Estival Jazz Haute-Marne

2026 Edition — April 30 to May 3

The second edition of the festival, organized by the Jazz à Chaumont association under the artistic direction of double bassist Diego Imbert, took place over four evenings at Nouveau Relax, from Thursday, April 30 to Sunday, May 3, 2026. The program featured two strong tributes — Django Reinhardt for the opening, Charles Trenet for the closing — and two evenings dedicated to contemporary creations led by unique voices of French jazz.

A Proven Formula

Each day followed the same rhythm: a free jazz aperitif at 6:30 PM at La Bulle, animated by the jazz workshops of the conservatories of Nancy, Chaumont, and Troyes, then the main concert at 8:30 PM in the Nouveau Relax hall, and finally an open jam session at La Bulle to extend the evening. On Sunday, May 3, the closing concert was moved forward to 6:30 PM. May 3 also saw the funk brass band F2B from the Chaumont conservatory perform as an aperitif opener.

Tributes and Creations

The opening on April 30 was dedicated to Django Reinhardt by a quartet bringing together guitarists Adrien Moignard, Hugo Guezbar, Fanou Torracinta, and double bassist Diego Imbert. May 1 hosted two contemporary creations: the duo "Hémisphères" by Matheus Donato (cavaquinho) and Guillaume Latil (cello), then "Punk Moon" by Claudia Solal (vocals) and Benjamin Moussay (keyboards). On May 2, singer Camille Bertault, nominated for the Victoires du Jazz, presented her fifth album "Bonjour Mon Amour". The festival closed on May 3 with "Trénet en Passant", a tribute by André Minvielle (vocals), Géraldine Laurent (saxophone), and Guillaume de Chassy (piano) to Charles Trenet, featuring standards like "Le Soleil et la Lune", "Je chante", or "L'Âme des poètes". On April 30, author Francis Couvreux also presented his book on the musical heirs of Django Reinhardt in the hall (preface by Thomas Dutronc).

Review

According to local press (jhm.fr), 683 tickets were sold over the entire weekend, for approximately 700 spectators including the musical aperitifs. The festival confirmed its roots in Chaumont and its influence on regional conservatories (Chaumont, Troyes, Nancy).

Thursday, April 30, 2026 — Tribute to Django Reinhardt

• 6:00 PM — Presentation of Francis Couvreux's book on the heirs of Django Reinhardt (Nouveau Relax hall)
• 6:30 PM — Free jazz aperitif (La Bulle): jazz workshops from the conservatories of Nancy, Chaumont, Troyes
• 8:30 PM — Tribute to Django Reinhardt by Adrien Moignard (guitar), Hugo Guezbar (guitar), Fanou Torracinta (guitar) and Diego Imbert (double bass)
• After concert — Jam session (La Bulle)

Friday, May 1, 2026 — Contemporary Creations

• 6:30 PM — Free jazz aperitif (La Bulle): conservatory workshops
• 8:30 PM — "Hémisphères" — Matheus Donato (cavaquinho) & Guillaume Latil (cello)
• 9:45 PM — "Punk Moon" — Claudia Solal (vocals) & Benjamin Moussay (keyboards)
• After concert — Jam session (La Bulle)

Saturday, May 2, 2026 — Camille Bertault

• 6:30 PM — Free jazz aperitif (La Bulle): conservatory workshops
• 8:30 PM — "Bonjour Mon Amour" — Camille Bertault (vocals, 5th album, nominated for Victoires du Jazz) and her ensemble
• After concert — Jam session (La Bulle)

Sunday, May 3, 2026 — Tribute to Charles Trenet

• 4:30 PM — Free jazz aperitif (La Bulle): funk brass band F2B from the Chaumont conservatory
• 6:30 PM — "Trénet en Passant" — André Minvielle (vocals), Géraldine Laurent (saxophone), Guillaume de Chassy (piano) — tribute to Charles Trenet ("Le Soleil et la Lune", "Je chante", "L'Âme des poètes"…)

• Opening on April 30 with a quartet tribute to Django Reinhardt led by Diego Imbert
• Camille Bertault, nominated for the Victoires du Jazz, presenting her 5th album "Bonjour Mon Amour" on May 2
• Closing on May 3 with "Trénet en Passant" featuring André Minvielle, Géraldine Laurent, and Guillaume de Chassy
• Free jazz aperitifs every evening at La Bulle, animated by the conservatories of Nancy, Chaumont, and Troyes
• Review: 683 tickets sold, approximately 700 spectators (source jhm.fr press)

Access and location

The festival mainly takes place at Le Nouveau Relax, a convention-based venue located at 15 bis rue Lévy-Alphandéry, 52000 Chaumont. The venue is accessible on foot in 5 minutes from the Chaumont SNCF train station (via the pedestrian bridge) and 10 minutes from the Town Hall through the historic center. Free parking is available in the immediate vicinity of Le Nouveau Relax, including the train station parking lot and the Boulingrin parking lot.

Coming to Chaumont

By train, Chaumont is served by TER Grand Est from Paris-Est (approx. 2h30 journey), as well as from Troyes, Langres, Vesoul, and Dijon. The SNCF station is a short walk from Le Nouveau Relax. By car, the city is accessible via the A5 motorway (Chaumont exit) then the N19. From Paris, count about 3 hours of driving. From Reims or Nancy, about 2 hours. Carpooling is often organized via the festival's social media to facilitate access for festival-goers coming from the surrounding communes of Haute-Marne.

Festival venues

In addition to Le Nouveau Relax, which hosts the main concerts in its modern 450-seat auditorium, the festival also uses other emblematic venues in Chaumont depending on the edition: the Jardin du Donjon des Comtes de Champagne for open-air concerts on warm summer evenings, the courtyard of the Palais de Justice for intimate acoustic performances, the national graphic design center Le Signe for cross-disciplinary events between jazz and visual arts, as well as bars and cafes in the city center for late-night jam sessions, notably the Ze Bock and the Relax Bar which extend the festive atmosphere late into the night.

Ticketing and prices

Tickets are available online on the HelloAsso platform (search for 'Jazz à Chaumont') as well as on-site on the evening of the concerts, subject to availability. Full price: approximately 10 euros per concert evening. Reduced price: 5 euros (students, job seekers, under 18s). Free for children under 12 accompanied by an adult. The weekend jazz aperitifs and the opening educational concerts are free access. It is recommended to book online in advance as capacities remain intimate. For any ticketing information, contact the association Jazz à Chaumont by email at [email protected] or by phone at 06 15 36 73 36.

Period and times

The festival generally takes place in spring, early May, over four days (Thursday to Sunday). Main concerts start in the evening from 8:30 PM on weekdays and 6:30 PM on Sundays. Free jazz aperitifs are offered at 6:00 PM on Fridays and Saturdays. Educational concerts with students from regional conservatories open some evenings from 6:00 PM. Jam sessions in partner bars in the city center extend each concert evening, offering amateur and professional musicians the opportunity to meet in a friendly atmosphere.

Catering and services

A refreshment stand offering drinks and light snacks is available at the festival site at Le Nouveau Relax. Numerous restaurants, brasseries, and bars are located in the immediate vicinity in the pedestrianized city center of Chaumont, offering a wide choice of dining before and after the concerts. Le Nouveau Relax is accessible to people with reduced mobility (access ramp, reserved spaces, adapted toilets). Various accommodations are available in Chaumont: hotels, bed and breakfasts, and gîtes, which can be found on the website of the Chaumont Tourist Office.