Top festivals in Limousin

Every year, during the second half of November, Limoges lives to the rhythm of Jazz. Over the years, this musical genre has brought together amateurs and novices alike, showcasing both the great names of the genre and the jazz scene of the Nouvelle Aquitaine region. For almost 20 years, Jazz éclat d’émail has welcomed a wide variety of artists: Ron Carter, Kellylee Evans, Dafer Youssef, Roberto Fonseca, Ivan “Melon” Lewis and the Cuban swing express , Harlem Gospel Choir….

Nexon and the circus have been going strong for over 30 years! Back in the late 80s, Annie Fratellini chose the beautiful setting of the Nexon château park to host the summer courses of the “Annie Fratellini National Circus School”. So it was only natural that a festival dedicated to the circus arts should emerge in Nexon. For ten days in August, the park of the Château de Nexon is transformed into a mecca for circus creation. Visitors can enjoy a selection of shows from the contemporary circus scene. The festival welcomes the big names in the circus arts, but also showcases up-and-coming talent: La Famille Morallès, Les Nouveaux Nez, Jani Nuutinen, Cirque Rasposo,Phia Ménard, Sébastien Le Guen,Chloé Moglia,Mélissa Von Vépy….

Rock and extreme music in general are celebrated in Saillat-sur-Vienne every August. Two venues (one free outdoor and one ticketed indoor) are available to festival-goers, enabling all budgets to enjoy this musical genre. The festival became a fixture on the Limousin scene in 2008, and has quickly become a must-see event. It welcomes the New Aquitaine rock scene as well as artists of national and international renown: Les Fatals Picards, Rise of the north star, Elmer Food Beat, the foxy ladies….

The epicenter of the Haut Limousin festival is the Ferme de Villefavard, a barn magnificently renovated to host a year-round program of top-quality classical music. Located 15 minutes from Bellac, this cultural center in the heart of the Limousin countryside offers 8 days of concerts, siestas and musical strolls through the communes of the Haut Limousin.

The ambition of the 1001 notes Festival is to bring classical music into dialogue with other musical genres. Since 2005, it has distilled a rich and unifying program. Renowned talents have taken to the stages in and around Limoges: Sofiane Pamart, Khatia Buniatishvili, Vladimir Cosma, Chilly Gonzales, Barbara Hendricks, Juliette Armanet….

Urbaka brings the streets of Limoges to life for 4 days at the end of June. Street art takes center stage, and passers-by become spectators. The festival invites spectators to take a step back from the world, to smile and dream for the duration of a performance. It features companies of national and international renown: Des Un Volt, Cie Nushka, Cie Artifictions, Cie de la Dernière Minute, Carnage Productions, Cie du Beau Geste, Cie Sara Ducat….

In Feytiat, summer is all about pastel art. Every year in July and August at the Espace George Brassens, 300 works by artists from France and all over the world are exhibited to the delight of visitors. A top-quality selection has contributed to the festival’s renown, which has now become a benchmark for pastel artists. For over 20 years, visitors have been able to admire the work of numerous artists: Rubén Belloso Adorna, Anne Courtine, Olena Duchêne, Margaret Glass, Nathalie Picoulet, Sergei Oussik, Thierry Citron…

The Veyracomusies are 4 days of festivities on Ascension weekend, featuring artists from the regional and national music scene. Over the years, the festival has opened its stage to other disciplines: street shows, juggling… But “the biggest of the little festivals” still attracts 5,000 festival-goers every year, and has done so for over 35 years! Many artists have been seduced by the authenticity and conviviality of the Veyracomusies: Faada Freddy, Renan Luce, Babylon Circus, Alkabaya, Samarabalouf, the Boogie Van , les p’tits fils de Jeanine….

“Toques et porcelaine” is a 3-day event in Limoges to showcase the best of both worlds. As a UNESCO Creative City, Limoges is keen to showcase the very best in gastronomy over these 3 days, which of course includes the very best in porcelain! Michelin-starred chefs and world-renowned porcelain makers combine their talents in demonstrations, culinary workshops and gala dinners to provide the public with an unforgettable experience.

From June to November, the “Impertinente” festival celebrates the art of enamel at several cultural venues in and around Limoges. Every two years, this event brings together renowned artists around this emblematic Limousin skill. The public can also learn more about this art through workshops and conferences organized in parallel with the exhibitions.

Les Francophonies punctuates Limoges’ cultural life with special events focusing on the arts: music, theater, lectures, storytelling…. In autumn, during the last week of September, the Francophonies “Zébrures d’automne” showcase a selection of artists from around the world: photo exhibitions, lectures, live performances, films, documentaries…. In spring, during the last week of March, “Zébrures de printemps” becomes a festival dedicated to writing. Zébrures d’automne or Zébrures de printemps, the festival has been a fixture in Limoges for almost 40 years!

From late March to mid-May, the Villefavard farm (10 minutes from Bellac) is announcing spring in music! Classical music concerts at Villefavard farm and in the heritage treasures of the Haut Limousin: churches in Mortemart and Saint-Hilaire-les-places, medieval streets in Bussière-Boffy….