Grésiblues
Traveling blues festival in the Grésivaudan valley
About Grésiblues
Grésiblues: over twenty-five years of blues in the heart of Grésivaudan
Born in 1999 from the passion of a group of friends — Roland, Jean-Luc, Philippe, Sébastien, and others — the association Grésivaudan Blues Festival set out to share the love of blues with as many people as possible. The first concert took place outdoors at the café Les Trois Marches, in Le Touvet, in the Grésivaudan valley, between Grenoble and Chambéry. Since then, the festival has continued to grow, fueled by word-of-mouth and the unwavering commitment of its volunteers.
A traveling and free festival
Grésiblues' originality rests on two founding pillars: the itinerant nature of the concert venues and the holding of music workshops throughout the week. Every evening, the festival sets up in a different town in the valley — Le Touvet, Barraux, Le Cheylas, Bernin, Montbonnot-Saint-Martin, Crolles — along a route of about 30 kilometers. Two free concerts are offered each evening outdoors, with a contingency plan in case of bad weather.
This traveling format allows us to reach audiences in the heart of the villages, far from large venues and conventional festivals. Admission is completely free for all concert evenings, making Grésiblues a deeply popular and accessible event for everyone.
An eclectic and demanding program
While blues remains the festival's DNA, the program embraces a wide spectrum of musical styles: traditional blues, blues-rock, soul, funk, R&B, and sometimes excursions into African blues or rock. Each edition mixes internationally renowned artists with emerging talents from the regional scene, with opening slots often given to promising young musicians.
Over the years, Grésiblues has hosted artists from the United States, Canada, Germany, Cameroon, and of course France, confirming its influence far beyond the borders of Isère.
Music workshops: learning and performing on stage
In parallel with the concerts, the festival organizes a week of intensive music workshops at the Collège La Pierre Aiguille in Le Touvet. Led by professional musicians under the artistic direction of Ian Giddey (Barefoot Iano), these workshops welcome 50 to 70 participants of all levels and ages each year. The instruments offered are guitar, bass, drums, harmonica, and vocals.
The culmination of this week of work is the students' performance on stage before the evening concerts — a unique and often unforgettable experience for amateur musicians who might never have dared to perform in front of an audience.
A festival driven by volunteers
Grésiblues is entirely managed by volunteers, around 70 people who handle organization, logistics, and welcoming the public and artists. Presided over by Brigitte Nakachdjian, the Grésivaudan Blues Festival association has built solid partnerships with the valley's municipalities and local economic players, ensuring the sustainability of this unique event.
In over twenty-five years of existence, the festival has helped change the image of blues in France, attracting an increasingly young and diverse audience, and establishing itself as an unmissable summer event in Isère.
Grésiblues — edition 2026
26th edition — Grésiblues 2026
Grésiblues returns for its 26th edition from Sunday, June 28 to Friday, July 3, 2026, continuing its itinerant adventure in the Grésivaudan valley. Six evenings, six communes, two free concerts per evening: the festival's emblematic formula is renewed, with an international program mixing traditional blues, blues-rock, soul, and folk.
Format and venues
The concerts will take place outdoors in the communes of Le Touvet, Barraux, Le Cheylas, Bernin, Montbonnot-Saint-Martin, and Crolles, with a backup plan in case of bad weather. All concerts are entirely free.
Music workshops 2026 — new venue
New for 2026: the workshops are moving to the Horticultural Campus of Saint-Ismier (and no longer to Collège La Pierre Aiguille du Touvet). The GrésiStage will be held from Monday, June 29 to Friday, July 3, 2026, under the artistic direction of Ian Giddey, with five instrument classes: drums, bass, guitar, harmonica, and vocals. The trainees will perform on the festival stage in front of the public.
Headliners 2026
The 2026 edition notably welcomes Carolyn Wonderland (Texas) for the closing on July 3 in Crolles, as well as established artists such as Connolly Hayes (UK Blues Award nominees), Federico Verteramo (Buenos Aires / Chicago blues), Franck L. Goldwasser (French blues legend based in California, nominated for the WC Handy Awards), Bernard / Dede Priest & Johnny Clark's Outlaws (Texas), Kathy Boyé & The DTG Gang (winners of the European Blues Challenge), Jeanette Berger, The Midnight Blues, Pacôme Rotondo, Miss Soury, Little Big Kat, and Emerald Moon.
Programme Grésiblues 2026
Sunday 28 June 2026 — Le Touvet (opening night)
- 20h00 — Emerald Moon (70s classic rock, Thin Lizzy / Led Zeppelin inspirations)
- 22h00 — Connolly Hayes (UK — UK Blues Awards 2024 nominees, blues / rock / soul)
Monday 29 June 2026 — Barraux
- 20h30 — Little Big Kat (trio, from sophisticated jazz blues to delta blues and Chicago blues)
- 22h00 — Federico Verteramo (Buenos Aires — Chicago blues tradition guitarist, 3 albums)
Tuesday 30 June 2026 — Le Cheylas
- 20h30 — The Midnight Blues (electric blues, harmonica and keyboards)
- 22h00 — Jeanette Berger (singer-pianist, soul / jazz / gospel, heir to Ray Charles)
Wednesday 1 July 2026 — Bernin
- 20h30 — Miss Soury (folk-rock and acoustic blues, 2 albums released in 2024)
- 22h00 — Franck L. Goldwasser (French blues legend based in California, nominated for the WC Handy Awards)
Thursday 2 July 2026 — Montbonnot-Saint-Martin
- 20h30 — Pacôme Rotondo (rising French rock-blues, explosive guitar)
- 22h00 — Kathy Boyé & The DTG Gang (winners of the European Blues Challenge — visceral blues rock tinged with soul)
Friday 3 July 2026 — Crolles (closing night)
- 21h00 — Dede Priest & Johnny Clark's Outlaws (Texan violinist, electric blues-rock with Dutch musicians)
- 22h30 — Carolyn Wonderland (Texas — energetic soul, blues, Tex-Mex and rock'n'roll, praised by Bob Dylan)
Each evening, GrésiStage trainees open the night at 19h30 as the first act. All concerts are free and outdoors, with a backup plan in case of bad weather.
Highlights Grésiblues 2026
- 2026 edition confirmed from Sunday, June 28 to Friday, July 3 — six itinerant evenings in six communes of Grésivaudan
- All concerts free and outdoors, two concerts per evening
- Closing headliner: Carolyn Wonderland (Texas), praised by Bob Dylan
- International program: United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France
- New for 2026: music workshops (GrésiStage) move to the Horticultural Campus of Saint-Ismier — drums, bass, guitar, harmonica, vocals
- First act each evening entrusted to GrésiStage trainees at 19h30
Prices Grésiblues 2026
Practical information — Grésiblues
Practical Information — Grésiblues
Dates and times
The festival takes place every year late June - early July, for a week. Concerts start at 7:30 PM with the students' performances, followed by the first band at 8:30 PM and the second band (headliner) at 10:00 PM. The opening night does not feature student performances.
Concert Venues
The festival is itinerant and moves each evening to a different town in the Grésivaudan valley:
- Le Touvet — opening night (near Salle du Bresson)
- Barraux
- Le Cheylas
- Bernin
- Montbonnot-Saint-Martin
- Crolles — closing night
All concerts are held outdoors. In case of bad weather, a contingency plan is in place in each town, with signage and information on the festival's official website and social media.
Prices
All concerts are free and open to everyone, blues fans and newcomers alike. Music workshops are subject to a fee (prices available on the official website).
Access
By car: Le Touvet is located 25 km northeast of Grenoble and 45 km south of Chambéry, in the Grésivaudan valley. From the A41 highway (Grenoble-Chambéry), take the Le Touvet / Chartreuse exit. Parking is available near each concert venue.
By train: Grenoble TER station (25 min by car) or Chambéry station (45 min by car).
By bus: Lines from the Grésivaudan intercity transport network (TransIsère).
Music Workshops
The workshops take place at the Collège La Pierre Aiguille, in Le Touvet (38660). They are open to all levels and offer courses in guitar, bass, drums, harmonica, and vocals, as well as group work. Registration is done on the festival's official website. Workshop participants perform as opening acts for the evening concerts.
Contact
Grésivaudan Blues Festival Association
Maison des Associations — 52, avenue Montfillon, box n°27
38660 Le Touvet
Tel: 06 07 27 21 02
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.gresiblues.com
Follow the festival
Find all the latest Grésiblues news on social media:
- Facebook: facebook.com/gresiblues
- Instagram: instagram.com/gresiblues
- X (Twitter): x.com/gresiblues
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Where does it take place — Grésiblues
Plein air — sites itinérants dans le Grésivaudan
Maison des Associations, 52 avenue Montfillon, 38660 Le Touvet