Folk Festivals in France

Subject: Folk Festivals in France
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 08 Sep 08 - 06:23 AM

Any have experience of Folk Festivals in France? We are thinking of going next May / June /July. Any recommendations? We went to Lorient a long time ago and probably wont go there. Lots of music but a bit big.

Cheers

L in C

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 08 Sep 08 - 06:33 AM

One hears such tales about Saint-Chartier...

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 08 Sep 08 - 07:10 AM

Thanks a lot Sean,

French Folk Festival

It looks like a great festival but I am finding detailed information a bit hard to come by.

Missed you both last week. trust you are well?

Cheers

L in C

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 08 Sep 08 - 07:45 AM

It's a mecca for hurdy-gurdies & bagpipes & all good things; never been myself, but I've got friends who go all the time & swear by it... Sensible types, though I believe anything goes - check YouTube!

We are well & missed it too! The Beech is such an important part of our lives, feels incomplete without it. Next time...

We'll be at The Chopin Bar next Friday for the storytelling - worth a look I'd say, and you get a lot of Ingrid too...

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 08 Sep 08 - 08:05 AM

Careful now.................. You can have too much of wet T Shirts

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: melodeonboy
Date: 08 Sep 08 - 08:13 AM

"We went to Lorient a long time ago and probably wont go there. Lots of music but a bit big."

In which case you could try Quimper/Kemper. Much smaller than Lorient and with a higher proportion of Breton music. And the town's beautiful!

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 08 Sep 08 - 08:40 AM

Sounds good, we once went on a boat trip from Benodet to Quimper amazing trip amazing cathedral too!

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: Folkiedave
Date: 08 Sep 08 - 08:55 AM

Sheffield City Morris did a number when they were younger and fitter.

But they were all dance festivals - think Billingham.

Great fun for particpants - and great if you like watching dancing.

Saint Chartier and Lorient come to mind.

Let's hope @catter Dave Higham (ex-Sheffield City and living in France for many years) knows owt......

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: Rasener
Date: 08 Sep 08 - 10:47 AM

Les
You might like to make contact with Churchfitters who are based in Brittany and tour France all the time and will be well up on folk festivals.

http://www.churchfitters.com/econtact.php

Cheers
Les in Faldingworth :-)

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: GUEST,Spleen Cringe
Date: 08 Sep 08 - 11:12 AM

Hi Les - definitely a good idea to plan in advance... just spent a month in France in areas that are alledgedly stiff with folk music (Auvergne, High Languedoc, Midi Pyranees, Upper Loire... need I go on - ha!) and found nowt. I assumed I would just come across stuff. Didn't even find any shops selling folk music CDs let alone live music. I narrowly missed a concert by a French folk band who played Irish, American and Scottish (but strangely, not French) folk, but that was it.

Got some fantastic CDs of ecstatic hurdy gurdy & bagpipe grooving from Cuberoots on my return, though. And there's lots of fab French folk on Myspace. I'll post some links when I get home if you like...

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: Rasener
Date: 08 Sep 08 - 03:11 PM

That sounds a bit like Churchfitters that you saw.

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: Fidjit
Date: 08 Sep 08 - 03:14 PM

try Paddy Butcher

They visit and know a few players over there.

Chas

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: JHW
Date: 08 Sep 08 - 05:49 PM

I've done Saint Chartier a dozen times. If I had someone new to take I would go again because I still thought it great on last visit (98) but it has been gratuitously made bigger and bigger and the earlier years for me (80s) were much more fun, more relaxed, more space. They have cracking bands on the concerts you might otherwise not even hear of albeit the seats are now too far from the stage. But then the dancing starts, at midnight after the concerts. Half a dozen dance floors or more in the village square each with their own acoustic band, no caller, pretty well always couple dances and it is magic. Its a tiny village with a château and square. Yes it was better back when - that's folk isn't it, when the portable dance floor with fairy lights was there like a dodgems though with bourrées instead but there's still fairy lights on the floors under the trees and they still dance right through till next days breakfast...then café and so fresh bread...I will have to get that passport renewed.

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: Spleen Cringe
Date: 08 Sep 08 - 06:50 PM

Take a deek at these...

http://www.myspace.com/gilleschabenat

http://www.myspace.com/gregoryjolivet

http://www.myspace.com/patrickbouffard

http://www.myspace.com/marcanthonyviellearoue

I was going to add more but Myspace is playing silly buggers tonight

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: Rockhen
Date: 08 Sep 08 - 07:28 PM

I haven't read all the posts in this thread in detail, sorry, but I saw that melodeonboy put "In which case you could try Quimper/Kemper. Much smaller than Lorient and with a higher proportion of Breton music. And the town's beautiful! "

May I add, it would be worth considering the time you are going within those months you mentioned...we stayed just south of Quimper, at Plobannalec for the last two weeks of August. When we stayed there in previous holidays at the beginning of August, we went to a few different music events but this time we couldn't find anything on at all which was disappointing. I meant to put a thread, asking, on here before I went and didn't get round to it, so it probably serves us right! I think certain times of year are much better than others, like in Britain.
We went to a wonderful music festival and parade one year, up near Pointe de Raz (please excuse spelling, too idle to check map, tonight!)
It is a beautiful area, though. Give me a shout nearer the time if you go there and want info on some of the places.

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 09 Sep 08 - 04:09 AM

Thanks Rockhen and thanks to all. We found the small one off events in Brittany in the 80s. Fest Noz I believe. They were great fun - great small scale village music - often put on for tourist but great just the same.

I think we may be pushed to find festivals in May - June but I will trawl the above and see what happens

Thanks again

L in C

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: Fidjit
Date: 09 Sep 08 - 02:26 PM

Les

Report back on what you find. Dates and areas.
Sure there are a lot of others interested

Chas

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: Jack Campin
Date: 09 Sep 08 - 02:45 PM

There is an annual accordion festival in Tulle in September that looks good - anybody been?

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: Fidjit
Date: 09 Sep 08 - 02:52 PM

I think it's time that Mudcat had it's own Festival listing.
I don't mean all the BIG ones . Although they can be included.
I mean all the nice little ones that we know about and enjoy. The ones with nice fringe events.

All countries to be included.

How about that?

I'll start a new post with that in mind.
Chas

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: JHW
Date: 09 Sep 08 - 03:38 PM

Spleen Cringe list of guys are just why to go to St Chartier though Greg Jolivet was on Blowzabella's last album. I preferred his own band (much as I revered earlier Blowzabella)

There's lots of stuff in Trad magazine www.tradmagazine.com but its subscription. Some tiny events we used to find about only when we were there

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 10 Sep 08 - 03:53 AM

A French magazine

Looks interesting - but in French - I Know, I should try harder with my French!

L in C

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: Fidjit
Date: 10 Sep 08 - 06:18 AM

Oooh! Le Vent Du Nord are defiantly worth seeing.

Chas

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: GUEST,Dave Ball
Date: 10 Sep 08 - 07:06 AM

Les

You could of course come to Northwich Folk Club on Friday September 19th and talk to the Churchfitters in person! (See suggestion on 8 Sept above)

Tickets £10 (£8 for concessions)
Tel: [phone]    for details.

Dave

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: Colin Randall
Date: 10 Sep 08 - 07:29 AM

"In which case you could try Quimper/Kemper. Much smaller than Lorient and with a higher proportion of Breton music. And the town's beautiful!"

             I admit that Lorient is hardly the prettiest of towns, though the festival does give it bags of colour and atmosphere, and it's always worth a trip out to the island - Saint-michel I think. I've been twice and thoroughly enjoyed both visits, especially for the more informal sets outside several of the cafes.

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 10 Sep 08 - 08:24 AM

Dave,

Churchfitters look a well organised and equipped group. I feel sure it will be a great night.

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: GUEST,Sarah the Flute at Work
Date: 10 Sep 08 - 10:01 AM

Saw the Churchfitters at Fougeres this summer. You will probably find lots going on in the little villages - most seem to have a stage and the bigger towns have special days each week when they put on entertainment through the summer. Pick up a free tourist paper when you get there.

Also spent a day at the dance festival at Guincamp (Festival de St Loup) which has dancers from all over Brittany and beyond lots of music as well as dance - they have Soldat Louis every year. Trouble is it's always second week of August. End of July beginning of August is definitely the best time to go - also there is the Blue nets festival at Concarneau and also (although Normandy rather than Brittany) the traverses de Tatihou which is a music festival on Tatihou.

Hope that's helpful

Sarah

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: Spleen Cringe
Date: 10 Sep 08 - 10:11 AM

Some really helpful info on this thread - thanks to those supplying it. Just out of interest, though, why is everyone so focussed on Breton folk? There is plenty of good - and to these ears often better - folk music in other parts of France, especially from the Occitan. Just wondering, like...

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 10 Sep 08 - 10:37 AM

"There is plenty of good - and to these ears often better - folk music in other parts of France, especially from the Occitan. Just wondering, like..."

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm ............ and warmer and often dryer down there?

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: Spleen Cringe
Date: 10 Sep 08 - 11:52 AM

Naturelement

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: julian morbihan
Date: 10 Sep 08 - 01:01 PM

I live in southern Brittany.

At this time of year the Fest Noz (evening Breton dances) start in earnest but they are just local dances not festivals. Start at 9.00pm and finish between 01.00 and 02.00 am!

Towards the end of October there are a couple of small festivals round here - "Fruits d'Automne" at Peillac 18/19 Oct and Bogue d'Or at Redon 24-26 Oct (Bogue d'Or means the outer shell of the chestnut -not the entrance to the toilet!) Plenty of music and dancing at both of these and local crafts and masses of roasted chestnuts.

But for next May - July... As mentioned, the "InterCeltique" at Lorient - but it is huge (5000+ performers in the parade on the Sunday!) and, although there are many free events, the concerts, etc. are expensive. The Cheiftains are regular performers. The "Festival de Cornouaille" at Quimper is smaller and very much Breton based.

There aren't festivals like English folk festivals as such. In the holiday areas there are "initiations de danse" where they teach Breton dances and fest noz (evening dances) and fest deiz (daytime dances).

There are a number of huge rock festivals - definitely not like folk fstivals!

Whatever you choose you will receive a great welcome in Brittany.
Bonne Chance.

Julian

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 10 Sep 08 - 02:32 PM

We have much enjoyed Brittany, Fest Noz, Lorient, Port de Peche(?) and so on. The summer before last we stayed on a campsite in Coulon in the Venice Ver, I think it is called, the canal area inland from La Rochelle. Fantastic area for walking and cycling.

One evening a small French band, melodeons, fiddle, banjo, guitar I think, appeared at the site and played an evening of French country dances. People came from the local area and from the campsite. The dances were not called - most people clearly knew what to do. The music was excellent. We did not dance. When the dances were easy we were shy and later they were a bit too hard. It was a a brilliant night but a rare evnt I think.

We have been camping in France for around 30 years and this is the only one we have found by accident. How could we find more?

Cheers

Les in Chorlton

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: Fidjit
Date: 10 Sep 08 - 03:20 PM

Where in Occitan?

Can you name them?

I have friends that have a house near Albi.

Chas

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: Monique
Date: 10 Sep 08 - 04:25 PM

Guys, if you go to this page and click on a region, you'll get the dates and places of any event they know about. The site is in French only.

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: JHW
Date: 10 Sep 08 - 07:31 PM

Churchfitters are playing at Reeth Memorial Hall in beautiful Swaledale, North Yorkshire on Fri 26th Sept.

http://www.communigate.co.uk/ne/reethmemorialhall/page3.phtml

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: Spleen Cringe
Date: 11 Sep 08 - 03:36 AM

Chas,

Sorry, don't know the location of any festivals in the Occitan, though Monique's fantastic link above (which is henceforth renamed as Spleen Cringe's French holiday planner) should 'elp. What I meant and didn't express very clearly was that I'd heard some great music (on CD) from that part of France.

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: Fidjit
Date: 11 Sep 08 - 05:26 AM

Monique
Still by the pool drinking G&T's?

That helped !

Thanks

Chas

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: Monique
Date: 11 Sep 08 - 10:45 AM

Here you can virtually travel by train through France and listen to sample of the country's different languages/cultures.

There's also a site that's a sort of traditional music hub showing LP's and CD's covers. Useful as a starting point to further investigation, but no recorded material.

A colleague of mine has a blog (in Occitan) where she posts YouTube stuff (hers and other's) Here is a link to her music posts.

Drinking G&T's by the pool... I'm not but could be (though I have no pool), Fall hasn't come yet, some days are still pretty hot:

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: Fidjit
Date: 11 Sep 08 - 02:37 PM

Thanks Monique

I've forwarded them to my friends. We'll certainly look some of them up next time I'm down there. Though Lord knows when that will be.


Chas

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 20 Jan 09 - 02:34 PM

Ok Folks I started this up last September and thought it might be time to start digging around for Traditional French Music at festivals in France.

Any one got anything fresh?

Cheers

L in C

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: Monique
Date: 20 Jan 09 - 03:26 PM

You can find some data on Evene, on Le guide des festivals, both sites in French only. Some stuff in Limousin. Some concerts mentioned on the FAMDT site (Fédération des Associations de Musiques et Danses Traditionnelles)

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 20 Jan 09 - 05:27 PM

Thanks Monique,

just watching a proramme about the new President, but I will return

L in C

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: Weasel
Date: 20 Jan 09 - 05:33 PM

Not folk, but there is a blues festival in Cognac at the end of July. It arrives a couple of weeks after I do. I hate blues but the atmosphere in town is pretty good if you stick your fingers in your ears.

Cheers,

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: Weasel
Date: 20 Jan 09 - 05:40 PM

By the way, do be careful - in France they have a thing which they call a folk-festival which bears little resemblance to what we (in England) call a folk festival.

There are several of them around and until I learned better I fell foul of a couple of them. They are the sanitized, colourful sickly-quaint national costume display events with formalized ethnic dancing which have little to do with what I recognise as folk music.

I suppose it's like going to a concert of "scottish folk music" expecting to see Dick Gaughan and finding Andy Stewart singing "Donald Where's your Troosers"

Cheers.

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Jan 09 - 05:28 AM

There's a fairly sizable affair at Belfort, the FIMU (website somewhere . It's a free festival of Music by "University" Groups. Not a Folk Festival...but has World Music as well as Jazz, Rock and Orchestras

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: bubblyrat
Date: 21 Jan 09 - 06:39 AM

I have the address for Marc Guilloux ,of the French Uilleann Pipers Society at "Mission Brettone",Longjuneau, Montparnasse,Paris (of all places) should anyone have leanings in that direction !!Actually,he is very good,and has played at the Herschel Arms in Slough !!

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 24 Jan 09 - 06:15 AM

Still searching

L in C

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 25 Jan 09 - 06:48 AM

We have an number of possible routes taking us from Caen to the Lot and back.

Just one Festival sometime in June would be so good

Cheers
L & L in C

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 12 Apr 09 - 03:51 AM

Still looking

L & L in C

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: GUEST,Leslie
Date: 12 Apr 09 - 09:17 PM

Les Volcaniques is a festival near Riom, north of Clermont-Ferrand, at the beginning of July. Check out the website of Les Brayauds.
The band La Chavanee has a festival at the end of July, in the Berry region in the centre.
Parthenay, in the Poitou region, also has a festival in late July.
Gennetines takes place in both July and August - mainly a participatory dance festival but lots of traditional music.
Saint-Chartier has moved to a new location, near the old.

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals in France
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 13 Apr 09 - 04:36 AM

Thanks Leslie, I'll Check them out

Les