L'Été sous les Charmes

Free musical evenings in the heart of Dreux

L'Été sous les Charmes is the summer musical event of the town of Dreux. Every Saturday evening from mid-July to mid-August, the Grande Rue Maurice Viollette, the main artery of the city center, transforms into an open-air concert stage. Starting at 9 PM, bands and artists of various styles perform for free in front of a family and enthusiastic audience. The event takes its name from the hornbeam trees that line this pedestrian street, offering an ideal natural and shaded setting for summer evenings.

An eclectic and festive program

The program for L'Été sous les Charmes reflects the musical diversity that the town of Dreux wishes to offer its inhabitants. Rock, French variety, world music, jazz, soul, funk, reggae, and popular chanson follow one another from one Saturday to the next, guaranteeing a different atmosphere each evening. Local artists perform alongside regional and national groups, offering a quality program accessible to all. Among the artists who have marked recent editions are ensembles blending electronic music and world sounds, African musicians offering afro-folk, and festive rock bands.

Grande Rue Maurice Viollette celebrates

The choice of Grande Rue Maurice Viollette as the concert venue is not insignificant. This commercial and pedestrian street, lined with its century-old hornbeams, forms the beating heart of Dreux city center. On concert evenings, café and restaurant terraces fill up, strollers settle on benches or on the ground, and an atmosphere of popular celebration fills the place. Shopkeepers take advantage of the crowds to offer complementary entertainment, creating a true street festival.

A highlight of the Dreux summer

L'Été sous les Charmes is part of the broader program of summer events offered by the town of Dreux. It helps to revitalize the city center during the summer period and offers residents who stay in town moments of relaxation and conviviality. Free and open to all, this event embodies the values of sharing and cultural accessibility that the municipality wishes to promote. Over the years, it has become an anticipated event, both by the people of Dreux and by residents of the surrounding communes in the Pays de Dreux.