Jazz au Sommet

Jazz au Sommet: Taking Music to New Heights in the Pilat

Since 2007, the Jazz au Sommet festival has brought jazz to life in the heart of the Pilat Regional Natural Park, nestled in the Loire mountains. What began as an initiative by local jazz enthusiasts in the Haut Pilat has grown over nearly two decades into a must-attend event for emerging jazz in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, renowned for its ambitious programming and deep local roots.

A Traveling Festival in the Great Outdoors

Jazz au Sommet stands out for its nomadic spirit: concerts are held across several Haut Pilat villages—Saint-Genest-Malifaux, Marlhes, Saint-Régis-du-Coin, and Saint-Sauveur-en-Rue—taking over diverse venues such as community halls, churches, market squares, the Jules Verne cinema, and the local library. This roaming format creates a profound connection with the Loire region, bringing villages to life with the rhythm of jazz from late summer through early autumn.

A Program Focused on Emerging Talent and Fusion

The festival rejects the clichés of elitist, urban jazz to champion music that is popular and universal. The lineup highlights emerging jazz, largely thanks to the Jazz au Sommet Competition, held every February at Le Solar in Saint-Étienne, which showcases young regional bands. Recent winners include the Grenoble-based Moustik Haterz and the Lyon quartet Felsenmeer. Concerts blend contemporary jazz, world music, and Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, and African rhythms in a spirit of fusion and openness.

Jazz and Nature: An Immersive Experience

A key feature of the festival is the fusion of music and nature. The Panoramic Jazz events are musical hikes that lead walkers to the peaks of the Pilat—at the foot of the Crêt de l'Œillon (1,364 m)—where musicians perform against the backdrop of spectacular views over the Rhône Valley and the Alps. The Jazz & Nature sessions offer a blend of yoga and music, providing a moment of deep relaxation within the vast horizons of the Pilat.

Educational Outreach and Cultural Engagement

Since its inception, the Jazz au Sommet association has developed diverse educational initiatives to introduce audiences of all ages to jazz. Workshops for children and teenagers allow them to experiment with different instruments and discover the many facets of jazz. The Jazz Môme program, aimed at schools and nurseries, continues this cultural outreach throughout the year. The Jazz au Village festival, held in June, brings musicians directly into Pilat villages, visiting schools, nursing homes, restaurants, and town squares.