À Travers Chants

A festival born from a passion for chanson

Over twenty-five years ago, parents passionate about French chanson had the idea to create a cultural event to energize Cossé-le-Vivien, a small town in southern Mayenne already known as the capital of rural humor thanks to the Les Embuscades festival. Thus was born À Travers Chants, a spring gathering dedicated to French-language chanson in all its forms: lyrical chanson, Francophone pop, folk, gypsy jazz, rap, and world music.

A demanding and friendly program

The festival is distinguished by a program that is both demanding and committed, championing quality chanson far from commercial formats. Each edition features a discovery evening bringing together several emerging artists with diverse universes, as well as a grand closing evening with a recognized headliner from the Francophone scene. Over the years, the festival has hosted renowned artists such as Christian Olivier (founder of Les Têtes Raides), Les Hurlements d'Léo, La Gâpette, Dirty Dance Swing, and P'tits Fils de Jeanine, in genres ranging from festive rock to gypsy jazz and folk pop.

Strong educational and territorial roots

True to its popular education mission, À Travers Chants dedicates the first part of its week to school interventions. Illustrators, authors, and musicians meet hundreds of schoolchildren from the Pays de Cossé, introducing them to the world of French chanson and literary creation. These participatory workshops form the foundation of the festival and foster the link between artists and young audiences.

L'Embusca'Livres: the book fair that extends the celebration

Each edition concludes on Sunday with L'Embusca'Livres, a free children's book fair open to all. Families, children, and the curious come to meet illustrators and authors through activities, readings, performances, and signing sessions. This festive and friendly highlight, organized in a spirit of sharing and discovery, beautifully concludes the week and anchors the festival in a literary dimension complementary to music.

A human-sized event driven by volunteers

Managed since 2020 by the association Festival de l'Humour (which also organizes Les Embuscades), À Travers Chants remains a human-sized event, far from the megalomania affecting many festivals. This deliberate choice to stay close to the audience and artists, in a spirit of cultural resistance, is the unique charm of this Mayenne rendezvous with French chanson.