Jazz à Ramatuelle

Jazz à Ramatuelle: almost forty years of swing under the stars

Born in 1986 on the initiative of Denis Antoine, a postman by trade and a jazz enthusiast, Jazz à Ramatuelle is one of the oldest and most authentic jazz festivals in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Founded with the legendary saxophonist Guy Lafitte, the festival was conceived as a living tribute to swing jazz, that of the golden age of classic American and European jazz, played by artists at the peak of their art.

Over the decades, Jazz à Ramatuelle has hosted legends: Milt Jackson, Johnny Griffin, Clark Terry, Hank Jones, Ray Brown, Chet Baker, Dee Dee Bridgewater and many others have graced the stage of the Théâtre de Verdure. The festival happily combines the discovery of emerging talents with the presence of established musicians, maintaining a demanding and eclectic program.

The Théâtre de Verdure, a unique natural setting

The concerts take place outdoors at the Théâtre de Verdure de Ramatuelle, located in a green and preserved setting, away from the city lights and facing the wooded hills of the Massif des Maures. The venue, with its open-air stage and incomparable nocturnal atmosphere, offers a rare sensory experience: the music blends with the scents of the garrigue and the song of the cicadas, creating a unique communion between the artists and the audience.

Every evening at 9 PM, the festival welcomes a few hundred spectators in an intimate and warm atmosphere, true to the original spirit desired by Denis Antoine. This human dimension is one of the festival's hallmarks, which rejects excess in favor of emotion and sharing.

A high-caliber program

The Jazz à Ramatuelle program favors quality acoustic jazz, with a preference for swing jazz, bebop, modal jazz, and great ballads. The invited artists are chosen for their instrumental mastery, their musical sensitivity, and their ability to connect with the audience.

The 2025 edition (39th) featured five concerts from June 24 to 28 with artists such as Monty Alexander, a towering figure of Jamaican piano, Baptiste Herbin, a leading French saxophonist, Pierrick Pédron, Michaël Wollny, and Sylvain Rifflet. Concerts start at 9 PM and create a nocturnal atmosphere conducive to musical emotion.

The OFF: jazz in the gardens

Beyond the evening concerts, the festival animates the village of Ramatuelle with its "le OFF" program: jazz aperitifs from 6:30 PM in the theater gardens with local bands, exhibitions, tastings of Var wines, and meetings with artists. This convivial aspect extends the festive and popular spirit of the festival, open to all jazz lovers, from seasoned connoisseurs to curious newcomers.

A festival rooted in the Var and the Côte d'Azur

Ramatuelle, a village of 2,000 inhabitants perched on the heights of the Gulf of Saint-Tropez, is also famous for its Théâtre de Verdure, which has hosted a nationally renowned theater festival since 1966. Jazz à Ramatuelle is part of this summer cultural tradition and benefits from the exceptional setting of the Saint-Tropez peninsula, between the sea, vineyards, and cork oak forests.

The festival is supported by the municipality of Ramatuelle, the Departmental Council of the Var, and the Region Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. It actively contributes to the cultural and tourist influence of the Var region, attracting music lovers from all over France and abroad each year.