DAYS
6
TOUR CODE
FOJO-27
COST
£2995
DAYS
6
TOUR CODE
FOJO-27
COST
£2995
La Folle Journée reaches a wide audience through over 300 concerts every January. Alongside these fantastic events, there will be plenty of opportunities to explore the history, culture and gastronomy of Nantes.
Overview
“With up to 60 concerts per day, the programme drew audiences of all ages into the contemplative and universal realms of the imagination”
– La Folle Journée festival organisers reflecting on the 2026 festival
Following our popular inaugural tour, ACE is delighted to announce a return to La Folle Journée de Nantes – the largest classical music festival in France – in January 2027.
La Folle Journée, the ‘mad day’ originally described in the subtitle of Beaumarchais' The Marriage of Figaro, was created in 1995 with the ambition to reach a wider audience through a programme of over 300 varied concerts. The original festival took place on just one such ‘mad day’ at La Cité des Congrès de Nantes but has since grown into five full days featuring hundreds of 45 minute performances given by world-renowned soloists, chamber musicians, orchestras and choirs. The majority of concerts take place at La Cité des Congrès, a stunning light-filled venue on the riverfront designed by architects Yves Lion and Alan Levitt, housing a spectrum of concert spaces which together bring the site – and city – to life in a burst of musical energy.
"La Folle Journée offers a whirlwind of musical experiences which inspire and delight"
– Tour Director Emilie Capulet
In 2027, Nantes will pay tribute to Beethoven in the bicentenary of his death. Known for its imaginative, multifaceted approach, La Folle Journée’s 2027 programme will explore everything from the universality of Beethoven’s output and his dialogue with the arts, sciences and musical contemporaries to his enduring influence on classical music and popular culture. The festival is also set to launch a new creative chapter by inviting a key artist to help curate the programme and provide a fresh perspective on the music and theme. Our Tour Director, Emilie Capulet, will be on hand to guide guests through the varied repertoire, which takes many months to assemble and is usually released close to the start of the festival.
As well as immersing ourselves in a busy schedule of musical experiences, there will be plenty of opportunity to explore the historical city of Nantes and take in its vibrant arts scene. A highlight in 2026, we will include a relaxing lunchtime cruise on the beautiful River Erdre, enjoying views of the city, countryside and châteaux along its banks. Our programme also includes a visit to the Musée d’Arts de Nantes, with its vast collection spanning nine centuries of visual arts from the Middle Ages to the present day, and a walking tour exploring the city’s history, including views of its famous Château des ducs de Bretagne.
Turning to Nantes’ wonderful cuisine, we plan to feature lunch at a Michelin-starred restaurant showcasing local produce and the region’s delicious muscadet wine; while a meal at the famous Art Nouveau restaurant La Cigale, which opened in 1895 to a design by architect and ceramicist Émile Libaudière, will enrich our appreciation of the city’s cultural and gastronomic legacy.
SELECTING PERFORMANCES
Our inaugural tour featured a total of 14 short concerts, and we plan to attend a similar number in 2027, subject to final scheduling. With a plethora of concerts to choose from, the selection process is careful and purposeful, designed to ensure the group enjoys the full range of the festival’s output. We plan to encompass a variety of smaller and larger-scale works; vocal music; chamber and orchestral repertoire; famous artists alongside up-and-coming musicians; and compositions old and new, altogether creating an exhilarating, energetic and deeply enjoyable experience. Emilie Capulet reflected positively on the 2026 selection: “All concerts were of excellent standing. The highlights were the American Spiritual Ensemble, Sinfonia Varsovia’s Dvořák concert, Fanny Clamagirand’s violin recital, François Salque’s cello recital, the Trio Wanderer concert, Voces Suaves and Voces8… The American Spiritual Ensemble, François Salque and Voces8 were particularly good at engaging the audience.”
Tour Director
Emilie Capulet
Emilie Capulet performs worldwide, is broadcast widely, and has recorded several CDs, including the first recording of the complete piano music of the French-Corsican composer Henri Tomasi in a critically-acclaimed album.
Emilie Capulet, MA, MMus, PhD, is an award-winning concert pianist and musicologist who studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. A Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Emilie is the BMus (Hons) Programme Leader at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance as well as the recipient of a prestigious Leverhulme Research Fellowship, and has been a Visiting Fellow at Keble College, University of Oxford. She has published on many aspects of music history.
– ACE customer on the 2026 La Folle Journée de Nantes tour led by Emilie Capulet
Our Accommodation
This tour will be based at the four-star Novotel Nantes Centre Gare, situated adjacent to La Cité des Congrès, where our performances take place, and a short walk from the city’s key monuments and old town. Simple and comfortable, the hotel has been chosen principally for its location, which will enable us to come and go from the festival events with ease, as well as enjoy the wider cultural aspects of the tour.
Itinerary
Day 1
Depart London St Pancras 0931 on Eurostar and TGV via Paris, arriving Nantes 1653. Five nights at Novotel Nantes Centre Gare. Welcome and introduction.
Day 2
Morning lecture followed by an orientation session at the festival venue, La Cité des Congrès de Nantes, with the Tour Director. Festival concert followed by lunch at the famous Art Nouveau restaurant La Cigale (Place Graslin), which opened in 1895 with a design by architect and ceramicist Émile Libaudière. Short lecture followed by afternoon and evening festival performances, with time for independent dinner.
Day 3
Morning lecture followed by guided walking tour of the city, taking in visits to St Peter and St Paul’s Cathedral, Place Royale, Passage Pommeraye and the Château (exterior). Lunch in Nantes featuring the region’s local wines, followed by afternoon and evening performances, with time for independent dinner.
Day 4
Morning lecture followed by festival concerts. Afternoon visit to the Musée d’Arts de Nantes (one of the largest in France, based in the city’s historical Palais with works spanning the 13th century to the present day, from Hiroshige and other Japanese artists to Manet, Courbet, Sérusier, Lemaitre and contemporary works). Evening festival concerts, with time for independent dinner.
Day 5
Morning lecture followed by a lunch cruise on the Erdre (tributary of the Loire and one of France’s most picturesque waterways, with beautiful natural and architectural views). Afternoon and evening festival concerts, with time for independent dinner. Finish with the festival closing concert before returning to the hotel for farewell drinks.
Day 6
Depart Nantes 1104 on TGV and Eurostar via Paris, arriving London St Pancras 1735.
Please note that the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. The festival programme will be released in December 2026, and at this stage some parts of the itinerary may be reordered to accommodate the best performances.
Frequently Asked Questions
To read our full list of frequently asked questions please visit our general FAQs here.
What is the maximum group size of this tour?
What is the deposit cost for this tour?
What tour staff will be on this tour?
Am I fit enough to travel on this tour?
Fitness Requirements
The majority of ACE Cultural Tours are active in nature. To make the most of our time in a destination and provide excellent value for money, they are busy – there are often several visits included each day. As such, our tours require a certain minimum level of physical and mental fitness, mobility and stamina.
Many visits will involve navigating several steps, uneven ground, steep ascents and descents, and could involve embarking and disembarking aircraft, coaches, trains and cruise vessels. Plenty of walking, punctuated by lengthy periods of standing, is the norm. Some tours may involve long coach journeys.
It is essential that all customers are sufficiently fit and able enough to fully participate. Furthermore, every tour comprises a group of guests. We cannot allow the entire group to be negatively impacted by one participant, either holding up the pace we reasonably need to maintain or disproportionately requiring the attention and support of the tour staff.
We carefully consider the intensity, fitness and other requirements of each itinerary and describe them on the tour pages of our brochures and website. Please study these descriptions closely. When you call to book, we will reiterate those requirements and ask you to confirm that all group members are indeed fit enough and otherwise able to meet the criteria. It is your responsibility to answer fully and honestly. If it transpires that you are not able to keep pace with the tour and/or it reasonably appears you are negatively impacting (or are reasonably likely to negatively impact) the enjoyment of the rest of the group (including their ability to complete all scheduled visits), we may ask you to sit out certain days/visits, take a taxi at your own expense (if available in the location), or even, if we consider there is no other reasonable alternative, ask you to leave the tour and make your own way home.
Participants should have a good level of fitness for this tour. Many of our visits in Nantes will be made on foot, and travellers should be comfortable spending between one and two hours on their feet, sometimes over uneven terrain. They should also feel comfortable embarking and disembarking a riverboat, where lunch will be taken inside, as well as travelling by Eurostar and embarking and disembarking trains. The performance venue is busy at times, with several concert halls, and the streets in Nantes can be crowded and poorly lit at night. For more information on our minimum fitness requirements, please see our Booking Terms & Conditions.
As a minimum, participants should be able to successfully complete the following self- assessment tests:
- Walk for one hour at a reasonable pace and without needing to take a break to rest
- Climb at least two flights of stairs at a reasonable pace
- Stand unaided for at least 30 minutes
- Stand up and sit down ten times in one minute
- Carry or otherwise move your own luggage
Please ensure you have read and understand our full fitness requirements as described in our terms and conditions.
Practicalities
Performances at this festival are typically shorter on average (45 minutes), often with brief introductions in French, allowing for plenty of variety and contrast and a range of different seating arrangements. We will endeavour to select the best concerts to suit our itinerary and provide the most enjoyable and comfortable experience for participants. While most seating is numbered / pre-allocated, some of the smaller concert venues operate on a first-come-first-served basis, and in these cases the Tour Personnel will manage entry to ensure the experience for group members is smooth. To make the most of the programming, most days will feature longer, more leisurely lunches alongside free time for independent dinners between concerts.
UK Government Travel Advice
For additional travel information from the UK government please consult the following pages.
Flight Information
For customers who wish to make their own travel arrangements, ACE is pleased to offer a reduction of £180.
Cost Details
La Folle Journée de Nantes: Celebrating Beethoven
January 27 - February 1, 2027
Included: return travel, accommodation based on sharing a classic twin or double bedded room, up to 14 festival performances (subject to final scheduling), five breakfasts, three lunches, one dinner with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.
Not Included: travel insurance, classic double room for single use supplement £250.
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Get in Touch
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