Place(s) aux Artistes
Around 50 free concerts and shows in the heart of Albi's Episcopal City
2026
About Place(s) aux Artistes
Place(s) aux Artistes — edition 2026
Place(s) aux Artistes 2026: The 18th edition of summer in Albi
From Thursday, July 16th to Wednesday, August 19th, 2026, the City of Albi once again transforms its historic center into a massive open-air stage. For this 18th edition, the program features around 50 free concerts and shows and over 200 artists, in a festival that draws nearly 60,000 spectators every summer.
Eight open-air venues in the Episcopal City
Events are spread across eight iconic sites in the historic heart: Place Saint-Julien, Place du Palais, Place du Vigan, Place Sainte-Cécile, Place du Château, the forecourt of the Église de la Madeleine, the Jardin National bandstand, and the Terrasse de Bernis at the Palais de la Berbie. Two new locations have been added for the 2026 edition at Place du Château and Place Saint-Julien.
A well-established weekly rhythm
- Tuesday — Brass band or banda at 7:00 PM at Place Sainte-Cécile, followed by two concerts at Place du Château at 9:00 PM and 10:45 PM.
- Wednesday — Children's show at 4:30 PM and concert at 9:00 PM on the forecourt of the Église de la Madeleine.
- Thursday — Aperitif-concert at 6:30 PM at Place Saint-Julien, followed by the main stage at 9:00 PM at Place du Palais.
- Friday — Classical music at 9:00 PM on the Terrasse de Bernis at the Palais de la Berbie (limited capacity of 350).
- Saturday — Concert at 6:30 PM at Place Saint-Julien, followed by the traditional tribute night at 9:30 PM at Place du Vigan.
Saturday tribute nights at Place du Vigan
These are the festival's most popular events. In 2026, Place du Vigan will host a tribute to Véronique Sanson and France Gall by impressionist Sandrine Alexi, an Adele tribute, a grand Dalida show, a tribute to Daniel Balavoine, and a Pink Floyd tribute.
A resolutely eclectic program
Gypsy jazz, juke-joint blues, gospel, boogie-woogie, soul, funk, Irish folk, flamenco, classical music, French chanson, festive brass bands, and children's shows: the program embraces every style, with a strong focus on artists from Toulouse, the Tarn, and Occitania. Admission is free for all events.
Highlights Place(s) aux Artistes 2026
- 18th edition — around 50 concerts and shows, over 200 artists, from July 16th to August 19th, 2026
- Véronique Sanson & France Gall tribute by Sandrine Alexi — Saturday, July 18th, 9:30 PM, Place du Vigan
- Adele « To be loved » tribute by Chloe Barry — Saturday, July 25th, 9:30 PM, Place du Vigan
- Grand show, Dalida tribute by Sandy Sims — Saturday, August 1st, 9:30 PM, Place du Vigan
- Daniel Balavoine tribute by HDB — Saturday, August 8th, 9:30 PM, Place du Vigan
- The Floyd, Pink Floyd tribute — Saturday, August 15th, 9:30 PM, Place du Vigan
- Classical Fridays on the Terrasse de Bernis at the Palais de la Berbie (350-seat capacity)
- Children's shows on Wednesdays at 4:30 PM, forecourt of the Église de la Madeleine
- Free admission, no booking required, across eight squares in the UNESCO-listed historic center
Programme Place(s) aux Artistes 2026
Thursday, July 16, 2026
- 6:30 PM — Mamz'elle Bee's favorite things · Place Saint-Julien — 40s-50s swing, jazz, and boogie, accompanied on piano by Damien Lucchese
- 9:00 PM — Upright · Place du Palais — 11-piece Toulouse collective, soul, funk, and pop from the 60s to the 80s
Friday, July 17, 2026
- 9:00 PM — Duo del Gesù · Palais de la Berbie, Terrasse de Bernis — violin-viola duo (Arnaud Kaminski and Krzysztof Tymendorf), classical, film scores, and pop (350 seats)
Saturday, July 18, 2026
- 6:30 PM — La Frange d'Elsa · Jardin National bandstand — retro trio, guinguette spirit
- 9:30 PM — Les Groupies du pianiste, Véronique Sanson & France Gall tribute · Place du Vigan — by impressionist Sandrine Alexi
Tuesday, July 21, 2026
- 7:00 PM — Les Croque-Notes · Place Sainte-Cécile — 15-piece brass band
- 9:00 PM — Doolin · Place du Château — Toulouse sextet, Irish folk mixed with funk, soul, and jazz
- 10:45 PM — Slim Paul · Place du Château — intimate blues
Wednesday, July 22, 2026
- 4:30 PM — Le Magicien galactique · Forecourt of the Église de la Madeleine — children's magic show by Rémy Marvely
- 9:00 PM — Aurore Voilqué 5tet · Forecourt of the Église de la Madeleine — gypsy jazz, violin
Thursday, July 23, 2026
- 6:30 PM — Teddy Costa · Place Saint-Julien — juke-joint blues, harmonica and guitar
- 9:00 PM — Chicago to Nouvelle-Orléans · Place du Palais — gospel, by Kathy Boyé and the Vocal Colors ensemble
Friday, July 24, 2026
- 9:00 PM — Rosa, by Ensemble Antiphona · Palais de la Berbie, Terrasse de Bernis — Baroque and Renaissance music (Ronsard, Moulinié, Handel) (350 seats)
Saturday, July 25, 2026
- 6:30 PM — The Yellbows · Place Saint-Julien — traditional American music and rock'n'roll
- 9:30 PM — To be loved, Adele tribute · Place du Vigan — by Chloe Barry
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
- 7:00 PM — Ghetto Blaster · Place Sainte-Cécile — explosive brass band, revisited current hits
- 9:00 PM — Monday Jazz Band · Place du Château — regional big band, standards by Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Glenn Miller
- 10:45 PM — Petit K · Place du Château — acoustic pop, folk, and electro touches
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
- 4:30 PM — Contes de la Sabiá · Forecourt of the Église de la Madeleine — Brazilian puppet and mask storytelling by Ana Santoro Meira
- 9:00 PM — Bloom 5tet · Forecourt of the Église de la Madeleine — three voices (Laurence Ilous, Mélina Tobiana, Léa Castro), double bass, and drums
Thursday, July 30, 2026
- 6:30 PM — Jun & Ruddy · Place Saint-Julien — guitar-drums duo, pop, rock, and soul
- 9:00 PM — Cat & The Mint · Place du Palais — 40s-50s rhythm'n'blues, with singer-pianist Cat Lee King
Friday, July 31, 2026
- 9:00 PM — Duende · Palais de la Berbie, Terrasse de Bernis — Gilbert and Aurélien Clamens, father-son guitar duo from Albi, Spanish and Latin American repertoire (350 seats)
Saturday, August 1, 2026
- 6:30 PM — Talents de quartier · Place Saint-Julien — winners of the City of Albi musical talent contest
- 9:30 PM — Le grand show, Dalida tribute · Place du Vigan — by Sandy Sims accompanied by ten musicians
Tuesday, August 4, 2026
- 7:00 PM — Banda de Limos · Place Sainte-Cécile — 2025 French champions at the Condom Bandas Festival
- 9:00 PM — Banda de Limos · Place du Château
Wednesday, August 5, 2026
- 4:30 PM — Le Bal autour du monde · Forecourt of the Église de la Madeleine — dance party for children aged 2 to 10, by Jean-Michel Rey
- 9:00 PM — Alchimie · Forecourt of the Église de la Madeleine — Occitan jazz sextet led by Albi bassist Thierry Balin
Thursday, August 6, 2026
- 6:30 PM — Nico Wayne Toussaint · Place Saint-Julien — internationally renowned blues harmonica player and singer
- 9:00 PM — Koko-Jean & The Tonics · Place du Palais — soul, blues, and funk with Koko-Jean Davis
Friday, August 7, 2026
- 9:00 PM — S'Quintet · Palais de la Berbie, Terrasse de Bernis — brass quintet from the Toulouse scene (350 seats)
Saturday, August 8, 2026
- 6:30 PM — Les Brass Cassés · Place Saint-Julien — rock, punk, and rock'n'roll
- 9:30 PM — HDB, Daniel Balavoine tribute · Place du Vigan
Tuesday, August 11, 2026
- 7:00 PM — Bacchus Delirium · Place Sainte-Cécile — five musicians and a tap dancer, wine-themed musical show
- 9:00 PM — Miss Bee & The Bullfrogs · Place du Château — funk, soul, blues, and world music
- 10:45 PM — Les Idiots · Place du Château — Tarn duo (Guillaume Boutevillain, Mikael Garcia), topical songs and humor
Wednesday, August 12, 2026
- 4:30 PM — Du rififi dans la ruche · Forecourt of the Église de la Madeleine — family show about bees
- 9:00 PM — 1 voix 6 cordes · Forecourt of the Église de la Madeleine — tribute to Claude Nougaro by guitarist Louis Winsberg and singer-trumpeter Yvan Cujious
Thursday, August 13, 2026
- 6:30 PM — Little Peter · Place Saint-Julien — vocal and bass duo, Texas shuffle and rhythm'n'blues
- 9:00 PM — Wax & Boogie · Place du Palais — boogie-woogie, swing, and rhythm & blues, featuring the voice of Ster Wax
Friday, August 14, 2026
- 9:00 PM — Elliot Levêque · Palais de la Berbie, Terrasse de Bernis — piano recital (Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Fauré, Chopin) (350 seats)
Saturday, August 15, 2026
- 6:30 PM — Chloé & Les Frangines · Place Saint-Julien — discovered on The Voice and double winner of the Magyd Cherfi talent contest at the Pause Guitare festival 2025
- 9:30 PM — The Floyd, Pink Floyd tribute · Place du Vigan
Tuesday, August 18, 2026
- 7:00 PM — Tapas Fanfare · Place Sainte-Cécile — jazz, funk, biguine, and mambo
- 9:00 PM — Swing that classic · Place du Château — New Orleans jazz sextet revisiting great opera arias
- 10:45 PM — Jeff Mailfert · Place du Château — Tarn indie folk-rock
Wednesday, August 19, 2026
- 4:30 PM — L'Île des rêves perdus · Forecourt of the Église de la Madeleine — family show by the Un tournesol sur Jupiter company
- 9:00 PM — Kiko Ruiz · Forecourt of the Église de la Madeleine — flamenco guitar blended with jazz and classical music
Prices Place(s) aux Artistes 2026
Only the Friday evening concerts on the Terrasse de Bernis (Palais de la Berbie) have a limited capacity of 350 people: arriving early is recommended.
Information: City of Albi, Events and Cultural Programming Department — +33 5 63 49 11 94.
Practical information — Place(s) aux Artistes
Practical Information
Access
Concerts take place at eight sites in Albi's historic center: place Saint-Julien, place du Palais, place du Vigan, place Sainte-Cécile, place du Château, the square in front of the église de la Madeleine, the Jardin national bandstand, and the terrace of the Palais de la Berbie. Everything is within walking distance around the Sainte-Cécile Cathedral. Albi is 77 km from Toulouse.
- By car: From Toulouse, take the A68 motorway towards Albi (approx. 1 hour). Free and paid parking available in the city center.
- By train: Albi-Ville station, direct line from Toulouse (approx. 1 hour 10 minutes), a 10-minute walk from the historic center.
Dates and times
From July 16th to August 19th, 2026, Tuesday to Saturday.
- Tuesday: 7:00 PM at place Sainte-Cécile, 9:00 PM and 10:45 PM at place du Château
- Wednesday: 4:30 PM (family show) and 9:00 PM, square in front of the église de la Madeleine
- Thursday: 6:30 PM at place Saint-Julien, 9:00 PM at place du Palais
- Friday: 9:00 PM, terrace of the Palais de la Berbie
- Saturday: 6:30 PM at place Saint-Julien, 9:30 PM at place du Vigan (tribute night)
Prices
Admission is free for all concerts and shows, no booking required. Only the Friday classical music concerts on the terrace of the Palais de la Berbie have a limited capacity of 350 people.
Dining
Numerous terraces and restaurants are located near the concert venues in Albi's historic center.
Contact
City of Albi, Events and Cultural Programming Department: +33 (0)5 63 49 11 94. Full program and summer schedule at albi.fr and agenda.albi.fr. Albi Tourist Office: +33 (0)5 63 36 36 00 — albi-tourisme.fr.
Albi: A City of Free Festivals
For eighteen years, the city of Albi has championed accessible culture by hosting a series of free open-air concerts throughout the summer across the iconic squares of its historic center. Place(s) aux Artistes has become a must-attend event for both locals and visitors to the Grand Albigeois, featuring around 50 concerts and shows from mid-July to mid-August and attracting nearly 60,000 spectators annually.
Open-air stages in an exceptional setting
The festival's strength lies in its unique architectural backdrop: the UNESCO-listed Sainte-Cécile Cathedral and the narrow streets of the medieval quarter provide a stunning setting for evening performances. The program is spread across eight locations: place Saint-Julien, place du Palais, place du Vigan, place Sainte-Cécile, place du Château, the square in front of the église de la Madeleine, the Jardin national bandstand, and the terrace of the Palais de la Berbie.
The lineup covers a wide spectrum of styles: jazz in all its forms (gypsy jazz, big band, New Orleans jazz), acoustic and electric blues, gospel, soul, funk, boogie-woogie, classical music, flamenco guitar, French chanson, and world music. Brass bands and street performers liven up the squares early in the evening, while Wednesday afternoons are reserved for family-friendly shows. Each night is an opportunity to discover artists from Toulouse, the Tarn, and the Occitanie region, showcasing local musical talent.
A festival rooted in local life
Beyond the music, Place(s) aux Artistes is primarily a social event. The fact that it is completely free allows everyone, regardless of their budget, to enjoy live music together. Concerts run from Tuesday to Saturday, starting at 4:30 PM for family shows and ending at 10:45 PM for the final sets at place du Château, in a relaxed atmosphere perfect for sitting on a terrace with a drink in hand to enjoy the music and the mild Albi nights.
The city of Albi strives to vary the locations and artistic offerings from one night to the next: some concerts take place in intimate heritage settings like the terrace of the Palais de la Berbie, which has limited capacity, while others are held in more open spaces like the place du Vigan, capable of hosting hundreds of spectators for the major tribute nights on Saturdays. This diversity of spaces contributes to the festival's unique atmosphere, where each concert offers a different scenic experience.
A musical summer in the city of Toulouse-Lautrec
Albi, the birthplace of painter Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and a jewel of the South-West, is no stranger to celebration and creativity. Place(s) aux Artistes continues this tradition of a cultural and festive city, complementing a summer already rich in events, including the famous Pause Guitare festival in July.
The full program is announced at the start of each summer by the city of Albi in a brochure available for download at albi.fr and promoted on albi-tourisme.fr and agenda.albi.fr. Admission is free for all concerts, and no booking is required. It is recommended to arrive early for the most popular evenings, particularly the Saturday tribute shows at place du Vigan and the Friday classical recitals on the terrace of the Palais de la Berbie, which are limited to 350 people.
Where does it take place — Place(s) aux Artistes
Place(s) aux Artistes in brief
History of Place(s) aux Artistes
Edition 2025 Jul 2025Other festivals near Albi
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