From November 8 to 23, the C’est pas Classique festival will celebrate its twentieth anniversary in twelve towns in the Alpes-Maritimes. More than twenty-five free concerts are on the program. The event, organized by the Department, reaffirms its ambition to make classical music accessible to all audiences.
In 2005, the Alpes-Maritimes department took on the challenge of making classical music accessible to everyone. Twenty years later, C’est pas Classique remains steadfast in this commitment. The festival returns from November 8 to 23, 2025, for an anniversary edition that promises to be full of events. Twelve towns will host concerts this year: Antibes, Cap d’Ail, Carros, Cannes, Grasse, Nice, Peillon, Puget-Théniers, Saint-Martin-Vésubie, Tourrette-Levens, Vence, and Villars-sur-Var.
“2005, 2025… it’s already been twenty years that every autumn, the Alpes-Maritimes vibrate to the rhythm of classical music!” notes the president of the department. Over time, the event has “introduced classical music to the widest audience, in all its forms.”
Since its inception, more than 1,200 concerts have been held, attracting 550,000 spectators. The festival has hosted numerous artists: Cerrone, Umberto Tozzi, Ibrahim Maalouf, Francis Lai, Michel Legrand, Wax Tailor, and Camille and Julie Berthollet.
For this twentieth edition, C’est pas Classique focuses on diversity. The program combines works from the grand repertoire, contemporary creations, and unexpected encounters between styles. The aim remains the same: to offer a moment of discovery and enjoyment, far from the fixed codes of traditional concerts.
An anniversary edition throughout the department
The opening night will take place on Saturday, November 8, at the Palais Nikaïa in Nice. Violinist Renaud Capuçon will present Les choses de la vie – Cinéma II, accompanied by the Orchestre national de Cannes under the direction of Duncan Ward. This concert “offers the world premiere of the program Les Choses de la Vie – Cinéma II in an ‘augmented’ version.” Each piece will be accompanied by images from iconic films, behind-the-scenes photos, and rare excerpts.
The festival will then move throughout the department. In Grasse, François-René Duchâble and Aurélien Lehmann will present Tap Virtuoso at the Théâtre de Grasse. In Antibes, Les Virtuoses will perform on the stage of the Anthéa Theatre. In Nice, several venues will host concerts: the Opera, the Espace Laure Écard, the Palais des Rois Sardes, and the Don Bosco Church.
The orchestras partnering with the festival will play a central role. The Orchestre national de Cannes, conducted by Benjamin Levy, and the Philharmonic Orchestra of Nice will be featured in several key moments. Both regularly collaborate with the department to promote classical music and renew its approach.
The 2025 edition will also welcome artists from diverse backgrounds: Jean-François Zygel, Ariana Vafadari, the Hervé Koubi Company, Lucile Boulanger, the French Riviera Masters, and Les Cordes Fantastiques, with a concert inspired by the worlds of Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings.
The young audience is not forgotten. Cine-concerts, musical tales, and educational shows will be offered in Nice, Cannes, and Saint-Martin-Vésubie.
Culture for everyone
The department claims an open and balanced cultural policy. Each year, it allocates approximately 30 million euros to culture and supports over 50 festivals. In 2025, more than 700 free shows are scheduled across the region, including C’est pas Classique.
The event is part of a cultural decentralization approach. The “off” festival, spread across several towns, symbolizes this desire for proximity. The concerts are free, often without a reservation, and are held in various locations: churches, municipal halls, cultural spaces, or heritage sites.
This year, the Department also provides vibrating vests for deaf or hard of hearing individuals. These devices translate music into vibrations, allowing them to feel the frequencies. An unprecedented initiative in the department, available free by email reservation.
Concerts and art
Alongside the festival, the Departmental Micro-Folie of Nice will offer the exhibition Ludwig Van, écouter pour s’entendre. The event, with free access, invites the public to explore the multiple dimensions of listening through the figure of Beethoven.
This exhibition, open from September 30, 2025, to January 24, 2026, questions our relationship with sound and perception: “Do we know how to listen? Do we need to listen to each other to understand better?”
Finally, the festival benefits from a partnership with France Musique. The public radio highlights the vitality and diversity of classical music: “let it be known, classical music is alive and more dynamic than ever.”
