Rencontres Musicales d'Évian

Half a century of classical music on the shores of Lake Geneva

The history of the Rencontres Musicales d'Évian dates back to 1976, when Antoine Riboud, then chairman of the Danone group, created a music festival in Évian-les-Bains. The event took a decisive turn in 1993 with the construction of the Grange au Lac, a Jura pine and cedar wood auditorium designed like a huge chalet and gifted to cellist Mstislav Rostropovich. This exceptional venue, combining rusticity and acoustic sophistication, became the festival's setting.

After a period of dormancy, the festival was reborn in 2014 under the initiative of violinist Renaud Capuçon, who took over as artistic director and gave it renewed international ambition. The Rencontres Musicales d'Évian thus regained its place at the forefront of French classical music festivals.

The greatest performers in an exceptional auditorium

Under the artistic direction of Renaud Capuçon, the festival attracts the biggest names in world classical music every year. The 2026 edition will feature Yo-Yo Ma, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Barbara Hannigan, Yuja Wang, and András Schiff, alongside promising young talents. The 2025 program was dedicated to the complete chamber music of Maurice Ravel for the 150th anniversary of his birth.

Each year, the festival explores a theme or a major composer, offering music lovers the opportunity to delve deeply into a repertoire over ten days of concerts.

La Grange au Lac, an acoustic gem

The Grange au Lac, built in 1993 at the request of Antoine Riboud, is a unique venue in the world. Located in the Mélèzes forest above Évian, this 1,100-seat wooden auditorium offers exceptional acoustics in a setting of striking natural beauty. The building's architecture, reminiscent of a large Alpine chalet, creates a rare intimacy between musicians and the audience, making each concert a unique experience.

In addition to the indoor concerts, the festival also offers a free Festival Off with events in the town of Évian, making classical music accessible to a wider audience.

International reach from the Alps

The Rencontres Musicales d'Évian has regained an international reach that makes it one of the most prestigious chamber music festivals in France. The event attracts an audience of music lovers from all over Europe, drawn by the exceptional quality of the programming, the incomparable acoustics of the Grange au Lac, and the enchanting setting on the shores of Lake Geneva.