In 2009, the residents of the Ariege village of Leran decided to create a village choir. The Leran Choir performed their first concert in the Rendez-Vous Bar in the village at Christmas that year.

 

More concerts followed during subsequent years, including in Leran Church.

 

Then, in 2012, following a successful concert which included many guest singers and musicians,  several residents of Leran began to dream of creating a music festival in our own village.

 

In June 2013, talented musicians, both from the area and also from far away, assembled in the village for three days to sing and to play. The Choir of Leran also performed in the Festival.

 

The repertoire spanned everything from popular operatic arias to hot jazz. Gala events, intimate concerts, big band sounds and song recitals - this was a festival that had everything.

 

Most of the audience, including inhabitants of Leran, had never before visited La Grange, an enormous barn which is a hidden treasure in the heart of the village and in which the majority of the Festival concerts take place.

 

Throughout the weekend, a team of volunteers worked hard to move seats around, sell tickets, prepare the stage and welcome the audiences.

 

One of the concerts was free in order to honour France's annual day of music.

Since 2013, except during the Covid-19 emergency, the Festival has continued each summer, and in 2023 we celebrated its 10th Anniversary.

 

During this period, we have welcomed many musicians and singers from all over France, and indeed, the world, and the variety of music sung or performed has been extensive. On this page you can see some of the many photographs taken in order to remember the wonderful evenings of song, music, romance, drama, laughter and tears. New friendships have been formed with musicians who now perform all over the world and to whom we will always be grateful for sharing their talents with the audiences in our Festival.

 

As is our tradition, one of the concerts will be free to attend, and as well as serving glasses of Blanquette de Limoux in the barn, after the concert you will be invited to come into the Cours Saint Jacques to eat and drink together as well as meet some of the artists.

 

We hope that you will join us in 2024 as we continue to create the history of our Festival.