Les Estivales d'ArtenetrA
Classical music festival at the Royal Abbey of Celles-sur-Belle
About ArtenetrA
Les Estivales d'ArtenetrA: Musical Excellence in the Heart of the Deux-Sèvres Heritage
Since 2007, the Les Estivales d'ArtenetrA festival has established itself as one of the major musical events in Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Founded by Fabrice Gregorutti, composer, conductor, and artistic director, this festival was born from the desire to make classical music resonate within the ancient walls of the Royal Abbey of Celles-sur-Belle, a 17th-century architectural gem nestled in the heart of Haut Val de Sèvre.
ArtenetrA's artistic project goes beyond the simple framework of a summer festival. The association develops cultural activities throughout the year in the region, making music a vector for social connection and heritage enhancement. Concerts take place in the abbey as well as in several remarkable sites in the Deux-Sèvres, creating a true musical journey through the department.
An Exceptional Program Featuring Both Renowned Artists and Discoveries
Each edition of Les Estivales offers around twenty concerts featuring internationally acclaimed artists and promising young talents. Over the years, the festival has hosted musicians such as Anne Queffélec, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Leontina Vaduva, and Yves Castagnet, titular organist of Notre-Dame de Paris. The program explores all facets of classical music: piano recitals, chamber music, symphonic concerts, organ recitals, and vocal music.
Masterclasses: Transmission and Excellence
An essential part of the festival, the masterclasses allow talented young musicians to work with renowned masters in the exceptional setting of the abbey. Anne Queffélec's piano masterclasses and Leontina Vaduva's singing classes have become highly sought-after events, attracting participants from all over Europe.
The Royal Abbey: A Remarkable Acoustic Setting
The Royal Abbey of Celles-sur-Belle, founded in the 11th century and rebuilt in the 17th century in a monumental classical style, offers exceptional natural acoustics for classical music concerts. The abbey church, the cloister, and the conventual rooms all serve as concert spaces with varied atmospheres, allowing for an intimate and immersive musical experience. This historical monument, one of the most beautiful monastic ensembles in Poitou, enhances every performance and creates a unique dialogue between architecture and music.
A Festival Rooted in its Territory
Located in a town of less than 4,000 inhabitants, the festival plays a vital role in the cultural and tourist animation of Haut Val de Sèvre and the Deux-Sèvres. It benefits from the support of the Department of Deux-Sèvres, the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region, and the municipality of Celles-sur-Belle, as well as private partners and a network of dedicated volunteers.
ArtenetrA — edition 2026
The 20th edition of Les Estivales d'ArtenetrA takes place from June 30 to August 2, 2026, at the Abbaye Royale de Celles-sur-Belle and in several heritage sites in Deux-Sèvres. For this twentieth anniversary of the festival, the program brings together 25 concerts and 4 masterclasses: four-hand piano recitals with Anne Queffélec, string quartets, vocal music, creations around the Cristal Baschet, and an evening with Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt and Nicolas Stavy focusing on Chopin.
20th edition — from June 30 to August 2, 2026
Les Estivales d'ArtenetrA celebrates its 20th edition in 2026, an anniversary marked by a particularly rich program: 25 concerts and 4 masterclasses spread from June 30 to August 2, at the Abbaye Royale de Celles-sur-Belle and in about ten communes in Deux-Sèvres (Niort, Melle, Sainte-Néomaye, Brioux-sur-Boutonne, Périgné, Pamproux, Paizay-le-Tort, Saint-Marc-la-Lande).
This edition brings together internationally renowned artists: Anne Queffélec (four-hand piano recital and masterclass), Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt and pianist Nicolas Stavy around “Madame Pylinska and the Secret of Chopin,” the Quatuor Enesco, the Trio à cordes de Paris, pianists Jean-Paul Gasparian and Nikita Mndoyants, violinist Fedor Rudin, and the ensemble Les Bons Becs. Several concerts feature the Cristal Baschet with Michel Deneuve.
Four masterclasses open to the public are held at the abbey throughout the summer: piano (Anne Queffélec), bandoneon (Victor Villena), clarinet (Florent Héau), and singing (Leontina Vaduva), each followed by an end-of-course concert by the students.
Programme ArtenetrA 2026
Friday, July 3, 2026 — 7:30 PM · Sainte-Néomaye, Le Temple
- Anne Queffélec & Gaspard Dehaene — four-hand piano recital, “Around Schubert's Fantasy in F minor” (10 €)
Saturday, July 4, 2026 — 7:30 PM · Niort, Auditorium de la Maison Boinot
- Anne Queffélec & Gaspard Dehaene — four-hand piano recital, “Around Schubert's Fantasy in F minor” (20 €)
Sunday, July 5, 2026 · Abbaye Royale de Celles-sur-Belle
- 11 AM — Concert by students of Anne Queffélec's piano masterclass (free)
- 6 PM — “Echoes from the workshop”: Virginie Seghers (voice), Théo Penven (piano), Mathieu Roy (violin), Laurent Larcher (double bass) (10 €)
Thursday, July 9, 2026 — 7:30 PM · Niort, Auditorium de la Maison Boinot
- Duo Hands (Alexandra Roshchina & Alain Jacquon) — four-hand piano, “Around Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring” (15 €)
Friday, July 10, 2026 — 7:30 PM · Brioux-sur-Boutonne
- Kalistrio (Victor Villena — bandoneon, Rémy Yulzari — double bass, Yannick Lopes — guitar) — in partnership with Festival au village (tickets scenesnomades.fr)
Saturday, July 11, 2026 · Abbaye Royale de Celles-sur-Belle
- 11 AM — Michel Deneuve: concert-animation with Cristal Baschet (free)
- 3 PM — Cristal Trio (Michel Deneuve — Cristal Baschet, Sébastien Fournier — countertenor, Christophe Beau — cello), “Magical and Wonderful Worlds” (free)
- 4 PM — The Divky Project (Tonia Krysa & Yanzhyma Morozova — violin duo), “Musical Journey to Ukraine” (free)
- 6 PM — Elsa Grether (violin), Ferenc Vizi (piano), “Musical Journey to Spain” (free)
- 7:30 PM — Kalistrio (Victor Villena, Rémy Yulzari, Yannick Lopes) (free)
- 9:30 PM — Concert-show “Around Arvo Pärt's Stabat Mater”: Shigeko Hata (soprano), Anaëlle Gregorutti (mezzo-soprano), Antoine Chenuet (tenor), Sébastien Fournier (countertenor), Florin Szigeti (violin), Frédéric Lainé (viola), Dorel Fodoreanu (cello), Sarah Kim (organ), live painting and video projection by Patrick Pleutin (20 €)
Sunday, July 12, 2026
- 11 AM · Abbaye de Celles-sur-Belle — Concert by students of Victor Villena's bandoneon masterclass (free)
- 3 PM · Église de Paizay-le-Tort — Anaëlle Gregorutti (mezzo-soprano), Victor Villena (bandoneon) (free)
- 5 PM · Église de Saint-Marc-la-Lande — Cristal Trio, “Magical and Wonderful Worlds” (15 €)
- 7:30 PM · Église Saint-Hilaire de Melle — Quatuor Enesco (Constantin Bogdanas & Florin Szigeti — violins, Frédéric Lainé — viola, Dorel Fodoreanu — cello), “Around Schubert's Death and the Maiden” (free)
Tuesday, July 21, 2026 — 7:30 PM · Périgné, salle des fêtes
- Nikita Mndoyants (piano), “Around Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition” (10 €)
Wednesday, July 22, 2026 — 7:30 PM · Abbaye Royale de Celles-sur-Belle
- Jean-Noël Bonmort (flute) and the Trio à cordes de Paris (Hélène Collerette — violin, Teodor Coman — viola, Fabrice Bihan — cello), “Around Mozart's Flute Quartets” (15 €)
Friday, July 24, 2026 — 7:30 PM · Église Saint-Hilaire de Melle
- Fedor Rudin (violin), “Around Bach's 2nd Partita for solo violin” (free)
Saturday, July 25, 2026 — 7:30 PM · Abbaye Royale de Celles-sur-Belle
- Jean-Paul Gasparian (piano) — works by Chopin (15 €)
Sunday, July 26, 2026 — 5 PM · Pamproux, salle Alain Audis
- Les Bons Becs (Florent Héau & Éric Baret — clarinets, Yves Jeanne — clarinet, Laurent Bienvenu — basset horn, Bruno Desmoullières — percussion) — concert-show (10 €)
Monday, July 27, 2026 · Abbaye Royale de Celles-sur-Belle
- 11 AM — Concert by students of Florent Héau's clarinet masterclass (free)
- 7:30 PM — Les Bons Becs — concert-show (15 €)
Saturday, August 1, 2026 — 7:30 PM · Melle, Le Metullum
- Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt (narrator) and Nicolas Stavy (piano), “Madame Pylinska and the Secret of Chopin” (20 €)
Sunday, August 2, 2026 — 6 PM · Abbaye Royale de Celles-sur-Belle
- Lyrical evening with students of Leontina Vaduva's singing masterclass (free)
Masterclasses open to the public (10 AM-12 PM and 2 PM-4 PM) at the Abbaye de Celles-sur-Belle: piano with Anne Queffélec (June 30-July 5), bandoneon with Victor Villena (July 7-12), clarinet with Florent Héau (July 22-27), singing with Leontina Vaduva (July 28-August 2).
Highlights ArtenetrA 2026
- 20th anniversary edition: 25 concerts and 4 masterclasses from June 30 to August 2, 2026
- Anne Queffélec in a four-hand piano recital and masterclass
- Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt and Nicolas Stavy focusing on Chopin (August 1, Melle)
- Several free concerts, notably the big day on July 11 at the abbey
- Concerts in about ten heritage sites in Deux-Sèvres
Prices ArtenetrA 2026
Practical information — ArtenetrA
Practical Information
Access
By car: Celles-sur-Belle is located 25 km southeast of Niort, on the D948. From the A10 motorway (Paris-Bordeaux), take the Niort exit and follow the signs for Melle/Celles-sur-Belle.
By train: Niort station (TGV from Paris in 2h15), then a bus or car connection to Celles-sur-Belle (25 km).
Prices
Online ticketing on the festival website and on-site one hour before each concert. Prices vary depending on the concert. Reduced prices for students and young people.
Contact
ArtenetrA Association
Royal Abbey of Celles-sur-Belle
79370 Celles-sur-Belle
Website: artenetra.com
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Where does it take place — ArtenetrA
Abbaye Royale de Celles-sur-Belle
Abbaye Royale, 79370 Celles-sur-Belle