Jazz à Juan, Europe’s oldest jazz festival under the pines
A music lover’s guide to the July festival in Juan-les-Pins: what to expect from an evening at the Pinède Gould, how official tickets work, and how to stay nearby in a villa with a driver for the ride home.
Jazz à Juan is the open-air jazz festival held each July in the Pinède Gould, a grove of century-old pines in Juan-les-Pins, on the Riviera between Cannes and the Cap d’Antibes. First staged in 1960 as the Antibes Jazz Festival, it runs for about ten days, with evening concerts from 8.30pm and tickets sold only through the official festival website and the Antibes Juan-les-Pins tourist office. Below: its history, how a festival night unfolds, the ticket and gate rules, and where to stay.
The 2026 edition, the 65th, ran from 9 to 19 July. At the time of writing (October 2026) the official site has not yet published dates for 2027, so treat any date you see elsewhere with caution and check jazzajuan.com before you book flights.
For music lovers the draw is the setting as much as the bill: a stage and stands under the pines, a short walk from the beach, in the place where, according to the festival’s own history, Ray Charles gave his first concert in Europe and Ella Fitzgerald improvised a duet with a cicada. If you are coming for a few nights of concerts, the questions that matter are the ones line-up listings skip: where to sleep, how to get back after the encore, and what you can carry through the gate. Our guide to Juan-les-Pins covers the resort itself; this page is about the festival.
Jazz à Juan in verified figures
Checked against official sources, so you can plan with confidence.
The first edition opened on 7 July 1960, under the name Antibes Jazz Festival, at the Fort Carré stadium in Antibes and the Pinède Gould in Juan-les-Pins.
Source: jazzajuan.comFrom its second edition the festival has been held only in Juan-les-Pins, under the century-old pines of the Pinède Gould.
Source: jazzajuan.comSince 1971 the festival has been run by the town’s tourist office, today the Antibes Juan-les-Pins Tourist and Conventions Office.
Source: jazzajuan.comIt has been cancelled only twice in its history: in the early 1970s and in 2020.
Source: jazzajuan.comThe 64th edition ran for ten days and drew more than 30,000 spectators.
Source: jazzajuan.comThe 65th edition took place from 9 to 19 July 2026, with gates opening at 6.30pm and concerts starting at 8.30pm.
Source: Côte d'Azur France tourist boardFrom the Antibes Jazz Festival to Jazz à Juan
The festival began on 7 July 1960, while the town was mourning Sidney Bechet, described by the festival as the most French of the New Orleans jazzmen. The concert of 10 July that first summer was given in his honour. That opening edition was shared between the Fort Carré stadium in Antibes and the Pinède Gould; from the following year it settled under the pines of Juan-les-Pins, which is why it is now known as Jazz à Juan. The original name still turns up in searches for the Antibes jazz festival: it is the same event.
The official history reads like a roll call of the music. Ray Charles for his first concert in Europe. Miles Davis, who made an event of every appearance. A celebrated gathering of pianists in 1981, the duo of Sarah Vaughan and Michel Legrand in 1982, Stanley Clarke and Miroslav Vitous in 1984. Claude Nobs, founder of the Montreux Jazz Festival, is quoted on the festival site as saying that Montreux would not exist had he not passed through Antibes.
The town’s tourist office has run the festival since 1971. Alongside the main stage it runs Jammin’Juan, presented as the stage for young jazz talent, which is a good reason to look beyond the headline names when you choose your evenings.
A night at the Pinède Gould, hour by hour
The Pinède Gould is a public pine grove in Juan-les-Pins that becomes an open-air concert venue on festival nights. There are two entrances: one on boulevard Baudoin, on the town side, and one through the pinède gardens near the children’s play area. The organiser warns that entry can be slow on busy nights, so have your tickets and any proof of a reduced rate ready before you reach the gate.
In 2026 the festival also spilled into the streets: the regional tourist board listed close to 200 musicians playing the off programme in Antibes and Juan-les-Pins, plus two intimate morning sessions at the Albert Camus media library in Antibes. On a night without a ticket, the free side of the festival is still worth the trip.
| Time (2026 pattern) | What happens | Our tip |
|---|---|---|
| 6.30pm | Gates open, the ticket desk at the town-side entrance opens, and the Before starts with food trucks under the pines | Arrive early on the big nights: everyone goes through a security check |
| 7.15pm to 8.15pm | Jammin’ Summer Sessions: free concerts at the Petite Pinède, mostly emerging European projects | Worth hearing even if your ticket is for later in the evening |
| 8.30pm | First concert of the evening on the main stage | Be through the gate and seated by now |
| 10pm | Second concert of the evening | Ask your driver to wait for the encore rather than a fixed time |
| 11pm on 14 July | Bastille Day fireworks; the 14 July evening is offered by the city on invitation | See the ticket steps below for how invitations work |
Times from the 2026 programme on the official site and the regional tourist board listing. The pattern can change from year to year: check the official site.
Jazz à Juan tickets: the official route, step by step
Fares for each evening and seat category are published on the official site with the programme, so we do not repeat them here. If you would rather not handle it yourself, tell Nathalie Nguyen or Adam Haddad which evenings you want and who is coming, and the concierge books through the official channel in each guest’s name.
- Watch for the programme announcement
The line-up and the ticket opening are announced on the official site. For the 65th edition, tickets went on sale on 25 March at 9am, so a spring opening is a sensible working assumption, not a promise.
- Buy only from official channels
Only tickets bought on the official festival website or at the tourist office desks in Antibes and Juan-les-Pins are valid. The organiser warns that tickets bought on unofficial sites may be refused at the gate. On concert evenings, a ticket desk also opens at the Pinède entrance from 6.30pm.
- Gather every guest’s full name
Tickets are personal, named and non-transferable. For a house party, collect names before booking. If plans change, use the fair-price resale exchange run with the tourist office rather than passing tickets on.
- Pick the right category
Reduced rates for under 18s, students and holders of a local youth card apply only to category 3 seats in the stands, and proof is checked at the entrance. Seats for guests with reduced mobility are booked at a point of sale or by phone.
- Ask about the free evenings
The 14 July and gospel evenings are offered by the city on invitation. In 2026, festival ticket holders could request one invitation per ticket bought by emailing their booking number to the tourist office, and other households could apply for up to two seats in early June.
What you can bring and what stays at the villa
Everyone goes through a security check under France’s Vigipirate plan, and anyone who refuses it, or who is visibly intoxicated, is turned away. The table summarises the rules published on the festival site, which the organiser describes as non-exhaustive.
| Item | Published rule | What we suggest |
|---|---|---|
| Large backpacks, sports bags, suitcases of any size | Not allowed | Carry a small bag and leave the rest in the car |
| Pushchairs, scooters, bikes, roller skates, skateboards | Not allowed | For small children, a babysitter at the villa can be arranged on request |
| Food and alcohol | Not allowed | Have a late supper ready at the villa for your return |
| Water | Plastic bottles or flasks up to 50 cl, opened and tasted in front of security; cans and glass refused | A small plastic bottle is all you need |
| Professional video equipment | Not allowed without special authorisation | Ask the organiser well ahead if you have a specific need |
| Bulky items | A left-items point at the entrance, but no general cloakroom | Do not count on it on the busiest nights |
Cap d’Antibes or Cannes: choosing your base for the festival
Juan-les-Pins is compact and busy in July. A villa a short drive away gives you the concerts without the late-night bustle, and a driver turns the question of car parks into a non-issue. The choice is between the Cap d’Antibes, which closes the bay on the east side, and Cannes, further west along the same coast. Our selection of villas near Cannes and on the Cap d’Antibes covers both.
- Villa Zeliane, Cap d’Antibes: from the first-floor lounge the view runs across the Bay of Juan-les-Pins. A butler and housekeeper are included, and a private chef cooks one lunch or dinner each week, worth saving for a long lunch on a concert day.
- Villa Elaris, Cannes: a heated infinity pool, a garden lounge and an upstairs terrace, with views across the bay to the Lérins Islands, for ten guests.
- Villa Sorya, Cannes: a rooftop terrace made for a drink at sunset before you leave for the Pinède.
- Villa Orvella, Cannes: twenty guests, a professional kitchen and two open-air fireplaces, for a party that wants supper together after the concert.
| Cap d’Antibes | Cannes | |
|---|---|---|
| Trip to the Pinède | The shortest: the Cap looks straight across the Bay of Juan-les-Pins | A drive along the coast; time the return with your chauffeur |
| Our residences | Villa Zeliane, with a car and driver five hours a day included | Villa Elaris, Villa Sorya or Villa Orvella, chauffeur on request |
| Days between concerts | The coastal path, the coves and old Antibes | The Croisette, Le Suquet and boats to the islands |
| Best suited to | Couples and families who want calm and the quickest commute | Groups who want Cannes by day and jazz by night |
Around the concerts: a festival week on the Riviera
Ten evenings of music leave the days free. The rhythm that works best is slow mornings, an outing before the afternoon heat, and a quiet hour at the villa before the gates open.
- Walk the coastal path and swim in the coves described in our Cap d’Antibes guide, early, before the sun is high.
- Explore the ramparts, the market and the Picasso Museum with the Antibes travel guide.
- Take a boat from Cannes to the Lérins Islands for a day of pines and clear water, back in time to change for the evening.
- On a concert day, keep the afternoon for the pool, ask the chef for an early dinner, and book the driver for around 7pm on headline nights.
- On a night off, follow the street musicians of the off programme through Antibes and Juan-les-Pins.
Villas for Jazz à Juan on the Cap and in Cannes
Houses within reach of the Pinède Gould, each visited by our team, with a concierge to handle tickets, drivers and late suppers.
The villas side by side
Size, bedrooms and highlights at a glance; rates are on request for your dates.
| Residence | Guests | Bedrooms | Bathrooms | Living area | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Villa ZelianeCap d'Antibes | 10 | 7 | 6 | 340 m² | Heated Pool, Tennis Court, Hammam, Sauna, Gym |
| Villa ElarisCannes | 10 | 5 | 5 | 500 m² | Heated Pool, Sea View, Wine Cellar, Hammam, Massage Room |
| Villa SoryaCannes | 12 | 6 | 6 | 550 m² | Heated Pool, Gym |
| Villa OrvellaCannes | 20 | 12 | 12 | 1,100 m² | Heated Pool, Cinema Room, Wine Cellar, Hammam, Sauna |
Rates are on request and depend on dates and services. Your advisor confirms availability and the final details of every residence.
A festival stay, handled from Paris
What the concierge actually does during a Jazz à Juan week.
Tickets in the right names
We book through the official channel, in each guest’s name, and keep track of category 3 proofs and invitation requests for the free evenings.
A driver who waits for the encore
Drop-off before the gates open and pick-up when the last set ends, not at a guessed time, so nobody leaves before the final number.
Supper when you get back
Food is not allowed in the Pinède, so we arrange a private chef to have something ready when you return, or a long lunch on concert days.
Days planned around the nights
Boats to the islands, a table in old Antibes, a babysitter on concert evenings: organised so the music stays the centre of the week.
Jazz à Juan questions
Anything else? Our team in Paris answers personally, usually within the day.
Ask our teamWhen is Jazz à Juan?
The festival takes place in July and runs for about ten days. The 2026 edition, the 65th, ran from 9 to 19 July, with concerts from 8.30pm. Dates for the next edition are published on the official festival site, jazzajuan.com. Check there before booking travel, as dates repeated on other sites are not always up to date.
Where is the Juan-les-Pins jazz festival held?
The main concerts take place in the Pinède Gould, a public pine grove in Juan-les-Pins, part of the town of Antibes. There are two entrances, one on boulevard Baudoin and one through the pinède gardens. In 2026, free sessions were also held at the Petite Pinède next door, and off concerts were played in the streets of Antibes and Juan-les-Pins.
How do I buy tickets for Jazz à Juan?
Buy only on the official festival website or at the tourist office desks in Antibes and Juan-les-Pins; tickets from unofficial sites may be refused at the gate. Tickets are named and non-transferable, so you need each guest’s name. For 2026, sales opened on 25 March. Our concierge can book in your guests’ names through the official channel.
Is the Antibes jazz festival the oldest in Europe?
The festival describes itself as the oldest jazz festival in Europe. It was founded in 1960 as the Antibes Jazz Festival and has been held under the pines of Juan-les-Pins since its second edition. It has been cancelled only twice, in the early 1970s and in 2020.
Can children attend Jazz à Juan?
Yes. A reduced rate for under 18s applies to category 3 seats in the stands, with proof checked at the entrance. Pushchairs, scooters and large bags are not allowed inside, which matters with small children. If you are staying in one of our villas, a babysitter can be arranged for the late evenings, and older children can come for the first set.
How do I get to the Pinède Gould?
Juan-les-Pins has its own railway station, served by regional trains, and Antibes station is a high-speed train stop. Nice airport is about 25 km away. By car, leave the A8 at exit 44 and follow signs for Juan-les-Pins, but car parks near the Pinède fill on festival nights, so a driver is the easiest option.
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Plan your Jazz à Juan week with us
Tell Nathalie Nguyen or Adam Haddad which evenings you have in mind and how many of you are coming. They will suggest a villa on the Cap d’Antibes or in Cannes, including residences not published online, and handle tickets, drivers and suppers. WhatsApp +33 7 80 98 05 43 or contact@lutetia-group.com; we usually reply within the day.