ClassiCahors

ClassiCahors: Classical Music at the Heart of the Lot Heritage

Created in 2016 by harpsichordist and musicologist Emmanuel Pélaprat, a native of the Lot region, and Sonia Sempéré-Pélaprat, the ClassiCahors festival was born from a strong ambition: to offer the south of Lot a high-level summer classical music event, accessible to all. From its very first edition, the festival has successfully combined the richness of Cahors' architectural heritage with the excellence of invited performers, laying the foundation for an event that has become a must-see in the cultural landscape of Occitanie.

Exceptional Heritage Venues

One of ClassiCahors' unique features is the choice of its concert venues. The festival takes over the most beautiful sites in the city and its surroundings:

• Saint-Étienne Cathedral of Cahors, a masterpiece of Romanesque art with domes
• Cour de l'Archidiaconé and Cour de la Préfecture, for open-air concerts
• Saint-Barthélemy Church, an intimate setting in the heart of the old town
• Grand Cahors Auditorium, for recitals and chamber music
• Parc Tassart and Pont Valentré, a UNESCO World Heritage site

The festival also extends its reach to the villages of the south of Lot — Pradines, Caillac, Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, Tour-de-Faure, and Labastide-du-Vert — combining musical discovery with heritage tourism.

A Program Featuring Both Great Names and Young Talents

Since its inception, ClassiCahors has hosted internationally renowned artists such as Jordi Savall, William Christie, Alexandre Kantorow, Liya Petrova, Adam Laloum, Théotime Langlois de Swarte, and Justin Taylor. The Orchestre national du Capitole de Toulouse, a loyal partner, traditionally opens the festival each year. The program covers all classical music repertoires: from baroque to romantic, from chamber music to large symphony formations, including new creations and baroque ensembles like Les Surprises.

A Festival Focused on Sharing and Transmission

ClassiCahors stands out for its commitment to making classical music accessible to everyone. Admission is free for under 18s, and reduced rates are offered to students, job seekers, and people with disabilities. Each edition includes free concerts open to all.

Encounters and Camaraderie

Beyond the concerts, the festival offers encounters with artists, conferences-debates with musicologists, and tastings of local Lot products after the concerts. This convivial and educational dimension makes ClassiCahors a place for intergenerational sharing where seasoned music lovers and newcomers alike can come together.

Choir and Orchestra Academy

Since 2022, the festival has organized a Choir Academy, directed by choirmaster Michel Piquemal, which brings together amateur choristers for a week of intensive work culminating in a public concert. This initiative strengthens the festival's local roots and its mission of musical transmission, reaching approximately 1,800 students each year through educational activities.

An Event Supported by Institutions

ClassiCahors benefits from the support of the State, the Occitanie Region, the Lot Department, the City of Cahors, and the Grand Cahors agglomeration. Driven by the ClassiCahors association, the festival has become over a decade a major player in the cultural and tourist dynamism of the Lot, attracting over 30,000 spectators each summer.