Summer events
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Our best world music festivals

The Joutes Musicales (musical jousts) take place in Correns during the Whitsun weekend. The hightlights of this three-day event include concerts, gatherings for dancing and workshops. .

The Néoules world music festival takes place mid July in Châteauloin, one of the village's most exceptional sites. Some of the greatest past performers include Babylon Circus, Sinsemilia, Danakil and The Popes ...

Jazz festival
Brignoles

“ This jazz festival has become one of the major highlights of summer culture for the last 20 years.
During almost three decades some of the greatest artists of the national and international jazz scene including names like China Moses, have trodden the boards of the stage of this major musical event. ”

Classical music events

The musical evenings “Soirée Musicales” of the Abbey of La Celle take place between mid July and early August. An unmissable series of 7 evening concerts featuring high quality musicians and set in the beautiful surroundings of an ancient abbey and historic monument.

The world music festival “Nuits Musicales” of Mazaugues takes place mid July. This festival has been the venue of a great number of outstanding musicians including François René Duchâble who is sponsor of this event.

Les “Nocturnes du Château” classical music festival in Vins sur Caramy has taken place around early August since 1989. This event has featured artists of great regional, national and international renown including P. Barbizet, Y. Boufoff, Trio Shostakovich, E. Le Sage, E. Pahud, F. Braley, E. Exerjan ...

The abbey of La Celle
Historic monument

“ This roman abbey which was founded in the eleventh century, has been designated historic monument since 1886. The abbey was run by a community of Benedictine nuns and was reformed in the seventeenth century by Cardinal Mazarin.
The twelfth-century church contains remarkable furniture including different altarpieces, a fourteenth century Catalan crucifix and a twelfth century sarcophagus of Roman provençal style. This historic site is the setting of one of the abbey's major annual musical events “les Soirées Musicales” ”

The Brignoles Medieval fair

Fire performers, percussion and Galoubet pipes and drums , costumed artists, traders, beggars, peasants, servants, knights, princesses and ladies in waiting roam through the straw strewn cobbled streets of Brignoles. Visiters can step back in time to the Middle Ages during the third weekend of August as Brignoles becomes a stage hosting one of the region's biggest medieval festivals.

The festivities take place in the historic part of the town with professional shows and entertainment on all the large and small squares. An opportunity for visiters to admire the unique heritage of Brignoles, know as the town of the Counts of Provence.

Brignoles
and its historic centre

“ The dark, narrow cobbled streets lead to the majestic palace of the Counts of Provence, once the official residence of illustrious kings and counts, now a museum (musée du Pays Brignolais). From the esplanade of the palace you have a splendid viewpoint over the town and its narrow spiraling streets that are the framework for this very popular summer Medieval festival.  ”

The Sausage fair (foire à la saucisse) in Le Val

This traditional food fair has been celebrated in the village of Le Val for more than 300 years. Gastronomic guilds, exhibitors, tourists and food lovers come every year in early September to celebrate and enjoy a convivial moment.

The highlight of this fair is the induction of the new members of the guild and the 2 Rabelaisian banquets offering a great variety of charcuterie based products.

The “Porcarié” guild
of Le Val

“ This active guild has existed for the last 20 years and brings together all lovers of good food. Every year new members are co-opted, provided they fulfill the specific dogmas of the guild. ”

Summer night markets

Stroll through our night crafts markets during a pleasant summer evening where the delicate scents of Provence will put you in a lovely festive mood.

Locals and visitors are welcome to our vibrant night markets in Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume (top photo), Carcès (left) or Cotignac (right) all offering a variety of different products, crafts, art, jewelry, ...

The third tomb of Christianity
twighlight tours

“ A twilight visit of the medieval town and gothic basilica of Saint Maximin and its priceless treasures. ”

“Vendredi de l'Enclos” Friday evening concerts in the basilica gardens

An unmissable outdoor summer musical venue set in an outstanding decor for all lovers of sound and rhythm .

Music, dance, comedy, ... previous line-up of artists include Nolwenn Leroy, Patrick Sebastian, the Panama ballet folklore groupe, the Equinoxe Company... just make your choice and book quickly!

The basilica
enclosure gardens

“ These gardens are now a venue for the different annual cultural and artistic events . However these gardens had quite a different use during the previous decades. The Dominican friars who at that time resided in the Royal Convent, finally left Saint-Maximin on 11 November 1957 for the convent of Toulouse. Until this date these gardens were in fact a huge vegetable garden and fruit trees orchard providing the friars with enough food to enable them to be self sufficient. ”

Summer events : location of activity ideas