Les Jazzeries d'Hiver
Winter jazz festival in Saint-Étienne and the Loire region
About Jazzeries d'Hiver
Les Jazzeries d'Hiver is a traveling jazz festival organized every year in January by the association Gaga Jazz, founded in 2004 in Saint-Étienne. Since its first edition in 2011, the festival has offered concerts, cine-concerts, film screenings, and jam sessions over two to three weeks in several venues in the Saint-Étienne metropolitan area: Le Fil (contemporary music venue), Le Solar (Gaga Jazz's jazz venue), Méliès Jean Jaurès cinema, L'Échappé in Sorbiers, as well as venues in Andrézieux-Bouthéon and Saint-Victor-sur-Loire. Featuring a mix of national and international jazz artists with local talents from the Loire and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes regions, Les Jazzeries d'Hiver showcases the diverse facets of jazz – from bebop to contemporary jazz, including gypsy jazz, blues, and improvised music – in a friendly atmosphere at the heart of winter.
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Les Jazzeries d'Hiver: Jazz in the Heart of Saint-Étienne's Winter
Created in 2011 by the Gaga Jazz association, Les Jazzeries d'Hiver brings a touch of musical warmth to the heart of Saint-Étienne's winter every January. This traveling jazz festival unfolds over two to three weeks in various locations in Saint-Étienne and its surrounding area, offering concerts, cine-concerts, film screenings, and jam sessions to highlight the diverse forms of this music.
A Pioneering Jazz Association in the Loire Region
The Gaga Jazz association, founded in 2004 by passionate musicians and music lovers, was born from the observation that jazz was underrepresented on Saint-Étienne's stages despite a pool of local musicians and a receptive audience. In over twenty years of activity, the volunteer team has programmed more than 300 jazz concerts throughout the Saint-Étienne metropolitan area. In 2012, the association created the record label Gaga Jazz Music, and in January 2021, it opened Le Solar, a jazz venue and community space within La Comète, an artistic exploration center located on Avenue Émile Loubet in Saint-Étienne. Le Solar, with its 120 seats, hosts a demanding jazz program and open jam sessions every Monday evening year-round.
A Traveling Festival in the Saint-Étienne Metropolitan Area
The strength of Les Jazzeries d'Hiver lies in its traveling nature. The festival takes over various venues in the Saint-Étienne metropolis and beyond:
- Le Fil — Saint-Étienne's contemporary music venue, for headline concerts
- Le Solar — Gaga Jazz's jazz venue, for intimate concerts
- Méliès Jean Jaurès — Art-house cinema, for cine-concerts and film screenings featuring jazz
- L'Échappé — Cultural space in Sorbiers, a 255-seat venue
- Andrézieux-Bouthéon — Municipal and cultural venues
- Saint-Victor-sur-Loire — Nautical base and village halls
This itinerant approach allows the festival to reach diverse audiences and bring jazz to unexpected places, closer to the residents of the Loire region.
A Program Balancing International Artists and Local Talents
Each edition of Les Jazzeries d'Hiver features a mix of nationally and internationally renowned artists and local musicians from the Saint-Étienne and regional jazz scene. Among the artists who have graced past editions are trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf, New York pianist Joel Forrester, the ethio-jazz group Ukandanz, guitarist Manu Codjia, Cuban pianist Omar Sosa, and Argentinian percussionist Minino Garay. Jam sessions, music conferences, and cine-concerts complement the program, offering a rich and accessible panorama of jazz in all its forms.
An Accessible and Friendly Festival
Les Jazzeries d'Hiver stands out for its commitment to accessibility: over half of the events are free or low-cost, and the maximum price for concerts generally does not exceed 15 euros. This pricing policy, combined with the diversity of venues and artistic offerings, makes Les Jazzeries d'Hiver an open and generous festival, true to the spirit of sharing that has driven the Gaga Jazz association since its inception.
Jazzeries d'Hiver — edition 2026
The 16th edition of Les Jazzeries d'Hiver will take place in January-February 2026 in Saint-Étienne and its metropolitan area. Organized by the Gaga Jazz association, the festival will offer concerts, cine-concerts, screenings, and jam sessions at Le Fil, Le Solar, Méliès Jean Jaurès, L'Échappé (Sorbiers), Andrézieux-Bouthéon, and Saint-Victor-sur-Loire, featuring a mix of national, international, and local jazz artists.
16th Edition — January-February 2026
Les Jazzeries d'Hiver returns for its 16th edition in January-February 2026. The traveling jazz festival by the Gaga Jazz association will once again take over the cultural venues of Saint-Étienne and its surrounding area for several weeks, with concerts, cine-concerts, film screenings, and jam sessions.
A Jazz Journey Through the Metropolitan Area
True to its traveling format, the 16th edition will unfold in the festival's emblematic venues: Le Fil for headline acts, Le Solar for intimate concerts, the Méliès Jean Jaurès cinema for cine-concerts, L'Échappé in Sorbiers, as well as venues in Andrézieux-Bouthéon and Saint-Victor-sur-Loire.
Program to Come
The full program for the 16th edition will be announced in Autumn 2025 on the Gaga Jazz website and Le Solar's social media. As every year, the festival will offer a balance between artists from the national and international jazz scene and talents from the local Saint-Étienne and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes regional scene.
The Monday evening jam sessions at Le Solar, open to all musicians, will be held throughout the festival.
Programme Jazzeries d'Hiver 2026
2026 Program
The official program for the 16th edition will be unveiled in Autumn 2025. As every year, the festival will feature:
- Concerts at Le Fil and Le Solar — national, international, and local jazz artists
- Cine-concerts at Méliès Jean Jaurès — live jazz music accompanying film screenings
- Screenings of jazz documentaries
- Open jam sessions at Le Solar every Monday evening
Festival Venues
- Le Fil — Contemporary music venue, Saint-Étienne
- Le Solar — Jazz venue, Saint-Étienne
- Méliès Jean Jaurès — Art-house cinema, Saint-Étienne
- L'Échappé — Cultural space, Sorbiers
- Andrézieux-Bouthéon
- Saint-Victor-sur-Loire
Highlights Jazzeries d'Hiver 2026
To Note for 2026
- 16th edition of Les Jazzeries d'Hiver
- Traveling jazz festival in January-February 2026
- 6 venues in the Saint-Étienne metropolitan area
- Concerts, cine-concerts, screenings, and jam sessions
- Full program to be announced on le-solar.fr
Prices Jazzeries d'Hiver 2026
Practical information — Jazzeries d'Hiver
Practical Information
Access and Transport
By Car: Saint-Étienne is accessible via the A72 highway from Lyon (approx. 1 hour) and the A75 from Clermont-Ferrand (approx. 2 hours). The various festival venues have nearby parking.
By Train: Saint-Étienne-Châteaucreux station is served by TGV from Paris (approx. 3 hours) and by TER from Lyon (approx. 50 minutes). Venues in the city center are accessible by tram from the station.
By Tram: The STAS network serves the main festival venues in Saint-Étienne.
Festival Venues
- Le Fil — 20 boulevard Thiers, 42000 Saint-Étienne
- Le Solar — 7 avenue Émile Loubet, 42000 Saint-Étienne (within La Comète)
- Méliès Jean Jaurès — 20 rue Descours, 42000 Saint-Étienne
- L'Échappé — Place Charles de Gaulle, 42290 Sorbiers
- Venues in Andrézieux-Bouthéon and Saint-Victor-sur-Loire (addresses specified in each edition's program)
Ticketing and Prices
Many concerts are free. Paid concerts are offered at accessible prices, generally between €5 and €15. Tickets are available on the Gaga Jazz website, on HelloAsso, and at usual points of sale (FNAC, Le Progrès, Le Fil).
Contact
Association Gaga Jazz
7 avenue Émile Loubet — 42000 Saint-Étienne
Phone: 07 49 41 91 08
Email: [email protected]
Website: le-solar.fr / gagajazz.com
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Travel to this festival
Book your train or bus to reach Jazzeries d'Hiver at the best price.
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Where does it take place — Jazzeries d'Hiver
Le Solar, Le Fil, Méliès Jean Jaurès et divers lieux
7 avenue Émile Loubet, 42000 Saint-Étienne