Festival Jazz Verdon

Jazz Verdon: Music in freedom in the villages of Haut-Var

The Festival Jazz Verdon is a unique human and musical adventure in the Var festival landscape. Since its creation, this touring festival has taken the radical approach of bringing music to where people live, in the villages and hamlets of Haut-Var, rather than forcing residents to travel to a single venue. This founding choice gives Jazz Verdon its unique character and growing popularity.

Ten villages, twenty concerts: touring jazz

Each edition of the festival mobilizes about ten villages in the Haut-Var and Gorges du Verdon region, each hosting one or more concerts in its most emblematic public spaces. Aups, the small capital of Haut-Var known for its truffles, its courtyards, and its medieval fountains, is often the central point of the festival. Around it revolve villages like Tourtour, nicknamed 'the village in the clouds', Villecroze with its troglodyte caves, Salernes, Barjols, Moissac-Bellevue, Montmeyan, Baudinard-sur-Verdon, and other towns in the area.

This territorial network allows the festival to offer over twenty concerts in a week, in various formats: late afternoon street concerts, evening performances in village squares, open-air stages amidst vineyards and garrigue. Each location imposes its own acoustics and atmosphere, making each concert unique.

Jazz and blues: a demanding and friendly program

The musical program of Jazz Verdon covers a wide spectrum of jazz and blues: traditional New Orleans jazz, gypsy swing, contemporary jazz and fusion, acoustic and electric blues, soul, and funk. The festival hosts formations from duos to large ensembles, with local and regional musicians alongside nationally recognized artists. This mix strengthens the spirit of discovery and accessibility that is at the heart of the project.

The free admission to concerts is a deep conviction of the organizers: music should be accessible to everyone, without financial barriers. Villagers can attend concerts in their square or in front of their homes, passing tourists naturally find themselves there, and organized festival-goers travel the region from concert to concert, following their own musical itinerary.

An anchor in the Haut-Var region

Jazz Verdon would not be complete without its deep roots in the Haut-Var region. The concerts are often accompanied by tastings of local wines, regional products (truffles, honey, olive oil, cheeses), and meetings with local producers. This gastronomic and human dimension makes the festival a true moment of community life, going beyond just the musical experience to become a celebration of the Provençal art of living.

Fifteen years of loyalty to the territory

Now in its 15th edition in 2025, Jazz Verdon has built a loyal community of fans, volunteers, and institutional partners. The long-standing presence in the region's towns has created lasting links between the festival, the municipalities, and the residents. Each edition contributes to economically revitalizing the host villages by attracting visitors who extend their stay in Haut-Var to enjoy the entire program.