Jazz à la Lunette

ℹ️ Festival discontinued. Jazz à la Lunette only had two editions, in 2016 and 2017. Following the dissolution of the organising association Mélanges Improbables in November 2023 and the death of its founder Philippe Chanclu, the festival has definitively ceased its activities. No edition is planned for 2026 or beyond. This page is kept for documentary purposes.

Jazz in a Fortified Setting

Jazz à la Lunette took its name from Lunette 10, an advanced work of the Langres citadel built in 1848. This autonomous polygonal fort, located a few tens of meters in front of the citadel's bastions, served as an advanced strongpoint to slow down attacks coming from the plateau. Its circular shape and deep moats make it a unique natural amphitheatre, particularly suitable for setting up an open-air stage.

A Festival Born from Passion

The festival was created in 2016 by the association Mélanges Improbables, led by Philippe Chanclu, a key figure in Langres' cultural life. For about fifteen years, this association programmed jazz, blues, rock, and world music in Langres, organising nearly 180 concert dates in various venues across the city, notably at L'Épicerie and the Théâtre Michel-Humbert. The creation of Jazz à la Lunette addressed a simple observation: there was no jazz festival between Nancy Jazz Pulsations and Jazz à Beaune.

An Open and Generous Program

True to the philosophy of Mélanges Improbables, the festival offered an eclectic program mixing jazz, blues, world music, and chanson. The ambition was not to confine itself to purist jazz but to explore all the ramifications of this music: from gypsy jazz to contemporary jazz, from Delta blues to African sounds. Among the artists who marked past editions are Vincent Peirani (jazz accordionist awarded at the Victoires de la Musique), Fred Music, the Gypsy Winsberg Trio, Louis Winsberg, Ibrahim Keita, and the Duna Orkestar.

Highlights Beyond the Concerts

The festival was not limited to evening concerts. Jazz parades in the streets of Langres, in the style of New Orleans brass bands, animated the city during the day. The École Municipale de Musique de Langres participated in the « off » program with workshops and performances by its students in the village square. Food stalls and a refreshment bar allowed visitors to fully enjoy the convivial atmosphere within the lunette's enclosure.

A Remarkable Heritage Setting

Langres, a fortified city perched on a rocky spur at an altitude of 475 meters, offers a spectacular panorama of the Marne and Bonnelle valleys. The city boasts one of France's most beautiful fortified enclosures, with over 3.5 kilometers of ramparts punctuated by seven towers and seven gates. Lunette 10, an element of the citadel built in the mid-19th century, is an exceptional testament to the military architecture of that era.

The End of an Adventure

The second edition in 2017 was marked by difficult weather conditions, which significantly complicated the association's financial balance. The festival was not renewed in subsequent years, despite the local public's attachment to the format. Mélanges Improbables, which carried the event from start to finish, gradually ran out of steam before being officially dissolved during an extraordinary general assembly on November 3, 2023, at the Salle Fernandel in Langres. At the time of the announcement, its founder Philippe Chanclu, a key figure in Langres' musical life for fifteen years, explained: « This is a well-thought-out decision », citing the closure of the emblematic venue L'Épicerie and the death in 2022 of Pascal Ozaine, another pillar of the association. No other cultural actor has taken over the organisation of the festival to date, and the passing of Philippe Chanclu in 2025 definitively closed this chapter.