Paris Jazz Festival

Each summer the Paris Jazz Festival returns to the Parc Floral de Paris, the botanical garden in the Bois de Vincennes, for a run of open-air concerts spread across summer weekends. It is one of the gentlest and most Parisian ways to hear live music: audiences spread out on the lawns among the flowerbeds and mature trees, picnic in hand, while the programme moves through the many dialects of contemporary jazz — from established names to rising international and French artists. The concerts themselves are free; only the modest admission to the Parc Floral is charged, which has long made the festival one of the city's most accessible cultural fixtures.

What to expect

The festival unfolds as a series of afternoon concerts on weekends through the season rather than a single continuous run, so a visit is planned around the specific weekend you attend. Seating is informal — lawns rather than fixed chairs — and no reservation is required for the concerts. The setting doubles as a day out, with the park's gardens, playgrounds and paths to explore between sets.

Check the official programme for each weekend's line-up and start times, arrive early for a good patch of grass, and reach the Parc Floral via the Château de Vincennes metro (line 1) and a short walk.

Paris is served by Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and Orly (ORY). The festival takes place in the Parc Floral de Paris, within the Bois de Vincennes on the city's eastern edge. Take metro line 1 to its terminus, Chateau de Vincennes, then a short walk or bus 112 to the park entrance. From CDG, the RER B into the centre connects to line 1; allow around 60-75 minutes in total. Concerts are included with park admission and run across summer weekends, so pack a picnic and settle on the lawns.

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