The music
While the murmur of the waves accompanies strollers and bathers, music lovers in La Rochelle come together to enjoy La Sirène. This contemporary music venue is not only a showcase for popular music and its players, it is also a major architectural project, as it is housed in a renovated former silo. All types of contemporary music are presented to the public (hip-hop, metal, rock, jazz...). La Sirène's mission is to present concerts, welcome amateurs and artists - in one of its 5 studios - and set up an Artistic and Cultural Education program.
In Saintes, it's in another, even more astonishing place that the music resonates. A former women's monastery, the Abbaye aux Dames has been converted into a cultural center and is now an integral part of the Cité Musicale. Music is at the heart of this monument with the Festival de Saintes! The surprising Musicaventure offers a sensory exploration of the site. Sound journeys invite music lovers for a day to wear headphones, while the carousel lets everyone handle bows, keyboards, harps... A training ground for musicians from all over the world, the Abbey is at the heart of artistic discoveries.
Local artists
The Charente-Maritime has many artists. One of them is "The Big Idea". These childhood friends, passionate about music since their youth, left La Rochelle after graduating from high school to move in together and record three albums. Above all, the six friends took a daring gamble during their first confinement: compose their album in the middle of the ocean! Six weeks of sailing aboard a sailboat for a trip leading them from La Rochelle to the West Indies with the ambition to compose acoustic music.
Jesse Garon - whose real name is Bruno Fumard - is a musician, author, composer and performer. Born in La Rochelle, this multidisciplinary artist (he is also a painter and calligrapher) became known in the early 1980s with titles such as "C'est lundi" or "Nous deux". He is nicknamed the "Prince of rock'n'roll" and is just as passionate about the world of jazz, blues, rock'n'roll and classical music.
As for Bérald Crambes, born in Saint-Georges-de-Didonne, he made his name by officially joining the French rock band BB Brunes in 2007. Very inspired by the Anglo-Saxon scene, the group has since evolved its style which is closer to pop. In 2009, he won a Victoire de la Musique award in the "Revelation of the Year" category.
Festivals
The Charente-Maritime region has many festivals which each year give rhythm to the hearts of the inhabitants. The most famous is undoubtedly the Francofolies. Created in 1985 by Jean-Louis Foulquier and directed by Gérard Pont since 2005, its ambition is to put forward the French-speaking scene. Taking place during five days in the heart of July, it attracts each year more than 150 000 spectators who crowd the esplanade of the Parks. Not only has this festival seen the greatest artists of the French scene such as Alain Souchon, M, Johnny Hallyday... but it also allows the public to discover new singers. The Francofolies is also free concerts in the whole city!
In the south of the department, the Freemusic offers a completely different atmosphere! For more than 20 years, it attracts every year and during two days a crowd of festival-goers who come to discover confirmed talents such as IAM, Orelsan, Shaka Ponk. The setting is very pleasant since the stage is located in a protected natural area, the lake Baron Desqueyroux. For 72 hours, without interruption, the music is in full swing with a current program taking into account the idea of sustainable development. Indeed, the eco-responsible charter aims at reducing waste, using reusable cups and setting up dry toilets.
The Charente-Maritime is also home to jazz festivals on the Ile de Ré, in La Rochelle, in Fouras... Classical music lovers will go to Royan during the month of July. Not only does the seaside resort lend itself ideally to a moment of idleness, but it also hosts an annual symphonic music festival "Un violon sur le sable". The setting is splendid, the beach of the Grande-Conche from which the notes of the orchestra, composed mainly of musicians from the Paris Opera, accompany world famous soloists. The concerts are free.
The dance
In Charente-Maritime, we love to dance, and when we're not attending a festival, we can learn a few steps in one of the department's many dance schools. From introductory classes to ballet, modern jazz and pole dance, there's something for everyone! There are also several dance conservatories offering access to artistic practices for all audiences. In Saintes, some 800 students attend the conservatory located in the heart of the Abbaye aux Dames and certified by the French Ministry of Culture.
The Brazilian percussion group, Batala La Rochelle, is one of the most popular dance groups! Created in 2000 by Giba Gonçalves, a Brazilian from Bahia, the group is unmistakable for its traditional Brazilian percussion and samba rhythms. A guaranteed hit! On stage, outdoors or even at a La Rochelle rugby club match, everyone is carried away by this festive music.
A final dance step, or rather a final wiggle, to round off this section. In La Rochelle, Rochefort and on the Ile de Ré, Caribbean dancing is all the rage! While the Salsa Pimente association invites people from La Rochelle to take classes to perfect their skills, it also offers the chance to move to the beat in a waterside guinguette or on the Ile de Ré during the famous "SELP" festival. Conviviality guaranteed!
