Jazz sur Camembert
The jazz festival of Fontenay-le-Comte
2026
About Jazz sur Camembert
Jazz sur Camembert — edition 2026
From November 7th to 15th, 2026, the Jazz sur Camembert festival returns to Fontenay-le-Comte for an edition blending jazz concerts, cinema, lectures, and exhibitions. Four evenings at the Municipal Theatre will feature the vocal group Shades, singer Marie Carrié with her Brazilian Jazz, the Antoine Hervier Trio joined by saxophonist Géraldine Laurent in a tribute to Christian Escoudé, and local drummer Archibald Ligonnière for the grand finale. Alongside these headliners, the Le Camembert association is hosting film-concerts, lectures, and a musical tale at various venues throughout the city.
2026 Edition
The 2026 edition of the Jazz sur Camembert festival takes place from November 7th to 15th in Fontenay-le-Comte, in partnership with the city, the Regional Jazz Diffusion Collective of Pays de la Loire (CRDJ), and the Pays de Fontenay-Vendée community of communes. Four concerts will be held at the Municipal Theatre: Shades on Thursday, November 12th; Marie Carrié on Friday, November 13th; Antoine Hervier Trio featuring Géraldine Laurent on Saturday, November 14th; and Archibald Ligonnière closing the festival on Sunday, November 15th.
Beyond the main stage, the "Festival Fringe" program runs from November 3rd to 16th, featuring two exhibitions (the SVA "Jazz in Pictures" at the media library and "Jazz Liberté" by Lycée Rabelais students), a free concert by Dab Dixie at Moulins Liots, a lecture-concert on Billie Holiday and Lester Young, two film screenings ("The Blues Brothers" and "Cotton Club"), a performance by "Le 34" Music School, the musical tale "Novecento, the Pianist on the Ocean", a lecture on Pierre Barouh and jazz, a screening of the documentary "Saravah", educational concerts for local schools, and a performance by the Trip O.D trio in Saint-Martin-de-Fraigneau.
Highlights Jazz sur Camembert 2026
- Shades — Thursday, November 12th, 9:00 PM: Broadway musicals and American vocal legends (Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald)
- Marie Carrié "Brazilian Jazz" — Friday, November 13th, 9:00 PM: Bossa nova, samba, and a tribute to great Brazilian composers
- Antoine Hervier Trio invites Géraldine Laurent — Saturday, November 14th, 9:00 PM: "Navigue loin", a tribute to Christian Escoudé
- Archibald Ligonnière — Sunday, November 15th, 4:00 PM: Festival closing with his debut album "A New Home"
- Lecture-concert "Billie Holiday and Lester Young" — Sunday, November 8th
- Musical tale "Novecento, the Pianist on the Ocean" — Wednesday, November 11th
Programme Jazz sur Camembert 2026
November 3rd to 16th, 2026 — Festival Fringe
- "SVA" Exhibition — Jazz in Pictures · Media Library
- "Jazz Liberté" Exhibition, by students of the Art History option at Lycée Rabelais · "Le 34" Music School
Saturday, November 7th, 2026
- 4:00 PM — Dab Dixie Concert · Moulins Liots (free)
Sunday, November 8th, 2026
- 4:00 PM — Lecture-concert "Billie Holiday and Lester Young", by Jean-Yves Renouf, association musicians, and Elodie Serratan (vocals) · Lycée Bel Air Amphitheatre (€5 / €3)
Monday, November 9th, 2026
- 2:00 PM — Screening of John Landis' "The Blues Brothers" (1980) in French · Grand Écran Cinema (€5.50)
- 6:30 PM–7:30 PM — "Jazz" musical interlude with "Le 34" Music School · Municipal Theatre (free)
- 8:30 PM — Screening of Francis Ford Coppola's "Cotton Club" (1984) in French · Grand Écran Cinema (cinema rates apply)
Tuesday, November 10th, 2026
- 3:00 PM — Educational concert for primary school students in the Fontenay area · Municipal Theatre
- 9:00 PM — Trip O.D Jazz Concert — A. Moncheny (piano), O. Dehaud (double bass), A. Perrin (drums) · Eleïs, hotel-restaurant, Saint-Martin-de-Fraigneau
Wednesday, November 11th, 2026
- 3:00 PM — Musical tale "Novecento, the Pianist on the Ocean" · Municipal Theatre (€5 or €3 for members, under 18s, and music school students)
- 5:00 PM — Lecture "Pierre Barouh and Jazz", by Benjamin Barouh · Municipal Theatre (free)
- 8:30 PM — Screening of "Saravah" (59 min) · Grand Écran Cinema (cinema rates apply)
Thursday, November 12th, 2026
- 10:30 AM — Educational concert for secondary school students · Municipal Theatre
- 9:00 PM (doors 8:15 PM) — Shades: "Swing and the Great American Voices", a tribute to 1940s-50s Broadway musicals and the music of Sinatra, Nat King Cole, and Ella Fitzgerald — Antoine Laudière (guitar, arrangement/musical direction), Corentin Giniaux (bass clarinet), Pablo Campos, Elora Antolin, Marion Chrétien, Ellinoa (vocals) · Municipal Theatre (€18, €15 for members/job seekers, free for under 16s)
Friday, November 13th, 2026
- 9:00 PM (doors 8:15 PM) — Marie Carrié, "Brazilian Jazz": Bossa nova by Antonio Carlos Jobim, popular music by Djavan, and samba — Marie Carrié (vocals), Yann Penichou (guitar), Gerson Saeki (double bass/bass), Miguel Couto (drums) · Municipal Theatre (€18, €15 for members/job seekers, free for under 16s)
Saturday, November 14th, 2026
- 9:00 PM (doors 8:15 PM) — Antoine Hervier Trio invites Géraldine Laurent, "Navigue loin, Looking at Christian Escoudé" — Antoine Hervier (piano), Géraldine Laurent (alto saxophone), Guillaume Souriau (double bass), Alban Mourgues (drums) · Municipal Theatre (€18, €15 for members/job seekers, free for under 16s)
Sunday, November 15th, 2026
- 4:00 PM (doors 3:15 PM) — Archibald Ligonnière, "A New Home" — Archibald Ligonnière (drums, percussion), Stéphane Guillaume (soprano & tenor saxophones, flute), Tom Ibarra (guitars), Jean-Yves Jung (piano), Gildas Boclé (double bass) · Municipal Theatre (€18, €15 for members/job seekers, free for under 16s)
Prices Jazz sur Camembert 2026
Reservations at the Vendée Marais Poitevin Tourist Office, Place de Verdun, 85200 Fontenay-le-Comte, 02 51 69 44 99, or via the online ticketing system.
Other events (lectures, cinema, musical tale): prices vary, some are free — please see the detailed program.
Practical information — Jazz sur Camembert
Practical Information
Venue
Théâtre municipal de Fontenay-le-Comte, 22 rue Rabelais, 85200 Fontenay-le-Comte. Venue accessible to people with reduced mobility.
Access
By car: Fontenay-le-Comte is accessible via the D938 ter from La Roche-sur-Yon (45 min) or the N148 from Niort (30 min). Free parking in the town center near the theater.
Ticketing
Full price: €15 per concert. Member price: €12 (upon presentation of proof). Free for children under 16.
Tickets on sale online via the Vendée Marais Poitevin Tourist Office ticketing and at the tourist offices of Fontenay-le-Comte, Maillezais, Vouvant, and La Châtaigneraie.
Schedule
Concerts from Thursday to Saturday at 9:00 PM (doors open at 8:15 PM). Sunday concert at 4:00 PM.
Contact
Vendée Marais Poitevin Tourist Office — Tel: 02 51 69 44 99 — Email: [email protected]
Jazz sur Camembert: The Jazz Soul of Fontenay-le-Comte
Organized by the association Le Camembert, the Jazz sur Camembert festival — also known as the Camembert Jazz Festival — is a flagship event of the jazz scene in Vendée. Since its creation in the early 1990s, this autumn gathering has established itself as an essential showcase for jazz musicians from the Pays de la Loire region, in partnership with the Regional Collective for Jazz Diffusion (CRDJ), the Regional Council of Pays de la Loire, and the city of Fontenay-le-Comte.
An Italian-style Theater as a Setting
The concerts take place at the Théâtre municipal de Fontenay-le-Comte, an architectural gem from the 19th century located at 22 rue Rabelais, in the heart of the historic center. With its 257 seats and remarkable acoustics, this small Italian-style theater offers a warm atmosphere and exceptional proximity between artists and the public, ideal for savoring the nuances of acoustic jazz and the flights of fusion jazz.
Four Days of Jazz in November
Each year, from Thursday to Sunday in mid-November, the festival programs four concerts highlighting the richness of the regional jazz scene. From big band swing to intimate trios, including gypsy jazz, fusion jazz, and bossa nova, the programming explores all facets of the genre. The 2025 edition notably featured the Pacific Big Band with guest Faby Medina, the Colunia Quartet, Market Street with Jean-Luc Ouvrard in a tribute to Joe Zawinul, and the Antoine Delaunay Quintet for a "French Songbook" to close the festival on Sunday.
A Festival Rooted in Fontenay-le-Comte's Cultural Life
The association Le Camembert is not limited to the festival: it enlivens the musical life of Fontenay-le-Comte year-round through its Hootnany events, monthly open stages inviting amateur and experienced musicians to gather for eclectic jam sessions mixing jazz, chanson, reggae, and improvised music. A computer-assisted music (MAO) workshop has also complemented this associative cultural offering since 2022, making Le Camembert an essential player in musical creation in southern Vendée.
Where does it take place — Jazz sur Camembert
Jazz sur Camembert in brief
History of Jazz sur Camembert
Edition 2025 Nov 2025Other festivals near Fontenay-le-Comte
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Published by Valentin Contard, festival listings writer. Reviewed, corrected and approved by Christophe Contard, editor-in-chief. .
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