ClassiCahors
Classical music festival of Cahors and the south of Lot
About 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.
ClassiCahors — edition 2026
The 11th edition of the ClassiCahors festival takes place from July 18 to August 9, 2026, in Cahors and the villages of southern Lot. Under the theme « An exceptional program, from the Middle Ages to today », the festival offers about fifteen concerts in exceptional heritage sites: Saint-Étienne Cathedral, Prefecture courtyard, Archdeaconry courtyard, Pont Valentré, Phosphatières du Cloup d'Aural, castles and gardens of Lot. The edition opens on July 18 in Pradines with the Orchestre national du Capitole de Toulouse.
11th Edition — July 18 to August 9, 2026
ClassiCahors returns for its 11th edition and presents a classical music program in all its forms — grand orchestra, chamber music, baroque ensembles, Academy choir, contemporary creations — in the heritage sites of Cahors and southern Lot.
Beyond the concerts, the festival offers meetings with artists, tastings of local products after the concerts, as well as conferences and round tables with musicologists. The festival is supported by the State, the Occitanie Region, the Lot Department, the City of Cahors, and the Grand Cahors agglomeration community.
Admission remains free for those under 18 for most concerts.
Programme ClassiCahors 2026
Saturday, July 18 — Salle La Prade, Pradines (9:00 PM)
Orchestre national du Capitole de Toulouse, conducted by Alexei Ogrintchouk, Guillaume Brun (bassoon) — Beethoven (Prometheus Overture, 7th Symphony), Mozart (Bassoon Concerto).
Monday, July 20 — Phosphatières du Cloup d'Aural, Bach (8:00 PM)
Ensemble l'Aubade — French, Spanish repertoire and traditional Occitan polyphonies (concert formula or concert + dinner cocktail).
Tuesday, July 21 — Pont Valentré, Cahors (11:00 AM)
Ensemble l'Aubade — singing stroll, medieval repertoire (free).
Tuesday, July 21 — Château de Labastide-Marnhac (8:00 PM)
Ensemble l'Aubade (concert formula or concert + cocktail).
Wednesday, July 22 — Cour de la Préfecture, Cahors (9:00 PM)
Grand Brass & Percussion Ensemble of the Philharmonie de Radio France, conducted by David Guerrier / Antoine Ganaye.
Friday, July 24 — Parc Tassart, Cahors (6:00 PM)
If the Phosphatières were told to me — musical and storytelling stroll with Sophie Meunier and Duo Camins (€10, free for under 18s).
Sunday, July 26 — Église Saint-Étienne, Tour-de-Faure (9:00 PM)
The Exile of Romantics — Sonia Sempere (soprano), Alice Ferrière (mezzo), Pierre-Emmanuel Roubet (tenor), Emmanuel Pélaprat (piano), romantic melodies (Cesare Galeotti).
Tuesday, July 28 — Jardins d'Henri Martin, Labastide-du-Vert (8:00 PM)
Tanguisimo — Ludovic Michel (guitar), Marisa Mercade (bandoneon), Cyril Baleton (violin), Édouard Macarez (double bass), Argentine tango.
Sunday, August 2 — Église Saint-Barthélémy, Cahors (9:00 PM)
Magnificat & Cantata BWV 4 by J.-S. Bach — Academy Choir, Schola Cantorum Saint-Sernin and Orchestre de chambre de Toulouse, conducted by Jean-Marc Andrieu.
Monday, August 3 — Cour de l'Archidiaconé, Cahors (9:00 PM)
Théotime Langlois de Swarte & Justin Taylor — 18th-century French violin sonatas (Francœur, Couperin, Rameau, Anet).
Wednesday, August 5 — Cour de la Préfecture, Cahors (9:00 PM)
Liya Petrova & Adam Laloum — sonatas for violin and piano (Schumann, Brahms, Strauss).
Friday, August 7 — Cour de la Préfecture, Cahors (9:00 PM)
Victor Julien-Laferrière & Dutilleux Quartet — string quintets (Onslow op. 78, Schubert D956).
Saturday, August 8 — Cathédrale Saint-Étienne, Cahors (9:00 PM)
Ensemble Dulci Jubilo — Bach motets and contemporary creation by Thierry Escaich.
Sunday, August 9 — Auditorium du Grand Cahors (9:00 PM)
La Schubertiade & Friends (closing concert) — Dutilleux Quartet, Nicolas Mallarte, Emmanuel Pélaprat, Yann Dubost, major works by Schubert.
Highlights ClassiCahors 2026
- Opening concert with the Orchestre national du Capitole de Toulouse (July 18, Pradines)
- Concerts in exceptional heritage sites: Saint-Étienne Cathedral, Pont Valentré, Phosphatières du Cloup d'Aural, Prefecture courtyard
- Headliners: Théotime Langlois de Swarte & Justin Taylor, Liya Petrova & Adam Laloum, Victor Julien-Laferrière & Dutilleux Quartet
- Free or low-cost concerts, free for those under 18
Prices ClassiCahors 2026
Practical information — ClassiCahors
Practical Information
Access
By car: Cahors is accessible via the A20 motorway (Paris–Toulouse), exit n°57 or n°58. Free parking is available in the city center near the concert venues.
By train: Cahors SNCF station, served by the Paris-Austerlitz–Toulouse and Brive–Toulouse lines. The main concert venues are within walking distance of the station (10-15 min).
Prices
- Full price: from €25 to €35
- Reduced price: from €15 to €33 (students under 26, job seekers, people with disabilities, RSA beneficiaries)
- Under 18s: free
- CLASSI PASSION Pass: from €153
- CLASSI EMOTION Pass: from €81.60
- CLASSI BAROC Pass: from €71.40
Ticketing
Online booking at billetterie.festik.net/classicahors, at the Cahors - Vallée du Lot Tourist Office, or by mail to: ClassiCahors, Place Bessières, Espace Clément Marot, 46000 Cahors.
Contact
ClassiCahors Association
Place Bessières, Espace Clément Marot
46000 Cahors
Tel: 06 08 00 83 60
Email: [email protected]
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Where does it take place — ClassiCahors
Cathédrale Saint-Étienne de Cahors et lieux patrimoniaux
Place Bessières, Espace Clément Marot, 46000 Cahors