Jazz in Marciac annually hosts some of the genre’s most prolific names, and 2022’s line up is no exception! And if you’re looking for a place to stay near Marciac from where you can enjoy all the festival has to offer, keep reading…
Gascony is filled with surprising delights just waiting to be discovered – including the charming and historic bastide town of Marciac founded at the end of the 13th century. With a population of just 1,300, the town has shops, restaurants, and of course, a weekly market, but is a relatively sleepy place (which adds to its charm), but perhaps makes it a relatively unlikely location for one of the jazz world’s most famous and respected festivals!
A little history of Jazz in Marciac
Jazz in Marciac has been running since 1978. The original festival was founded by a group of friends and led by the head of the local secondary school and jazz enthusiast, Jean-Louis Guilhaumon. The festival was originally based around traditional, New Orleans-style jazz, but as the years passed and the festival’s following grew, so did its musical variation. Influential, big names of the time were soon found annually at Marciac, including The Golden Gate Quartet, Bill Coleman and Guy Lafitte – the latter two of which later become honorary presidents of the festival.
With its growing success and reputation, soon people were travelling to the festival from all over Europe and beyond. Soon, anyone who was anyone in the field of Jazz was guaranteed to be at Jazz in Marciac – often on exclusive contracts. These included international stars such as Lionel Hampton, Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz, Oscar Peterson, the Modern Jazz Quartet, Stéphane Grappelli, Michel Petrucciani, Sonny Rollins, Gerry Mulligan, Herbie Hancock, Keith Jarrett and Wynton Marsalis, and that’s mentioning just a few of the most prestigious names.
While the festival grew in size and reputation, one thing remains untouched to this day – the festival’s spirit. The whole town comes alive during the festival, with every restaurateur, shop keeper, B&B owner, you name them, involved in some way or another! This is largely due to the dedication of Jean-Louis Guilhaumon and his team of volunteers. A pillar of the community, Jean-Louis Guilhaumon is also the Mayor of Marciac, holding this seat since 1995.
Today’s Jazz in Marciac
Today, the festival welcomes around 100,000 visitors, and while the big names and concerts are the main attraction, visitors also come to soak up the festival atmosphere, enjoy the delicious local cuisine and a few glasses of wine, appreciate the local crafts for sale, art exhibitions, film showings and generally have an unforgettable time!
Jazz in Marciac 2022
Jazz in Marciac is returning in 2022 from 22nd July – 6th August. Tickets are available from 23rd April online or by phone from outside of France on +33 5 62 09 33 33.
The Jazz in Marciac 2022 programme features world-renowned names such as Gregory Porter, Nile Rogers & Chic, James Blunt and Jamie Cullum to name just a very few. Explore the full Jazz in Marciac programme over the two weeks of the festival here.
Where to stay close to Marciac during the jazz festival
Fortunately, at Simply Gascony, we have three beautiful properties, all within very close proximity of Marciac, these are:
Simply Gascony properties close to Marciac:
· Hourtiquet - sleeps 8/9, under 20 minutes from Marciac by car
· Serres - sleeps 8, a five minute drive to Marciac
· Domaine du Pignoulet - sleeps 10 and four children, 10 minute drive to Marciac
We look forward to seeing you there!
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