There are many music festivals nearAnnecy. They take place in Haute-Savoie, Savoie and Switzerland. Some of them have managed to make their mark on the scene, such as Musilac or Guitare en Scène. Here is a look at the most important festivals.
Music festivals in Haute-Savoie
There is no shortage of music festivals in Haute-Savoie. Different styles of music are put forward, from jazz to electro and rock. We present the main ones, which take place in the four corners of the department.
Rock the Pistes
Rock the Pistes is a pop-rock music festival. It takes place on the slopes of the Portes du Soleil, between France and Switzerland. More than 28,000 festival-goers come together every year. During the day, the concerts take place on the slopes. In the evening, the artists perform in the heart of the ski resorts, such as Châtel or Morzine.
A unique opportunity to end the season in style, while enjoying a nice programme. Among the artists who have already performed at Rock the Pistes are Skip the Use, Ofenbach and IAM.
The festival takes place at the end of March and closes the ski season in a festive atmosphere.
Rock’n Poche
The Rock’n Poche is a music festival which takes place in July, near Habère Poche, in Haute-Savoie. The programme is made up of 50% regional groups, plus other artists, such as Skip the Use and Superbus.
Rock’n Poche is 88% self-financing. As for the catering and bars offered on site, more than 90% of them are based on short circuits. In addition, since its creation, the festival has been able to count on 220 volunteers aged between 15 and 80.
The Cosmo Jazz Festival
Cosmo Jazz is a jazz festival that was conceived by André Manoukian in 2010. It takes place every year in Chamonix, during the summer. Free concerts take place at altitude, on natural sites that will not leave you speechless. You can attend concerts at the Flégère, the Emosson dam or the Argentière glacier.
In the early evening, there are also concerts in the centre of Chamonix. The Cosmo Jazz village will allow you to eat and find the official shops.
Pleins Feux Festival
The Pleins Feux Festival takes place in Bonneville. The concerts are totally free and take place over three evenings in July. Three groups share the outdoor stage, while nearly 18,000 spectators are welcomed.
Soul, blues, jazz or funk, there is something for everyone. And the programme is generally attractive. Bands such as Electro Deluxe or Deluxe have already performed on the Pleins Feux Festival stage.
Bars and restaurants are also available on site.
Guitare en Scène
Guitare en Scène is a music festival that takes place every year in Saint-Julien-en-Genevois, on the border with Switzerland and only 20 minutes from Annecy.
The festival has three main objectives: to offer quality concerts, to give local bands the opportunity to stand out and to feature international artists who are rare in France.
2 stages are installed in Saint-Julien: the Village stage and the Chapiteau stage. The space offers a total capacity of 5,500 seats, including 1,200 seated.
The New Montjoux
The New Montjoux, formerly known as the Montjoux Festival, is an emblematic festival of Haute-Savoie, which takes place in Thonon-les-Bains. Many headliners have already performed, such as Tryo, Thomas Dutronc or Garou and Bon Entendeur.
The concerts take place over 3 evenings. 2 stages are installed for the occasion and 12 concerts take place. In 2023, the New Montjoux will take place at the Château de Ripaille. This is a way of increasing the maximum capacity of spectators, which will then be 25,000. Until now, it was 5,500 people.
Musiques en Stock
Musiques en Stock is, from our point of view, the last unmissable festival in Haute-Savoie. It takes place in Scionzier, near Cluses, where it originated, in June and July.
The festival allows the discovery of local artists, but also more established and well-known artists. At the same time, volunteers are sought every year.
Stands and food trucks allow you to eat directly on site. Traditional, world or vegetarian cuisine, there is something for everyone.
Musilac, a festival not to be missed in Savoie
If there is one music festival that is not to be missed in Savoie, it is Musilac. The story began in 2000. In 2015, the festival was extended to four days and a record number of visitors was reached with over 110,000 festival-goers.
Musilac welcomes international artists every year. Among the most famous, we find Muse, Indochine, Placebo or Stromae. But young artists are also put forward during the festival, via the springboard.
There are many food stalls at the festival and entertainment is provided by the partners.
More information on: Musilac festival
Festivals near Annecy, in Switzerland
Switzerland is not far from Annecy and more generally from Haute-Savoie. Some music festivals are worth the diversions and some will not hesitate to travel a few extra kilometres to enjoy the concerts.
The Montreux Jazz Festival
The Montreux Jazz Festival, as its name suggests, is held in Montreux, at the end of Lake Geneva. It has been held every summer for a fortnight since 1967. Over the years, it has become a must-see festival for all music lovers.
Nearly 250,000 spectators are expected to attend the Montreux Jazz Festival every year, in a unique setting on the shores of the lake and close to the vineyards.
Since its inception, the festival has welcomed many great names, such as Nina Simone, Prince, Stevie Wonder and Elton John.
The Paléo Festival Nyon
The Paleo Festival in Nyon is the biggest open-air festival in Switzerland. During 6 days and 6 nights, concerts and shows follow one another.
Young artists have the opportunity to perform on stage and the festival has gradually opened up to all styles of music.
Created in 1976, the Paléo Festival welcomes more than 230,000 festival-goers every year, on an 84-hectare site including parking and camping.
