Jazz à la Villette and Classique au Vert: summer melodies under the trees

Summer in Paris isn’t just about terraces and exhibitions: it’s also about music. Two flagship festivals, Jazz à la Villette and Classique au Vert, offer an enchanted open-air interlude. Between vibrant improvisations and great classical works, they bring art and nature together for evenings that are as elegant as they are relaxed.

Jazz à la Villette: groove and improvisation under the stars

From August 29 to September 8, 2025, Jazz à la Villette returns with a program that blends jazz legends, new talent and forays into soul, funk and hip-hop. The festival takes place in the wide-open spaces of the Parc de la Villette, between the Grande Halle and the Philharmonie de Paris, for a series of often open-air, sometimes free, always spellbinding concerts.

Once again this year, spectators will enjoy an ultra-convivial atmosphere, where people come to listen as well as to vibrate. Food trucks, large lawns and light installations make for a complete experience. And for those who want to extend the evening, aftershows and jam sessions are often organized in nearby bars.

Classique au Vert: orchestras in the garden, a bucolic atmosphere

Until September 8, 2025, the Festival Classique au Vert transforms the Parc Floral de Vincennes into a natural auditorium. Every weekend, classical music ensembles perform in the open air, surrounded by flower-lined avenues and century-old pine trees.

The idea? To make classical music accessible to all. You’ll hear everything from Mozart and Ravel to Debussy and contemporary works. All in a relaxed atmosphere, where children can run around, families can picnic, and the curious can learn about the symphonic world without intimidation.

A must for those who want to combine rural relaxation with musical refinement, just a few metro stops from the center of Paris.

A musical summer under the trees

These two festivals are the perfect embodiment of the Parisian summer spirit: open culture, artistic quality and freedom of listening. Whether you’re a fan of audacious jazz or grand romantic symphonies, these events offer a poetic breath of fresh air in the hustle and bustle of August.

Far from closed halls, these events allow us to rediscover music in a different way: free, lively and shared in the open air. And they remind us that, even in the city, summer can still be a time of nature and emotion.

📍La Villette, 211 Av. Jean Jaurès, 75019 Paris

For more open-air cultural events, visit parisselectbook.com.