Nice Jazz Festival

Nice Jazz Festival: Le Jardin by Kalanztiscope



Roman ruins of Cimiez

Nice in July is crammed with events but the oldest and most prestigious is undoubtedly the Nice Jazz Festival. Held in the Roman ruins of the Jardins de Cimiez until 2011 the Nice Jazz Festival has been going strong since 1948. Louis Armstrong was the headliner that year and subsequent years have seen great jazz artists like Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Diana Krall and McCoy Tyner mount the stage.

From the late 1990s through 2007, the festival turned to pop, world and electro music to increase attendance but under the new leadership of Gerard Druout, there has been a return to the original format of jazz, jazz, and more jazz.

In 2011, the Nice Jazz Festival passed under the direct management of the ciy of Nice and the venue was changed from the Jardins des Cimiez to the Jardin Albert I in the center of town. It's hoped that the ease of access will bring a new audience to the venerable festival.

Practical Guide to the Festival

Venues

There are two venues at the Jardin Albert Ier:Theatre de Verdure and Scene Matisse. The two venues contain stages and are connected by walkways. Admission includes both venues; there's no problem wandering from one to the other.

The Theatre de Verdure is an amphitheater arrangement while the Scene Matisse has "festival seating".

Refreshment

A number of stalls sell Nice specialites like Socca as well as sandwiches, meat stew, beer and wine. The selection is limited so it's a good idea to bring your own nibblies.

Buying Tickets

You can buy tickets online at the Nice Jazz Festival website or at any Fnac, Carrefour or Geant store. You can also buy tickets on site (it's never sold out) but there's a €2 surcharge.

Getting to the Festival

As the festival is right in the center of town, it is easily reachable by bus, tram, foot or bike(see more about getting around Nice). There's parking but it's likely to fill up fast.

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