The French are used to saying that France is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. In this respect, the Gers, the department par excellence of the beautiful province of Gascony, occupies the top of the podium. The beauty of the landscapes, made of unforgettable valleys and colours, is combined with a very pleasant climate. And every year, the small village of Marciac becomes almost the centre of the world. Becausewho doesn't know JIM? JIM.... for Jazz in Marciac, of course! The reputation of this festival goes beyond borders and it is not for nothing. The small village of Gers comes alive every year at the beginning of August, and has been since 1978, to welcome the biggest names, those artists who can bring stars to your eyes!
Essential visits
The royal bastide of Marciac was founded in 1281 according to a plan typical of the Gers bastides: a central square, served by two streets perpendicular to each corner and housing a hall dedicated to trade. The hall was destroyed in 1871, leaving only a vast square - the largest in the Gers - 130 m long and 75 m wide. All around, the elegant facades pierced with arcades bring together shops and restaurants. Notre-Dame-de-L'Assomption Church, a 15th century Gothic building with a square bell tower-porch, contains three naves and a pentagonal choir housing 14th century sculptures in Romanesque tradition. The former Augustinian convent is remarkable for its porch, façade and octagonal bell tower, whose spire, which rises to 85 m, is the highest in the Gers.
The lake, where motorized water sports are now prohibited, offers, among other features, to be very fishy and to welcome on its shore an imposing barge that serves as a restaurant. A second restaurant has been set up a few years ago on the shore of the lake, as well as a Pierre & Vacances village, promoting family tourism. The traditional arenas, established since the middle of the 19th century, are regularly the scene of Landes races, a well-developed tradition in this part of the department, close to the moors. It will also be necessary to take a look at the Museum of Natural History. In order to preserve the beautiful collection created by his father, Joseph Abeilhé donated this museum to the town of Marciac in the 1930s. Since then, young and old have been able to discover a large number of known and unknown species from all over the world. In the windows, whose obsolete appearance is the main attraction, several themes are highlighted, such as ornithology, entomology with a cute collection of insects, geology and paleontology. There are also some insolent reptiles, naturalized mammals, shells..
Finally, we will gladly visit the Espace Eqart. This 300 m² gallery, widely recognized, is run by an artists' collective that offers a permanent exhibition throughout the year of 300 works by 25 artists such as Rémi Trotereau, Robert Keramsi and Victor Soren. This varied collection, drawn from so-called unclassifiable and singular currents, marks the site, but is also exported since Eqart was recently exhibited at the Galerie de l'Écharpe in Toulouse and Paris, at Lieu 37 : in other words, talent lives in Marciac !
The capital of jazz..
Mandatory stopover: take a detour to the Musée des Territoires du jazz, a 600 m² scenographic space that traces the history of jazz from its origins to the present day in music through an audio walk. Because it is jazz that has made this small village a world reference, a member of the very exclusive club of the Grands sites de Midi-Pyrénées.
Everything started in the late 1970s from a banal concert that might not have had a future, but the guys and girls in the rural home thought that this first one deserved an extension. And like Bill Coleman and Guy Lafitte, who lived in the Gers, encouraged them to do so, one thing leading to another, jazz took root in Marciac. Since 1978, the names of the greatest names have followed one another: Dizzy Gillespie, Ray Charles, Stan Getz, Max Roach, Sonny Rollins, Ray Brown, Lionel Hampton, Oscar Peterson, Bill Coleman, Winston Marsalis, Guy Lafitte, etc. Every summer, from the end of July to mid-August, the JIM (Jazz in Marciac) festival brings the biggest names on the jazz scene to a very large audience, generating significant economic benefits for the city but also for all the surrounding sectors. For more than two weeks, jazz was everywhere. Under the large tent set up for the occasion, at the rugby stadium, in the central square, on the terraces of the cafés and in the streets. Music reigns supreme during the three weeks of the festival. In 2011, the superb L'Astrada concert hall and theatre was inaugurated, where all year round, Marciac's cultural season presents top quality shows, and not just jazz, far from it.
... and good wine!
When we think of this international jazz festival, we also immediately think of the Plaimont producers who, in 35 years, have forged indestructible ties, from the early beginnings of each, in 1977, to this common notoriety. A perfect blend of two cultures so far apart and so close at last, music and wine, with a single goal: the preservation and development of the region. Marciac and Plaimont, unknown at the time, are now playing in the big league! The union of Saint-Mont and Marciac is a fine example: 350 winegrowers are committed to helping festival-goers discover not only their wines but also all the activities created in Marciac around the vine and wine. Thus, we will especially remember the most beautiful economic achievements such as the construction of Pierre et Vacances, the jazz initiation workshop and its 200 students, sponsored by Wynton Marsalis, the creation of the Riscle high school with the "vine and wine" sector, without forgetting the famous Marciac vineyard and its 6,000 feet sponsored by festival-goers; 150 rows are each dedicated to famous musicians who came to the festival. The new season of the festival is expected with its great classics and surprises. Plaimont Producteurs will once again play a major role, everywhere in the streets, during tastings, in the arenas, under the big top, wearing their timeless beret and wearing their apron!
Smart info
When? When? You can of course go to the Gers and Marciac all year round, but to attend the Jazz In Marciac festival, visit the village from July 25 to August 15, 2019.
Getting there. By car, train, bus or plane (via Toulouse-Blagnac airport), everything is possible.
Find your flight at the best price - Compare
Book your train tickets - Book
Rent your car at the best price - Compare
Useful. To prepare your escapade as well as possible.
MARCIAC TOURISM OFFICE - More information on the website
JAZZ IN MARCIAC - More information on the website
Book your accommodation at the best conditions - Compare
Get a quote from a local agency for a custom trip - Request a quote
Find a cultural or sporting activity - Find
