Travel bucket list idea:
Aix-en-Provence Festival
Aix-en-Provence, Provence, France
Last updated: 09 March, 2024
Founded in 1948, this international festival of lyrical arts, dedicated to opera and classical music in particular, is one of the most prestigious in France.
Each year it attracts top singers, as well as the likes of Les Arts Florissants, the Berlin Philharmonic and the London Symphony Orchestra – although more contemporary works are performed as well, some specially commissioned for the festival.
Concerts, along with an elite array of masterclasses, take place in beautiful historic venues in and around Aix-en-Provence.
Logistics
Price: Free
Minimum age: 0
Age suitable: 18+
Frequency: annually
When: July
Duration: 1 month
Getting there & doing it
All events are ticketed. Tickets go on sale on the festival website on February 1st and sell out fast – so buy ASAP. Tickets can also be bought at the Boutique du Festival ticket office, next to the cathedral in the Palais de l’Ancien Archeveche, or at FNAC superstores.
The main opera venue is the Theatre de l’Archeveche in the courtyard of the Archbishop’s Palace, while concerts take place in the Cathedrale St-Sauveur and other glorious buildings in and around Aix. The furthest out, the Theatre du Grand Saint-Jean (10km north), is linked by a free shuttle from La Rotonde.
Various special discounts are available for under 30s and for children. Arrive on time for performances, or face lock-outs until the intermission.
When to do it
The festival tends to run for a month from the end of June.
