Festival Notes d'Été à Irancy

The Festival Notes d'Été à Irancy: Music and Vine in Burgundy

In the pretty wine village of Irancy, nestled between limestone hills and terraced vines about twenty kilometers south of Auxerre, the Festival Notes d'Été was born from a shared dream: to give this village back the music festival it had known for a decade before 2007. It was in 2017 that pianist Guillaume Sigier and violinist Lucile Podor, a native of the village, created the association Notes Musicales à Irancy to revive this musical adventure, with the desire to make each concert a moment of meeting, conviviality, and discovery.

In just a few years, the festival has established itself as one of the essential cultural events in the Auxerrois region: after seven editions from 2017 to 2024, over thirty concerts and nearly sixty artists have graced the stage, for some 4,000 delighted spectators.

A Marriage Between Vine and Music

The festival's identity is based on a deep conviction: the vine and music have always gone hand in hand. Irancy is the only red appellation in the Yonne department — an AOC recognized in 1999, made from Pinot Noir on limestone slopes, some of which have been in production since the Carolingian era. The vines dominate village life and mark its calendar.

True to this spirit, the festival incorporates the tasting of local wines into each evening. After the concerts, musicians and spectators gather around a glass of Irancy Pinot Noir, chatting with the local winemakers. This convivial dimension, rare in classical music festivals, contributes to the event's unique atmosphere.

An Eclectic and Demanding Program

Each year, the Festival Notes d'Été offers a carefully curated program centered around six exceptional concerts, accessible to both seasoned music lovers and curious newcomers. The artistic line deliberately blends genres and universes:

• Chamber classical music — sonatas, trios, quartets for strings, piano, flute, harp
• Folk and world music — folk violin, traveling songs, exotic grooves
• Tango and Latin jazz — a grand open-air concert, a festival tradition since its inception
• Piano recitals — featuring great romantic repertoires (Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Schumann)
• Family concerts — in an intimate atmosphere on Sunday afternoons

Artistic quality is at the heart of the project: international-class musicians rub shoulders with the best young talents of the moment, in ensembles ranging from solo recitals to jazz groups.

Historic Venues

Most of the concerts take place in the Saint-Germain d'Irancy church, a remarkable heritage building, whose natural acoustics and intimate setting create an incomparable atmosphere. Spectators sit near the choir, a few meters from the musicians, for an experience that is both musical and human of rare intensity.

For the open-air concerts — especially the famous Saturday Latin evening — the festival takes over Le Lavoir cultural space, the vibrant heart of village life. Surrounded by vineyards and bathed in summer light, this venue transforms each performance into a popular celebration befitting the village.

A Satellite Concert in Auxerre

For several years, the festival has opened the week with a concert at the Abbaye Saint-Germain d'Auxerre, allowing the Auxerre public to discover the edition's artists before meeting them in the vineyards. This bridge between the city and its wine-growing hinterland perfectly illustrates the festival's spirit of openness and territorial anchoring.

Prices and Accessibility

The festival aims to remain accessible to as many people as possible. The prices reflect this ambition: advantageous multi-concert passes, complete free admission for students, job seekers, and those under 18, a preferential rate for Irancy residents, and a closing concert with free participation. This generous pricing policy, supported by Crédit Agricole, the municipality of Irancy, and numerous local businesses, ensures a truly popular festival.