent. Saturday, the final night, often gathers the highlights. Prefer the intimacy of a heritage setting to festival crowds? For jazz and blues lovers, it's a fine stop.
Festival Orgue en Ville in Besançon (25): great organs with free entry
Through Sunday July 5, the Orgue en Ville Festival fills the churches and chapels of Besançon, Devecey and Saint-Vit. Created in 2009 and led artistically by Pierre-Yves Fleury, it offers a week of free concerts. They showcase the remarkable organs of Besançon's heritage. The eclectic, bold programme blends classical repertoire and lyrical singing. It runs from the great instrument of Saint-Jean Cathedral to village organs. The final concerts of the weekend offer a musical interlude open to all, in settings of stone where sacred music takes on a special dimension.
Les Zaccros d'ma Rue in Nevers (58): circus and theatre fill the streets
Through Sunday July 5, Les Zaccros d'ma Rue turn Nevers and its area into a playground for street arts. Created in 2001 and run by the ALARUE association, the festival offers a week of entirely free shows in public space each early July. Street theatre, circus and inventive performances take over squares, quays and lanes. The programme stays joyful and open to all. The closing weekend gathers many events, perfect for strolling with the family from one surprise to the next. A lovely way to discover the Nivernais city in festive, popular mode.
Festival MAC3 in Dole (39): classical music and contemporary art in dialogue
All weekend, and through July 15, the MAC3 Festival - Music & Contemporary Art takes over the exceptional Cloister of the Hôtel-Dieu in Dole. Conceived as a dialogue between disciplines, it pairs a free contemporary art exhibition with a series of classical music concerts. Emerging talents and established musicians share the bill in this light-filled heritage venue. Few events in the region weave visual arts and musical creation so closely together. Want to combine an exhibition and a concert in the same day? Dole is well worth the trip this weekend.
Othe-Armance Festival in Aix-Villemaur-Pâlis (89): reggae and world music at the Parc des Fontaines
On Friday July 3 and Saturday July 4, the Othe-Armance Festival gathers its crowd at the Parc des Fontaines, on the edge of the Yonne and the Aube. Since 1991, this committed event has championed an eclectic line-up: reggae, rock, ska, world music and electro. Its main gathering draws more than 10,000 festival-goers. National headliners, regional artists and a stage open to emerging talent share the nights. Free camping and an associative village round out the experience. For Saturday night, it's the address for fans of warm bass lines and festival spirit, just a step from Sens.
Andouillette and White Wine Festival in Clamecy (58): a feast of local flavour
On Friday July 3 and Saturday July 4, the historic town of Clamecy celebrates its signature product at the Andouillette and White Wine Festival. Created in 1977, this foodie tradition puts Clamecy's andouillette in the spotlight in every form. The town's cafés and restaurants serve it, paired with the region's white wines. Concerts and entertainment punctuate these two days of popular festivity in the streets of the Nièvre. A convivial, flavourful gem, perfect for anyone who likes to combine heritage, local produce and good cheer for a Saturday by the Yonne.
Medieval Festival of Montby Castle in Gondenans-Montby (25): back to the Middle Ages
On Saturday July 4 and Sunday July 5, the ruins of Montby Castle in Gondenans-Montby travel back in time with the Medieval Festival of Montby Castle. Held every two years by the Friends of Montby Castle association, the event gathers hundreds of visitors. On the bill: medieval re-enactments in the striking setting of this building raised between the 11th and 18th centuries. Guided tours of the site, encampments and period activities plunge young and old into the atmosphere of the Middle Ages. A picturesque, family-friendly outing, ideal for discovering a little-known Comtois heritage off the beaten track.
Horizon Fest in Égriselles-le-Bocage (89): open-air metal in the Yonne
On Friday July 3 and Saturday July 4, the football pitch of Égriselles-le-Bocage hosts Horizon Fest, the first open-air metal festival in Burgundy. Born in 2016 in this village of a thousand souls near Sens, the event gathers fans of metal, thrash, hardcore and heavy metal. Camping, a bar and a friendly atmosphere make this human-scale gathering a warm haven. The regional extreme scene reunites here each summer, far from the clichés, in a family spirit. A gem to close out Saturday night to the roar of saturated guitars.
Also worth noting
- The Festival Latino Mâconnais brings salsa and bachata rhythms to downtown Mâcon (71) from July 3 to 5.
- KiddySaône, in Auxonne (21), offers shows and workshops for young audiences from July 3 to 5.
- In Saint-Claude (39), Festifrat' blends concerts, exhibitions and a musical flea market through July 5.
Want to discover festivals in other regions this weekend? Head to our full weekend agenda. Enjoy the festival summer in Burgundy-Franche-Comté.
