Festival Musique en Vacances
Classical and eclectic music festival in La Ciotat, in the heart of summer
2026
About Musique en Vacances
Musique en Vacances — edition 2026
The 31st edition of the Musique en Vacances Festival brings together thirteen concerts, including four free ones, from July 18 to 26, 2026, in La Ciotat. From piano recitals to orchestral performances, and from Yvan Cassar to Prince Diabaté, the festival concludes at the Théâtre de la Mer with the Corsican group I Muvrini.
The festival kicks off its 31st edition with a preview on July 15 at the Notre-Dame de l'Assomption church, featuring the orchestra from the Hégau high school in Singen, a twin city. The prelude on July 18 and the opening on July 19 lead into a week of concerts at the Chaudronnerie, the Paul Éluard hall, and the church, before the final performance on July 26 at the Théâtre de la Mer. The full program is available in the brochure and on the AMEI website.
Highlights Musique en Vacances 2026
- Carte blanche to Yvan Cassar, July 20 at the Théâtre de la Chaudronnerie
- Opera Voices with the Orchestre des Rives Méditerranée, July 21
- Prince Diabaté, charity concert, July 23
- Four free concerts requiring reservation
- I Muvrini closing the festival at the Théâtre de la Mer, July 26
Programme Musique en Vacances 2026
Wednesday, July 15, 2026 — Preview
- 6:00 PM — Hégau-Singen High School Orchestra (conducted by Gabriele Haunz): Charpentier, Badelt, Beethoven, Dvořák, Jackson, Powell, Röösli, Aznavour… · Notre-Dame de l'Assomption Church · Free with reservation, subject to availability
Saturday, July 18, 2026 — Prelude
- 6:00 PM — Piano recital by Nicolas Mazmanian: Armenian Suite and Piano Suite No. 2 · Paul Éluard Hall · Standard €12 · Presale €10 · Concession €7 · Under 12s €5
Sunday, July 19, 2026 — Opening
- 8:30 PM — Les Violons de France, "Best of Classical" (Frédéric Moreau, conductor and violin; Patrick Zygmanowski, piano): Pachelbel, Vivaldi, Massenet, Paganini, Sarasate, Mozart, Chopin, Gershwin… · Théâtre de la Chaudronnerie · Standard €28 · Presale €25 · Concession €20 · Under 12s €10
Monday, July 20, 2026
- 5:30 PM — Duo Decacorda (Alice Poussin, cello; Nicolas Pardo, guitar): Granados, Cassadó, Ravel, Tárrega, De Falla… · Notre-Dame de l'Assomption Church · Free with reservation, subject to availability
- 9:00 PM — Carte blanche to Yvan Cassar (with Neïma Naouri, vocals; Julie Sevilla-Fraysse, cello; Benoit Dunoyer de Segonzac, double bass; Nicolas Montazaud, drums): film scores, songs, musicals · Théâtre de la Chaudronnerie · Standard €28 · Presale €25 · Concession €20 · Under 12s €10
Tuesday, July 21, 2026
- 8:30 PM — Opera Voices, "Loves, Dramas & Passions": Orchestre des Rives Méditerranée (conducted by Rafael Lamas), Mariana Carnovali (soprano), Alessandro Moccia (tenor), José Luis de Miguel Ubago (piano): Verdi, Mozart, Gounod, Massenet… · Notre-Dame de l'Assomption Church · Standard €25 · Presale €22 · Concession €18 · Under 12s €5
Wednesday, July 22, 2026
- 5:30 PM — Duo Asteria (Noelle Barbereau, violin; Frédéric Costantini, guitar): Paganini, Gounod, Bach, Rossini, Fauré, Piazzolla, Costantini, Gonzalez, Myers, Semenzato, Machado · Notre-Dame de l'Assomption Church · Free with reservation, subject to availability
- 9:00 PM — Story Tribute to ABBA (Cacou Montagne and Sandra Lipari, vocals; Sébastien Sciascia, guitar; Ruben Benichou, keyboard; Rauz Cahuzac, bass; Léo Sapede, drums): the group's greatest hits, Gimme Gimme, Take a Chance, Waterloo, Chiquitita, Dancing Queen… · Paul Éluard Hall · Standard €20 · Presale €17 · Concession €14 · Under 12s €5
Thursday, July 23, 2026
- 8:30 PM — Charity concert: Prince Diabaté (Guinea, kora), Kamelen n'goni and Vocals by Yaya Dembelé (Mali, guitar): Baraka, Won Fa Boron, Welafi, Manden Moussa, Sahara Dream, Djerelon… · Paul Éluard Hall · Standard €15 · Presale €12 · Concession €10 · Under 12s €5
Friday, July 24, 2026
- 5:30 PM — Duo Lyra (Manon Opavska, harp; Tony Coullet, mandolin): Piazzolla, Tárrega, Marquez, Vignolo, Villa-Lobos, Rolling Stone, Queen, Brassens, Rota… · Notre-Dame de l'Assomption Church · Free with reservation, subject to availability
- 9:00 PM — Quintet Ars'Tango (William Sabatier, bandoneon; Alexandre Amedro, violin; Diego Trosman, guitar; Willy Quiko, bass and double bass; Olivier Lechardeur, piano): tribute to Astor Piazzolla · Paul Éluard Hall · Standard €18 · Presale €15 · Concession €12 · Under 12s €5
Saturday, July 25, 2026
- 8:30 PM — Quatuor Élysée (Vadim Tchijik and Yanzhyma Morozova, violins; Andrei Malakhov, viola; Igor Kiritchenko, cello) with Marika Lombardi, oboe: Mozart, Dvořák and film scores (Rota, Piazzolla, Kosma, Morricone) · Notre-Dame de l'Assomption Church · Standard €18 · Presale €15 · Concession €12 · Under 12s €5
Sunday, July 26, 2026 — Special Concert
- 9:30 PM — I Muvrini, Corsican group (Jean-François and Alain Bernardini, with Stéphane Mangiantini, Jean-François Luciani, Micky Meinert, César Anot, Mathieu Sternat, Achim Meier, Thomas Simmerl): Nulu 33 Tour · Théâtre de la Mer · Standard €50 · Presale €47 · Concession €35 · Under 12s €25
Program as published in the official AMEI brochure: 13 concerts including 4 free ones, from July 18 to 26, 2026, with a preview on July 15.
Prices Musique en Vacances 2026
Musique en Vacances — 2027 edition
The 2026 edition was held from 18 July to 26 July 2026. The dates for the 2027 edition have not been announced yet. This page will be updated as soon as the official programme is published.
Practical information — Musique en Vacances
Practical Information
Access
Concerts take place in various venues in La Ciotat (13600):
- Church Notre-Dame de l'Assomption
- Chapel of the Minimes
- Théâtre de la Chaudronnerie, Athélia
- Théâtre de la Mer
- Salle Paul Éluard
Schedules
- Evening concerts (8:30 PM) and afternoon concerts depending on the dates.
Prices
- Variable prices depending on the concerts. Ticketing on HelloAsso.
Contact
- AMEI
- Phone: 04 42 83 08 08 / 07 67 20 29 99
- Website: amei-festival-laciotat.fr
Classical music in the heart of Ciotaden summer
The Festival Musique en Vacances is a summer musical event that punctuates the cultural life of La Ciotat every July. Organized by AMEI (Association Méditerranéenne d'Échanges Internationaux), this festival offers about fifteen concerts over ten days, in the city's heritage sites. The program features classical music — its founding cornerstone — while also embracing other genres: jazz, traditional music, swing, gospel, and vocal music.
Emblematic venues for exceptional acoustics
The concerts take place in remarkable venues in La Ciotat, each offering unique acoustics and atmosphere. The Church Notre-Dame de l'Assomption, with its centuries-old vaults, hosts sacred and chamber music concerts. The Chapel of the Minimes, an intimate setting in the heart of the historic center, is ideal for recitals. The Théâtre de la Chaudronnerie, a former boiler-making workshop of the shipyards converted into a performance hall, offers an industrial and warm setting. Finally, the Théâtre de la Mer, an open-air venue facing the Mediterranean, provides a magnificent backdrop for summer evenings.
From young talents to symphonic ensembles
The strength of the festival lies in the diversity of its programming, which mixes young laureates from conservatories and international competitions with established musicians, from solo recitals to large symphonic ensembles. This coexistence of generations and formats allows the public to discover rising stars of the music scene while appreciating the virtuosity of renowned artists. The festival is thus a true launchpad for young talents as well as a showcase for renowned performers.
AMEI, a bridge between cultures
AMEI, the founding and organizing association of the festival, aims to promote international cultural exchanges through music. It benefits from the support of the City of La Ciotat, the Regional Council of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, and private partners. Thanks to this network, the festival regularly hosts international artists and ensembles, making La Ciotat a Mediterranean musical crossroads during the summer.
Where does it take place — Musique en Vacances
Musique en Vacances in brief
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Published by Valentin Contard, festival listings writer. Reviewed, corrected and approved by Christophe Contard, editor-in-chief. .
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