AIX-en-PROVENCE. The lyric line-up features The Marriage of Figaro, L’Enfant et les sortilèges, La Finta Giardiniera and Written on Skin from July 5 to 27. www.festival-aix.com
AVIGNON. Chekhov’s Seagull, Pirandello’s Six Characters, an adaption of W.G. Sebold’s Rings of Saturn and Simon McBurney’s spin on Bulgakov’s Master and Margarita create the drama between July 7 and 28. www.festival-avignon.com
BEAUNE. ‘Passion & Magic’ is this year’s theme : Lully’s Phaeton, Purcell’s Fairy Queen and Vivaldi’s Orlando Furioso in the Hospices courtyard and the Notre-Dame Basilica from July 7 to 29. www.festivalbeaune.com
CARCASSONNE. Alice Cooper, Nathalie Dessaye, Jane Birkin, Marilyn Manson, Yannick Noah, Duran Duran… plus Molière’s Tartuffe (with Claude Brasseur), Aida, the Spanish National Ballet & more from June 22 to August 5. Tel: 04.68.11.59.15 www.festivaldecarcassonne.com
COLMAR. The 2012 Colmar Festival honors Karl Münchinger July 3 to 14. www.festival-colmar.com
JUAN-LES-PINS. Sonny Rollins, Norah Jones, Anoushka Shankar and Kool & The Gang will make music at the pine-scented, seaside Jazz à Juan from July 12 to 22. www.antibesjuanlespins.com
LA ROCHELLE. Catherine Ringer, Thomas Dutronc, Bénabar and Julien Doré….it’s the cream of the French rock crop at Francofolies from July 11 to 15. www.francofolies.fr
LORIENT. Count on lots of bagpipes… and Buffy Sainte Marie… at the 2012 Inter-Celtique festival August 3 to 12. www.festival-interceltique.com
LYON. From June 5 to July 31, the ever-eclectic Nuits de Fourvière in the Roman amphitheater hosts Bob Dylan, Bjork, Jane Birkin, Jessye Norman, Sylvie Guillem, Charlie Winston, and Gilberto Gil. (Hurry… some shows are already sold out!) www.nuitsdefourviere.com
MONACO: Johnny Hallyday, George Benson, and Alice Cooper (fresh from Dark Shadows) perform at the Sporting Monte Carlo from July 6 to August 18. www.sportingmontecarlo.com
NICE. Two locations so there’s no shortage of artists at the Nice Jazz Festival from July 8 to 12: Ahmad Jamal, Beth Hart, Dr John, DeeDee Bridgewater and Texas among others. www.nicejazzfestival.fr
PARIS. Don’t miss the city’s most romantic musical event: the candle-lit concerts of the 29th annual Festival Chopin in the Bagatelle Gardens from June 16 to July 14. www.frederic-chopin.com
ORANGE. La Bohème and Turandot are the highlights at the 2012 Chorégies from July 7 to 30. Tel: 04.90.34.24.24. Fax: 04.90.11.04.04. www.choregies.com
REIMS. From June 22 to July 12, music takes to the streets for the 21st annual Flaneries de Reims. www.flaneriesreims.com
VERSAILLES. Daniel Barenboim conducts Beethoven’s 9th on the chateau terrace on July 13, but this year’s theme is baroque with Handel’s operas and oratorios from July 8 to 13 in addition the regularly scheduled fireworks and musical fountain tours. Get the full schedule at www.chateauversaillesspectacles.fr
VEZELAY. This year’s festival of sacred music in the basilica is scheduled for August 23 to 26. Tel: www.rencontresmusicalesdevezelay.com
VIENNE. Jazz à Vienne presents Esperanza Spaulding, Tony Bennet, Chick Corea, Pat Methany, Hugh Laurie, and many more big names from June 26 to July 13. www.jazzavienne.com