The importance of popular music
On the Côte d'Opale, the many carnivals, including the renowned Dunkirk carnival, are the scene of fabulous fanfares and harmonies featuring drums, fife, accordion... Groups such as Cap'Trad have made a name for themselves. Traditional songs and dances also feature bagpipes, violin, spinet, piposa... with artists such as Marieke, Jean-Jacques Revillon and the Rococco Rijsel Trio. No great festival is complete without a musical tune, whether traditional (like the sea chanteys at the Fête de la mer in Boulogne-sur-Mer) or more modern. It doesn't matter, as long as the mood is right!
There are also plenty of nursery rhymes and songs in Ch'tis (the Picardy language), one of the best known of which is Alexandre Desrousseaux's "Le P'tit Quinquin", which many northerners will be able to sing at least in part.
The Côte d'Opale also boasts a wide variety of musical activities, such as the associations run by the Délégation Musicale de la Côte d'Opale, and a wide range of amateur music: wind bands, choirs, symphony orchestras, accordions, and numerous music schools... Enough to cultivate a taste for music and its many instruments.
The North, land of inspiration for many artists
For many years, the Nord region and its unique history have been a constant source of inspiration for artists. Sometimes appreciated for its identity, sometimes enhanced by its singular history and landscapes, the region is sometimes just a mention, and other times at the heart of true masterpieces that remain in the memory.
In 1967, Enrico Macias wrote a laudatory portrait of "Les gens du nord", who "have in their eyes the blue that is missing from their decor (...), have in their hearts the sun they don't have outside". Artist Pierre Bachelet paid tribute to miners on his third album in 1982 with the now legendary song "Les Corons". Other artists include Bourvil and his "Clair de lune à Maubeuge", Renaud and his "Chtimi rock", Claude Barzotti and his "Fille des Flandres", and Louis Arti and his "Plage de Dunkerque".
Many musical events throughout the year
With so much going on, it's hardly surprising that there are so many and varied music festivals in the Hauts-de-France region. From the start of the summer to the end of the year, not a month goes by without a music festival.
From March onwards, the Paradis Artificiels festival in the Lille Metropole offers a veritable series of concerts focusing on contemporary music.
In May, the Musica Nigella festival kicks off the festivities with a celebration of classical music, welcoming several thousand visitors in sometimes atypical venues. At the end of June, the Mid-Summer Festival celebrates Franco-British links at the Théâtre d'Hardelot, with baroque music, plays, dance and opera.
In July, a host of festivals are scheduled: the Main Square Festival in Arras, the Côte d'Opale festival celebrating French chanson and its big names with a dozen concerts from Boulogne-sur-Mer to Hardelot, and the Nuits Secrètes and its famous "Parcours Secrets" in Aulnoye Aymeries. In the same month, the Hardelot festival offers a more "classical" atmosphere... celebrating both classical and jazz music. The concerts are of the highest quality, with interpretations of works by great composers performed by established artists.
In September, Le Poulpaphone celebrates the start of the new school year! Behind this atypical name, which already sets the tone, is a festival of contemporary and electric music in the Boulonnais region. From rock and electro to pop and hip-hop, creativity is celebrated and artists from all horizons are showcased.
In November, you can opt for jazz with Tendances Jazz and its concerts, meetings and masterclasses, or more contemporary music with Intramurock. We also salute the commitment of the Le Père Noël est-il un rockeur festival in Lille, for which you'll need to bring a gift in lieu of a ticket (the proceeds are donated to charities).
And in December, numerous brass bands are sure to warm up the atmosphere at the traditional Christmas markets! It's impossible not to find the music festival of your dreams in our beautiful region.
Art and history theatres
Theater also has a strong place in the region, with several emblematic theaters. Let's start with the Grand Théâtre de Calais. As early as the 15th century, there are records of plays being performed in the town, then in front of the Notre-Dame church. Calais' first theater was built in 1725 in what is now the "Rue de la Mer", and consisted of a simple square with benches, a stage and three painted canvases. It had several youths before becoming the municipal theater we know today. Today, it's a much-loved venue, seating 1,390. It's also the third theater in France to have its entire stage machinery made of iron.
More atypical, Hardelot's wooden theater is the first Elizabethan theater in France, and was awarded the prize for best wooden construction in the world in 2017. Inaugurated in 2016, it's an architectural marvel that sets Hardelot apart and pays tribute to Franco-British ties. Wood is omnipresent, from spruce to larch to waxed raw oak. A popular venue, it also regularly hosts local concerts and festivals.
In the capital of Flanders, the beautiful city of Lille, there are several theaters, including the renowned Théâtre du Nord, a listed historic monument housed in a former guardhouse. There's also the Théâtre Sébastopol, inaugurated in 1903.
The region also boasts a dozen or so "scène nationale" theaters, including the Phénix in Valenciennes, La Rose des Vents in Villeneuve d'Ascq and the Théâtre du Manège in Maubeuge. This label was introduced in 1991 and is awarded by the French Ministry of Culture, with the aim of promoting the cultural development of towns and regions. There are almost 80 scènes nationales in France and overseas.
