La Défense Jazz Festival
Ten days of free jazz on the parvis de La Défense
About Défense Jazz Festival
Created in 1977, La Défense Jazz Festival is one of the oldest and most popular free jazz festivals in Europe. Every year in June, for ten days, the parvis de La Défense in Puteaux transforms into an open-air stage for jazz, soul, gospel, electro, and world music concerts. Organized by the Conseil départemental des Hauts-de-Seine, this unique festival allows tens of thousands of spectators to discover the biggest names in international jazz for free.
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La Défense Jazz Festival: Half a Century of Free Jazz
Born in 1977 under the initiative of the Conseil général des Hauts-de-Seine, La Défense Jazz Festival is one of the oldest and most popular jazz events in France. In almost five decades of existence, it has hosted the biggest names in world jazz on the parvis de La Défense: Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny, Chick Corea, Wynton Marsalis, Marcus Miller, Diana Krall, Norah Jones, Cassandra Wilson, Chucho Valdés, Caecilie Norby, and many other living legends.
The fundamental originality of the festival lies in its total freeness. All concerts are free to access, without tickets or registration, offering all the inhabitants of the Île-de-France region — and the many tourists passing through — the opportunity to immerse themselves in great music under the open sky, in the heart of one of Europe's most emblematic business districts.
The Parvis de La Défense: A Unique Urban Stage
La Défense, a district of skyscrapers and major corporations, transforms during the festival into a festive and popular space. The large esplanade — which the public is used to crossing quickly between professional appointments — becomes an open-air concert hall with several thousand seats, where the contrast between the glass and steel towers and the live music creates a unique atmosphere.
A Program That Pushes the Boundaries of Jazz
True to the spirit of jazz, a festival of freedom and mixing, La Défense Jazz Festival rejects narrow musical boundaries. Its programming embraces all branches of contemporary jazz: traditional jazz, bebop, jazz fusion, electro jazz, nu-jazz, soul, gospel, afrobeat, blues, R&B, and world music. This musical openness allows the festival to attract a very diverse audience, far beyond just jazz enthusiasts.
The La Défense National Jazz Competition
Each edition is enriched by the La Défense National Jazz Competition, one of the most prestigious jazz competitions in France, open to professional or semi-professional jazz ensembles. The 49th edition of the competition will take place in 2026. Selected candidates perform in regional selections before the public final on the parvis, which is one of the highlights of each festival. The winner benefits from national exposure and artistic support.
The 2025 Edition
The 48th edition of the festival was held from June 23 to 29, 2025 on the parvis de La Défense in Puteaux. Among the artists programmed were Herbie Hancock, a living legend of jazz and a pioneer of fusion jazz, and Angelique Kidjo, an African world music legend. The winner of the 2025 National Jazz Competition is the ensemble AMG.
The 2026 Edition
The 49th edition of the festival will take place in June 2026 on the parvis de La Défense, with the selections and final of the National Jazz Competition scheduled for June 20, 2026. The full program of invited artists will be announced in the spring of 2026. Free and open entry as every year.
Défense Jazz Festival — edition 2026
The 49th edition of the La Défense Jazz Festival will take place in June 2026 on the parvis de La Défense in Puteaux, with ten days of free concerts featuring jazz, soul, world music, and electronic music. The final of the 49th La Défense National Jazz Competition is scheduled for June 20, 2026.
49th Edition — June 2026
The 49th edition of the La Défense Jazz Festival will take over the parvis de La Défense in June 2026 for ten days of completely free concerts. The festival enters the final stretch before its half-century mark, and this anniversary edition promises to be particularly memorable.
National Jazz Competition — 49th Edition
The 49th edition of the La Défense National Jazz Competition is open for applications. Candidates — professional or semi-professional jazz ensembles — will compete in regional selections before the public final scheduled for June 20, 2026, on the parvis de La Défense. The distinction awarded to the winner is one of the most prestigious launching pads in French jazz.
The full program of invited artists will be announced in the spring of 2026. Free and open entry as every year.
Prices Défense Jazz Festival 2026
Practical information — Défense Jazz Festival
Practical Information
Location
Parvis de La Défense
Place de la Défense, 92800 Puteaux
Access
- RER A — La Défense Station, Grande Arche exit
- Metro Line 1 — La Défense Station
- Transilien L — La Défense Station
- Bus — Numerous lines serving La Défense
Prices
Free admission for all concerts. No tickets or reservations required.
Food & Drink
Numerous restaurants and brasseries in the immediate vicinity on the esplanade of La Défense. Food trucks and catering points during certain evenings.
Contact
La Défense Jazz Festival — Conseil départemental des Hauts-de-Seine
Website: ladefensejazzfestival.hauts-de-seine.fr
Instagram: @ladefensejazz
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Travel to this festival
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Where does it take place — Défense Jazz Festival
Parvis de La Défense
Place de la Défense, 92800 Puteaux