“When the Alpes-Maritimes host their festivals”

Les Plages Électroniques
From July 2 to August 6
Beach of the Palais des Festivals – Cannes

The only electronic music festival to take over a public beach on the French coast, Les Plages Électroniques will once again transform the beach of the Palais des Festivals in Cannes into a gigantic ephemeral dance floor, feet in the sand, with a view of the Mediterranean Sea. A bold challenge, successfully met in 2006 and 2007, and continued with the same formula for a third edition.

Les Plages Électroniques consists of five themed evenings, five “musical aesthetics” that are still underrepresented on the Riviera dance floors, yet they are making headlines on the major European stages (London, Berlin, Barcelona, Paris…).

Making these musical currents accessible to a wider audience through quality programming and low entry prices: a simple yet incredibly effective concept offering the opportunity to enjoy electronic music outdoors in a prestigious and friendly setting.

[www.plageselectroniques.com](https://www.plageselectroniques.com)

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Les Nuits Guitares
From July 3 to 5, 2008
Jardin de l’Olivaie – Beaulieu-sur-Mer

The Les Nuits Guitares festival, for its 9th edition, will once again delight guitar lovers on the Côte d’Azur.
A convivial festival in an enchanting setting, feet in a garden of century-old olive trees and under the stars of the Mediterranean summer… a rendezvous not to be missed, with Lucky Peterson, Number 9, Ilene Barnes, Marjorie, Rose, and Ma Sasaïra.

[www.myspace.com/lesnuitsguitares](https://www.myspace.com/lesnuitsguitares)

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Jazz à Juan 2008
From July 10 to July 20, 2008
Pinède Gould – Juan-les-Pins

In the Pinède Gould, legends linger. Since 1960, the history of jazz has been written in Juan with all its immense diversity.
Ten days of music in the Pinède Gould are on the agenda for the next Jazz à Juan festival. Big names are invited this year, like James Blunt, Didier Lockwood, Thomas Dutronc, Marcus Miller, Keith Jarrett, or Sharon Jones. The evening of July 17 will be entirely dedicated to young talents for the TSF Révélations 2008.

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Les Nuits du Sud
From July 11 to August 9, 2008
Place du Grand Jardin – Vence

The Nuits du Sud festival is primarily about the spirit of openness, conviviality, and cultural discovery.
The Nuits du Sud will take place from July 11 to August 9, outdoors, on the Place du Grand Jardin in Vence.
This year, 14 concert evenings including 3 Southern Days (free activities and concerts), featuring artists such as Dee Dee Bridgewater, Moriarty, Jimmy Cliff, Goran Bregovic, Salif Keita, Richard Galliano, Angélique Kidjo, Aronas, Nortec Collective, Omara Portuondo, Orchestre National de Barbès, and Ramiro Musotto…

Located 30 km from Nice, in the heart of the Middle Country, Vence has hosted the Nuits du Sud for 11 years. The festival has become an event in the Riviera landscape, thanks to its programming that combines diversity, discoveries, and musical quality, with affordable pricing for all, with an average price of 13 euros.

[www.nuitsdusud.com](https://www.nuitsdusud.com)

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Festival d’Art Pyrotechnique
From July 14 to August 24, 2008
Esplanade Georges Pompidou – Cannes

Recognized by its peers as one of the greatest pyrotechnic festivals on the international scene, the Festival captures the enthusiasm of audiences of all ages. This year, the spectacle will be provided by six companies representing Switzerland, France, the Czech Republic, Portugal, Canada, and Russia.
Moreover, this year the pyrotechnic art festival includes free concerts starting at 10:30 pm, on the Esplanade Georges Pompidou, featuring artists like Sananda Maitreya, Taraf Dékalé, Ma Valise, and Toumast.

[www.festival-pyrotechnique-cannes.com](https://www.festival-pyrotechnique-cannes.com)

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XVIII Festival of Early Music of L’Escarène and Paillon
“Voyages: From Earth to Sky”
From July 16 to July 30, 2008
Saint Pierre Church – L’Escarène

Arcimboldo… the Wonderful, without a doubt, which is why since its inception, the Festival of L’Escarène has chosen this astonishing Milanese artist as its emblem, whose work stands out as a dazzling, fixed point, attracting, exalting, even reassuring, because it is the work of an accomplished artist in his uniqueness, much like the greatest.
Born from the passionate love for music of a few volunteers, under the impetus of the Association of Friends of L’Escarène, this event was created in 1991, focusing its musical theme on baroque, vocal, medieval, and sacred styles.
By relocating to the villages of the Upper Paillon, Lucéram, Contes, and Coaraze, the “Festival of L’Escarène” fills an unoccupied niche in the Alpes-Maritimes Department, striving to introduce a broad audience to the current musical and musicological scene.
This eighteenth season confirms this event, if need be, as a reference in the field of Early Music.

[www.escarene-festival.com](https://www.escarene-festival.com)

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Les Nuits Musicales du Suquet 2008
From July 18 to July 30, 2008
Square of Notre-Dame d’Espérance Church – Cannes

Diversity is the hallmark of these 33rd “Nuits Musicales du Suquet” which aim to be, like the city of Cannes, more international than ever.

This year, with a particular desire – one that no one will complain about – to bring the piano into the spotlight.

Personalities as different as they are endearing, such as Nikolaï Lugansky, Dimitri Naïditch, Fazil Say, Marie-Josèphe Jude, Michel Béroff, Roger Muraro, Boris Berezovsky, will brilliantly represent the pianistic and musical traditions of their countries.
Also present will be one of the most famous current string quartets, the Fine Arts Quartet, with whom I always joyously associate the Dvořák quintet.
Caroline Casadesus and Didier Lockwood will offer us one of those unusual evenings so beloved by the Suquet audience.
Coming as neighbors, the Philharmonic Orchestra of Nice ranks among the best French orchestras; it will be conducted by the Italian conductor Sergio Monterisi.
Finally, the great Russian cellist Alexander Kniazev will return to the square of Notre-Dame d’Espérance for a tribute to Mstislav Rostropovich.
The “Young Revelations” concerts at 7 p.m. in the courtyard of the Museum de la Castre attract an ever-growing audience eager for discoveries.
Four concerts, three pianists: the French François Dumont, the Swedish Cecilia Löfstrand, the Japanese Etsuko Hirose, and the winner of the Masters (voice) of Monte-Carlo.

[www.nuitsdusuquet-cannes.com](https://www.nuitsdusuquet-cannes.com)

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Nice Jazz Festival
From July 19 to July 27, 2008
Arènes de Cimiez – Nice

Every summer, the hills of Cimiez resound to the sounds of saxophones and the smooth voices of jazz singers. 60 years later, the artists have changed, but the magic remains. Standards by the likes of Frank Sinatra, Cole Porter, or Ella Fitzgerald are on the program, as well as unique titles. From July 19 to 26, 2008, crooners like George Benson will intertwine their voices with the fiery violins of Nigel Kennedy. A festival synonymous with renewal and authenticity, because this year, jazz is more than ever at the heart of this event. Gone are the pop/rock artists. Previously ignored by these artists, they opted for the “Jazz à Vienne” and the “Montreux Jazz Festival” in Switzerland. They are returning today for the delight of fans. Note that this year the festival will have its off-events.

[www.nicejazzfestival.fr](https://www.nicejazzfestival.fr)

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Rencontres Musicales Des Baous
From July 21 to July 31, 2008
Saint-Jeannet – Carros – La Colle-sur-Loup

The second edition of the Rencontres Musicales des Baous festival will take place from July 21 to July 30, 2008, in the Alpes-Maritimes. This festival is unique in that it is organized across a number of villages in the Nice hinterland, rather than at a single location. In 2008, the concerts will be held in Saint-Jeannet 06640, La Colle sur Loup 06480, and Carros 06510.
Music of excellent quality, with the best performers, reaches out to a new audience and helps discover picturesque concert venues.

[lamusicaledesbaous.online.fr](https://lamusicaledesbaous.online.fr/)

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10th French Riviera Country Music Festival
From August 1 to August 3, 2008
Parc des Canebiers Sud – Cagnes-sur-Mer

This year, the program gives significant attention to country music and dance. American artists like the Texan fiddler John Permenter, the legendary Burrito Deluxe with Carlton Moody who has entertained at Disney’s Billy Bob’s for many years, and Country Songwriter David Waddell will be in Cagnes, not forgetting Western Swing with the Dutch band Ranch House Favorites.
For dancers, besides the artists already mentioned, the excellent Chattahoochee band and local Mainstreet will entertain the days also dedicated to dance, since for the first time the festival, presented by DJ Denys, will host the “First National Days of Country Dance and Line Dance,” attracting dancers from all over France. In total, 16 hours of dance workshops, 16 hours of networking, and 18 hours of music, dance, and shows are offered to delegates and the public.
For the first time, the editorial team of the English magazine “Linedancer” will come to France to actively participate in this event, with Betty Drummond, founder and editor of the magazine and also a dance teacher, Steve Healy, Dance Editor and world specialist in Line Dance, and Laurent Saletto, a French-born deputy editor of Linedancer.
The Francophonie will be represented by Guylaine Bourdage, a Quebec choreographer with over 20 years of experience in dance and teaching.

[www.frenchrivierafestival.com](https://www.frenchrivierafestival.com/)

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Festival Pantiero
From August 8 to August 11, 2008
Terrace of the Palais des Festivals – Cannes

After the resounding success of recent editions, the Pantiero festival is reaching new heights this year with more than thirty groups, DJs, and VJs invited to perform from August 8 to 11 on the terrace of the Palais des Festivals, and also at Jimmy’z for the after-parties.

The diversity, relevance, and above all, the quality of the artists who participated in previous editions of Pantiero make it an event recognized as one of the best in its category in France. The 2008 edition – the 7th – should further reinforce this status, with four superb evenings around the themes of rock, hip hop, and electro.
Discoveries will be followed with particular attention this year, featuring very promising artists for whom we can legitimately foresee a bright future. They will also have the pleasure of sharing the stage with particularly prominent groups and DJs such as the immense synth band Ladytron, the elusive Sébastien Tellier, the classy (and grungy) rock of Archie Bronson Outfit, Antipop Consortium and Birdy Nam Nam, hip hop derivatives, and extraordinary punchers like SebastiAn, Goose, and Simian Mobile Disco in the electro genre.

[www.festivalpantiero.com](https://www.festivalpantiero.com)

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Jazz à Domergue
From August 16 to August 20, 2008
Villa Domergue – Cannes

An idyllic setting. The Mediterranean gardens of the villa of the great painter Jean-Gabriel Domergue, suspended between sea and sky, 300 privileged guests in the scent of the effluvia of this vegetation exuding the fragrance of an August at its peak… artists so close to the audience that their talent is perceptible, within reach of our senses.

That is Jazz à Domergue, a beautiful story in Cannes where for this third edition, the spirit and concept of these nocturnes open, once again, to creation with four nights offered by composers and young talents.

[Info & Programming](https://www.palaisdesfestivals.com/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=1513)