Jazz à Garches
Garches's open-air jazz festival
About Jazz à Garches
Jazz à Garches, the town's free celebration
Jazz à Garches is one of the most anticipated cultural events in the town of Garches (92380). Organized by the municipality, this entirely free annual festival takes place every end of June in the town center, transforming squares and public spaces into ephemeral jazz stages. Since its first edition, the festival has forged a strong identity: an event "made by and for the residents," open to all audiences, from families with children to the most discerning jazz lovers.
Four editions, an affirmed identity
Jazz à Garches celebrated its 4th edition in 2025. From its beginnings, the festival has paid tribute to jazz figures linked to the commune: Sidney Bechet, the New Orleans clarinetist and saxophonist who lived for several years in the Paris region, and Claude Bolling, the pianist and composer whose name is borne by the Sidney Bechet Cultural Center in Garches. This historical lineage gives the festival a particular depth.
Over the editions, the programming has explored the different facets of jazz: swing from the 1930s-50s, Brazilian jazz with a bossa-nova touch, gypsy jazz, contemporary jazz with electronic influences. Each year, the festival mixes established bands and conservatory ensembles, offering a showcase for local musicians while exposing them to artists from the national scene.
The 4th edition of 2025: between conviviality and discovery
On June 27, 28, and 29, 2025, Jazz à Garches hosted a varied program in different locations around the town. Among the headliners: the duo Airelle Besson & Lionel Suarez, a poetic meeting of a trumpeter and an accordionist with complementary universes, and the Franco-Taiwanese singer Estelle Perrault, whose unique voice blends traditional jazz and Asian influences. Roman Reidid & Paper Chase explored the territories of modern jazz, while Photons — a band on the border of jazz and electronic music — surprised the audience in the evening.
On Sunday, conservatory ensembles and a New Orleans-style brass band concluded the festival in a festive and popular atmosphere. Free jazz discovery workshops were offered throughout the weekend at the Conservatory, complementing the musical offering with an educational dimension accessible to all.
One town, two legends
Garches is a town in Hauts-de-Seine proud of its musical heritage. The Sidney Bechet Cultural Center and Claude Bolling Street remind us that the town has strong ties to the history of jazz. Jazz à Garches perpetuates this heritage by anchoring improvised music in the daily lives of the people of Garches, every summer, under the June sun.
Jazz à Garches — edition 2026
5th edition of Jazz à Garches, from June 26 to 28, 2026 (with an opening concert on June 13), entirely free. This edition honors great jazz female composers, with the Orchestre National de Jazz playing Carla Bley and singer Marion Rampal in the closing concert. Eight concerts, seven educational workshops, and three events in the city center of Garches, in a friendly and popular atmosphere.
A 5th Edition Dedicated to Great Jazz Female Composers
For its fifth edition, from June 26 to 28, 2026, Jazz à Garches continues its commitment to free and accessible jazz in the city center of Garches. The 2026 program pays tribute to great jazz female composers, notably with the Orchestre National de Jazz performing the work of Carla Bley under the direction of its new artistic director Sylvaine Hélary, and singer Marion Rampal — three-time nominee at the Victoires du Jazz 2026 — in the closing concert with her project « Song for Abbey », a tribute to Abbey Lincoln.
The festival offers 3 days of concerts, 8 concerts in total, 7 educational and artistic workshops, and 3 events in the city. An opening concert kicks off the festivities on June 13 (New Orleans brass band Place Saint-Louis, concert by Conservatory teachers at Résidence Poincaré), before the main part of the festival on the esplanade of the Hôtel de Ville and in Parc Jacques Chirac.
Conservatory, student ensembles, and amateur musicians perform alongside established artists from the national and international jazz scene. An amateur orchestra, open to all levels and all instruments, is formed each year to perform during the festival. « Fait par et pour les Garchois », the event remains entirely free for all audiences.
Programme Jazz à Garches 2026
Saturday, June 13, 2026 — opening concert
- 10:00 AM–1:00 PM — New Orleans Brass Band · Place Saint-Louis
- 3:00 PM–4:00 PM — Conservatory Teachers' Concert · Résidence Poincaré
Friday, June 26, 2026 — Hôtel de Ville esplanade
- 7:00 PM — Conservatory Jazz Class (traditional jazz)
- 8:00 PM — Orchestre National de Jazz (creative jazz, Carla Bley's work, directed by Sylvaine Hélary)
- 10:00 PM — Akata Kolo (jazz-afrobeat)
Saturday, June 27, 2026
- 10:30 AM–12:30 PM — Caléo · Place Saint-Louis
- 7:00 PM — Orchestra uniting the conservatories of Bourg-la-Reine, Sceaux, Boulogne and Garches (traditional jazz / big band) · Hôtel de Ville esplanade
- 8:00 PM — Yannis Constans & Samson Schmitt (gypsy jazz) · Hôtel de Ville esplanade
- 10:00 PM — Melissa Weikart Trio (jazz-pop) · Hôtel de Ville esplanade
Sunday, June 28, 2026 — Hôtel de Ville esplanade and Parc Jacques Chirac
- 5:00 PM — City Amateur Orchestra (swing)
- 6:00 PM — Marion Rampal, « Song for Abbey » (vocal jazz) — closing concert
Workshops and master classes
- Rehearsals for the amateur jazz orchestra: Saturday, June 6 (10:00 AM–1:00 PM) and Monday, June 22 (7:00 PM–10:00 PM)
- Master class « Behind the Scenes of Creation » with Akata Kolo: Saturday, June 27, 10:00 AM–1:00 PM, salle Claude Bolling (Domaine des 4 Vents)
Registrations and information: [email protected]
Highlights Jazz à Garches 2026
- 2026 edition dedicated to great jazz female composers
- Marion Rampal, three-time nominee at the Victoires du Jazz 2026, in the closing concert (« Song for Abbey »)
- Orchestre National de Jazz performing Carla Bley
- Entirely free festival, open-air in the city center
- 8 concerts, 7 educational workshops, and 3 events in the city
Prices Jazz à Garches 2026
Practical information — Jazz à Garches
Practical Information
Locations
Garches town center, town hall forecourt, and public spaces. Workshops at the Garches Conservatory.
Main Address
Place Saint-Louis, 92380 Garches.
Access
- By train: Garches-Marnes-la-Coquette station (Transilien L from Paris Saint-Lazare), 5 min walk
- By car: N118 or D907, Garches exit. Public parking nearby.
Prices
Free admission for all concerts and workshops.
Contact
- City of Garches: garches.fr/jazz-a-garches
- Departmental Council 92: hauts-de-seine.fr
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Where does it take place — Jazz à Garches
Centre-ville de Garches
Hôtel de Ville de Garches, 2 rue Claude Liard, 92380 Garches, 92380 Garches