Jules Roy, Rostropovitch, Gainsbourg and Us
A literary and musical festival at the Maison Jules-Roy in Vézelay
2026
About Jules Roy, Rostropovitch, Gainsbourg and Us
The Maison Jules-Roy, the writer's final home in Vézelay, hosts this annual festival centered on three iconic figures connected to the site: Jules Roy himself, cellist Mstislav Rostropovich—who famously recorded Bach's Cello Suites in the basilica in 1991—and Serge Gainsbourg, who spent his final months in Vézelay. Launched in 2024 by historian and author Cécile Berly in partnership with the Yonne Department, the festival blends readings, lectures, concerts, and writing workshops within the house's gardens.
Jules Roy, Rostropovitch, Gainsbourg and Us — edition 2026
For its 3rd edition, the festival celebrates the love letters exchanged between Jules Roy and his wife Tatiana, featuring a reading by Comédie-Française member Sylvia Bergé and Daniel Mesguich. The program also explores Serge Gainsbourg's only novel, Evguénie Sokolov, and concludes with a concert and lecture dedicated to Bach and classical music.
Highlights Jules Roy, Rostropovitch, Gainsbourg and Us 2026
- Reading of the correspondence between Tatiana and Jules Roy by Sylvia Bergé and Daniel Mesguich on September 11th
- Lecture: "From Bach to Gainsbourg, what is classical music?" on September 12th
- Writing workshops held from September 9th to 12th in the garden of the Maison Jules-Roy
Programme Jules Roy, Rostropovitch, Gainsbourg and Us 2026
Wednesday, September 9th to Saturday, September 12th, 2026
- Writing workshops · Jardin de la Maison Jules-Roy
Friday, September 11th, 2026
- 8:30 PM — Reading of "Unicae unica, love letters from Tatiana and Jules Roy," adapted by Cécile Berly and performed by Sylvia Bergé (Comédie-Française) and Daniel Mesguich · Jardin de la Maison Jules-Roy (moved to the Cité de la Voix in case of bad weather)
Saturday, September 12th, 2026
- Classical music concert · Jardin de la Maison Jules-Roy
- Lecture: "From Bach to Gainsbourg, what is classical music?" · Jardin de la Maison Jules-Roy
Times for Saturday's concert and lecture have not yet been announced by the organizers.
Where does it take place — Jules Roy, Rostropovitch, Gainsbourg and Us
Jules Roy, Rostropovitch, Gainsbourg and Us in brief
Other festivals near Vézelay
Festival-goer reviews
No review yet. Be the first!
No rating yet — be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community
Have you spotted an error or missing information?
Help us keep this listing up to date. Every suggestion is reviewed by our team before publication.
Festival-goer photos
No photo yet. Share yours!
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
A quick word
Find us more easily on Google
Add Festivals en France to your preferred sources: our line-ups and calendars will show up more often in your Google results. It’s free, it takes two seconds, and you can undo it whenever you want.
Add us to my sourcesYou stay on this page: Google opens a window, then brings you back here.