5 reasons not to miss the Peillon Jazz Festival

See you July 4-7, 2025 at Peillon!

Hold on to your hats, the 5ᵉ edition of the Peillon Jazz Festival promises an exceptional musical soaring in the heart of one of the most beautiful perched villages in the Nice hinterland. Nestled at an altitude of 376 meters, Peillon becomes every summer a showcase for the biggest names in jazz, in an atmosphere that’s at once convivial, poetic… and dizzying!

New for 2025: Each festival day gets off to a gentle start with a free concert at 3pm on the Place de Sainte-Thècle (at the entrance to the village), before taking off for the historic heart of the village with the free shuttle buses from 5pm.

1 – For the 2025 program

The opening night, Friday July 5, promises to be a flamboyant affair, with virtuoso trumpeter Éric Le Lann presenting ” Notes de Liberté “, a vibrant tribute to the jazz scene of the 60s. Alongside him, Franco-Cameroonian singer Sandra Nkaké will captivate audiences with ” Dreamer “, a solar and committed performance blending soul and organic jazz.

Saturday, July 6: a melting pot of rhythms and emotions. Percussionist Minino Garay opens the evening with ” Improvisión “, a journey between Argentina, Africa and the streets of Paris. Then it’s the turn of the charismatic Leila Olivesi to unveil ” Astral “, a cosmic project at the crossroads of modal jazz and world music.

OnSunday July 30, 17-year-old piano prodigy Giovanni Gambino will perform in a quartet with his “Talent azuréen“. Double bassist Clovis Nicolas will then perform “The Contrapuntist“, combining his two jazz and classical formations. Pianist Giovanni Mirabassi punctuates the evening with his Italian jazz approach, accompanied by drummer and festival patron André Ceccarelli and double bassist Thomas Bramerie.

OnMonday, July 1, guitarist Sylvain Luc presents his “South Story” with an all-star quartet! And finally, pianist Jean-Pierre Como ‘s “My Little Italy“, a tender, sunny and joyful evening to close the festival.

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2 – For the intimacy of the festival

In Peillon, it’s the Festival du Coeur,” explains crooner Hugh Coltman, on stage last year. We’re not necessarily looking for the big stages, but the emotion with the audience above all… 300 or 1000 people, it’s the same thing. Here, it’s very intimate, and I loved it! With a bigger audience, you need to put on a bigger show…”

This festival like no other pays tribute to the great local jazzman of international renown, double bassist Marc Peillon.

A premonitory name that inspired the creation of the Peillon Jazz Festival in Peillon, a village in the hinterland of Nice, following a meeting between Jean-Marc Rancurel, the Mayor of Peillon, and Alban Leloup, the two co-founders of this event.

In this open-air jazz club, international stars get together with local artists for a rich program, orchestrated by two jazz enthusiasts, Alban Leloup and Thomas Layrac.

3 – For the historic village

The old village of Peillon is a listed treasure, set on a vertiginously steep hill. Discover the maze of narrow streets and vaulted passageways once used by mules… all the way to this incredible panorama overlooking the Launa valley.

Not forgetting the listed frescoes by Canavesio in the Pénitents Blancs chapel. It’s also a great opportunity to discover new hiking trails on your way to the Festival!

“The place is inspiring, it’s a call to make music… declared pianist Eric Legnini, last year. When you wind your way through the village and see the surrounding landscape, you can already imagine how unique it’s going to be! When you reach the highest point, you say to yourself, ‘How beautiful! This village has a soul…”

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4 – For tasty catering

The century-old communal wood-fired oven will be crackling for the occasion! No less than 22 kg of socca are baked during the Festival!

From a panoramic terrace for gourmets to a fast-food stand with a foodtruck, there’s something for every taste and every budget!

The “A Feu Lent” foodtruck will be serving Argentine barbecue (grilled Angus meat, lamb, empanadas, calamari…).

The Auberge de la Madone will be offering a choice of snacks (pizza, pan bagnat, pissaladière), but the hotel-restaurant, which overlooks the concert venue, is also preparing two types of “Jazz Menus” for the occasion: bistronomy and gastronomy.

5 – Tailor-made organization

“For six days, the whole country is mobilized. Every year, we have to rise to the challenge of getting all the festival-goers to the top of the old village – no easy feat, given the shortage of parking spaces – thanks to the rotation of six mini-buses… Welcoming people and organizing the whole event is not something you can improvise!” admit Jean-Marc Rancurel and Thierry Marre, general coordinator of the Festival.

Volunteers manage parking at the three free parking lots at the foot of the village, around the Place de la Mairie.

Free shuttles are available from 10:00 to the village square of Peillon in Sainte-Thècle, where the free concerts begin at 15:00. Then, from 5:00 p.m., other shuttles will take you to the old village of Peillon for the evening concerts.

A free bus also departs from the bus station in Nice at 5:30pm (returning around midnight).

Please note that the number of places is limited to 30, so you must register by calling the Peillon town hall on 04.93.79.91.04.