Les ClisSonnantes
Classical music festival in Clisson
About Les ClisSonnantes
Classical music at the heart of the Nantes vineyard
The Les ClisSonnantes festival was born in 2020 on the initiative of the association La Voie des Chœurs, founded in 2017 by Brigitte Sauvion and a group of Clisson residents eager to revive classical music in their region. Despite a launch in the midst of a health crisis, the festival has established itself thanks to the tenacity of its president and the quality of its programming, growing from 700 spectators in its first edition to over 4,000 in 2025.
Iconic venues in service of music
One of the unique aspects of Les ClisSonnantes is making music dialogue with the architectural heritage of Clisson. Concerts take place in historic locations: the Espace Saint-Jacques, a former church converted into a cultural space, the Notre-Dame church, the medieval Halles, the Arlekino hall, and the Le Connétable cinema. Since 2023, the festival has extended beyond Clisson with “Hors les Murs” concerts in neighboring towns of the Nantes vineyard — Gorges, Boussay, Vieillevigne, Château-Thébaud — as well as at the Château de Goulaine and the Chapelle de l'Immaculée in Nantes.
An ambitious and accessible program
Under the artistic direction of Nicolas Jounis, trained at the Nantes Conservatory and the École Normale de Musique de Paris, and musical director of the Philharmonie des Deux Mondes, the festival offers a strong theme each year: “Baroque and Classical” in 2022, “Passions” in 2024, “Journey to Italy” in 2025, “Beethoven & Co.” in 2026. The selected works cover the great repertoire — from Vivaldi to Beethoven, from Mozart to Fauré — and are performed by renowned symphony orchestras, chamber ensembles, and soloists. The festival also focuses on discovery, programming works by female composers and lesser-known pieces.
A commitment to all audiences
True to its mission of democratization, the festival offers educational concerts for schoolchildren — over 350 students reached by 2023 — and attracts an intergenerational audience, with about 15% under 18 years old in 2024. The event relies on the commitment of around forty volunteers and benefits from the support of the City of Clisson, the Department of Loire-Atlantique, and the Pays de la Loire Region.
Les ClisSonnantes — edition 2026
7th edition of the Les ClisSonnantes festival, from September 30 to October 4, 2026 in Clisson, on the theme « Beethoven & Co. » to mark the 200th anniversary of Beethoven's passing. Under the artistic direction of Nicolas Jounis, about twenty concerts bringing together more than 200 musicians at Espace Saint-Jacques, Notre-Dame church, Arlekino hall and Les Halles, complemented by « Hors les Murs » (Outside the Walls) concerts in the Nantes vineyard. Headliners include: trumpeter Lucienne Renaudin Vary (Victoire de la Musique) and accordionist Félicien Brut.
7th Edition — « Beethoven & Co. »
The 2026 edition of the Les ClisSonnantes festival, from September 30 to October 4, is themed « Beethoven & Co. », in homage to the genius from Bonn as the 200th anniversary of Ludwig van Beethoven's passing (1827) approaches. The program juxtaposes the master's works with those of his contemporaries and heirs — Mozart, Schubert, Haydn, Mendelssohn, Brahms — in an immersive experience where music dialogues with history and emotion. The festival opens on Wednesday, September 30 at 8:30 PM with an inaugural conference « Beethoven, Genius and Revolutions » presented by artistic director Nicolas Jounis at Espace Saint-Jacques.
Leading Artists
This edition notably welcomes Lucienne Renaudin Vary, trumpeter and Victoire de la Musique laureate, and Félicien Brut, accordionist, for the concert « The Perfect Match » on Saturday, October 3. The program also features pianist Dimitri Malignan, pianist Lavinia Bertulli, the duo Jacques & Grégoire Humbert (piano four hands), pianist Diana Cooper, the Philharmonie des Deux Mondes conducted by Nicolas Jounis with soloists Maxence Pilchen (piano) and Briac Lardeux (clarinet), the ensemble Les Cantates Spirituelles, the chamber choir Aria Voce, as well as the Trio des Estuaires, the ensembles Cantafolia and E-Miol for the « Hors les Murs » concerts.
Innovative Formats
Among the highlights: a « Breakfast with Beethoven » on Sunday, October 4 at 9:30 AM at Salle Arlekino, an intimate format blending letters from Beethoven, Mozart and Schubert's poetry around a breakfast; an ephemeral choir formed for the festival and directed by countertenor Bruno Le Levreur; free concerts at Les Halles (beatbox with Malcolm Epock, Irish concert); and the grand gospel closing concert by the Song of Freedom choir, continuing the tradition inaugurated in 2024.
Programme Les ClisSonnantes 2026
« Hors les Murs » Concerts (preliminary)
- Friday, August 28, 8:30 PM — Château de Goulaine : Trio des Estuaires (Tchaikovsky, Ravel, Debussy, Glinka)
- Sunday, September 27, 4 PM — Église de Boussay : ensemble Cantafolia, dir. Bruno Le Levreur (baroque sacred music)
- Sunday, September 27, 4 PM — Église de Vieillevigne : ensemble E-Miol, dir. Damien Brun (Buxtehude, Bach)
- Monday, September 28, 8:30 PM — Cinéma Le Connétable, Clisson : screening « Tous les matins du monde » followed by a debate with Nicolas Jounis
- Tuesday, September 29, 8:30 PM — Chapelle de l'Immaculée, Nantes : « Romantic Resonances », Dimitri Malignan (piano)
- Wednesday, September 30, 1 PM-5 PM then 6 PM — Espace Saint-Jacques : piano masterclass by Dimitri Malignan + students' recital
Wednesday, September 30 — Inauguration
- 8:30 PM — Espace Saint-Jacques : conference « Beethoven, Genius and Revolutions » by Nicolas Jounis
Thursday, October 1
- 8:30 PM — Espace Saint-Jacques : « Romantic Resonances », Dimitri Malignan, piano (Beethoven, Schubert)
Friday, October 2
- 8:30 PM — Salle Arlekino : grand opening concert « Beethoven & Co. », La Philharmonie des Deux Mondes, dir. Nicolas Jounis, Maxence Pilchen on piano (Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert)
Saturday, October 3
- 10:45 AM — Espace Saint-Jacques : « Crossed Passions », Ariane Plantive (violin), Rizumu Okui (piano) — Beethoven, Fauré
- 12 PM — Les Halles (free) : « Epock & Vibrations », students of Pôle Musical Sèvre & Maine + Malcolm Epock (beatbox)
- 1:30 PM — Salle Arlekino : « The Symphonic Piano », Jacques & Grégoire Humbert (piano four hands)
- 3:30 PM — Espace Saint-Jacques : « Beethoven & Chopin », Diana Cooper (piano)
- 5:30 PM — Salle Arlekino : « The Perfect Match », Lucienne Renaudin Vary (trumpet) & Félicien Brut (accordion)
- 8:30 PM — Église Notre-Dame : « Musica Aeterna », ensemble Les Cantates Spirituelles (Bach, Buxtehude)
Sunday, October 4
- 9:30 AM — Salle Arlekino : « Breakfast with Beethoven » (storyteller and violinist)
- 11 AM — Salle Arlekino : « Legacies », La Philharmonie des Deux Mondes, dir. Nicolas Jounis, Briac Lardeux (clarinet) — Mozart, Handel
- 12:15 PM — Les Halles (free) : « Irish Concert with Seahan »
- 1:30 PM — Espace Saint-Jacques : « Ephemeral Festival Choir », dir. Bruno Le Levreur
- 2 PM — Salle Arlekino : « The Masters of Vienna », Lavinia Bertulli (piano) — Mozart, Schubert, Beethoven
- 4 PM — Église Notre-Dame : « Lux Aeterna », Aria Voce chamber choir, dir. Étienne Ferchaud, organ Mickaël Durand
- 6 PM — Salle Arlekino : grand closing concert « Song of Freedom », Song of Freedom choir, dir. Sonya Pinçon (gospel)
Highlights Les ClisSonnantes 2026
- Theme « Beethoven & Co. » as the 200th anniversary of Beethoven's passing approaches
- Lucienne Renaudin Vary (Victoire de la Musique) and Félicien Brut as headliners (« The Perfect Match », Saturday, October 3)
- More than 200 musicians and about twenty concerts
- New intimate format: « Breakfast with Beethoven » on Sunday morning
- Free concerts at Les Halles (beatbox with Malcolm Epock, Irish concert)
- « Hors les Murs » concerts in the Nantes vineyard (Goulaine, Boussay, Vieillevigne, Nantes)
- Grand gospel closing concert with the Song of Freedom choir
Prices Les ClisSonnantes 2026
Practical information — Les ClisSonnantes
Practical information
Concert Venues
The festival concerts take place in several venues in Clisson and the Nantes vineyard:
- Espace Saint-Jacques — Rue du Docteur Duboueix, 44190 Clisson
- Église Notre-Dame — Clisson
- Les Halles — Clisson
- Salle Arlekino — Clisson
- Cinéma Le Connétable — Clisson
“Hors les Murs” concerts are also offered at the Château de Goulaine, in Boussay, Vieillevigne, and Nantes (Chapelle de l'Immaculée).
Ticketing
Tickets are on sale on the Billetweb platform. Festival passes are available with discounts of 10 to 30% on all concerts.
Access
By car: Clisson is located 35 km southeast of Nantes via the N149 (about 40 minutes).
By train: Clisson SNCF station, served by TER from Nantes (about 30 minutes).
Contact
Association La Voie des Chœurs
18 route de Cugand, 44190 Clisson
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 06 89 89 76 92
Website: lesclissonnantes.fr
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Where does it take place — Les ClisSonnantes
Espace Saint-Jacques
Rue du Docteur Duboueix, 44190 Clisson