Where else can you head out on holiday and see headliners like Placebo, Foals or the Prodigy before exploring the iconic Mont-Saint-Michel? Listen to live jazz from all over the world in medieval streets? Rock out on a racecourse after touring the land of cider and cheese in a vintage car? This summer, festival vibes are coming to Normandy, and people of all ages, whether families or friends, can enjoy international artists and regional cuisine with all those famous Norman landmarks just a short drive away. Big names, picture‑postcard scenery, mouth-watering food, an abundance of fun activities at your disposal and surprisingly inexpensive tickets: all of this is just a short hop away from the UK! Here's a selection of our favourite festivals:

For the jazz buffs and beginners: Jazz sous les Pommiers, 20-27 May – Coutances (Manche)

A celebration of all things jazz, eight-day family-friendly festival Jazz sous les Pommiers [Jazz under the Apple Trees] takes place every year in the pretty medieval town of Coutances, and attracts 30,000 visitors of all ages, with performances from international stars and passionate amateur musicians spanning seven stages, venues throughout the town and even local cafés and streets.

• Line-up: Acid Arab, Ala.Ni, Anthony Joseph, the Big Hustle, the Bollywood Masala Orchestra, Gilles Peterson & MC Earl Zinger, Jungle by Night, Kyle Eastwood, Youn Sun Nah and more
• Prices: 2-day pass from €71 (£60) – 3-day pass from €97 (£82)
• Campsite: 5 minute walk from the festival
• Getting there: Portsmouth to Cherbourg with Brittany Ferries: fast 3-hour sailing – up to two sailings a day.
• Tickets: Certain concerts are ticketed separately to the festival, book with TicketMaster 
• Visit the festival website for more information: jazzsouslespommiers.com

For the indies and emos: Beauregard, 7-9 July – Hérouville Saint-Clair, near Caen (Calvados)

Set in the beautiful grounds of the Château de Beauregard, the popular Beauregard Festival's star‑studded line-up, chilled-out vibe and proximity to both Ouistreham port and Caen-Carpiquet airport means that it appeals to both families and friends heading over from the UK.

• Line-up: Placebo and Phoenix headlining, plus Echo and the Bunnymen, Editors, Foals, Grandaddy, House of Pain, Iggy Pop, Jagwar Ma, Metronomy, Midnight Oil and more!
• Prices: 1-day ticket from €49 (£42) – 3-day pass from €99 (£85)
• Campsite: 10 minute walk from the festival
• Getting there: Portsmouth to Caen/Ouistreham with Brittany Ferries: daily cruise-ferry sailings – up to three sailings a day. London Southend to Caen-Carpiquet with FlyBe – up to five flights a week in both directions.
• Tickets: Book with Festicket
• Visit the festival website for more information: festivalbeauregard.com
  

For the rockers and ravers: Rock in Evreux, 23-24 June – Evreux racecourse (Eure)

Don't let the name Rock in Evreux fool you: rock is sure to shake Evreux, but a sonic sound clash of electro beats, hip-hop breaks and driving rhythms will also fill the summer air on the racecourse. Easy to get to by train from London via Paris, this festival comes in first place for anyone who doesn't want to take the car!

• Line-up: The Prodigy headlining, plus Ásgeir, Austra, Gojira, Jain, Machine Gun Kelly and more
• Prices: 1 day ticket from €42 (£36) – 3 day pass from €70 (£60)
• Campsite: 2 minute walk from the festival
• Getting there: Eurostar from London Saint Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord then train from Paris Saint-Lazare to Evreux (5 hours including connection in Paris)
• Tickets: Book with Festicket
• Visit the festival website for more information: rockinevreux.org

For the eclectic types: Green Horse Festival, 7-9 July – Mauquenchy racecourse (Seine‑Maritime)

Featuring artists like dance DJ Martin Garrix and soca superstar Calypso Rose, a whole host of music genres will come together in an explosion of sound at brand new festival Green Horse. Set in the heart of the Normandy countryside, with the beach, cheese-producing town of Neufchâtel, medieval Rouen and Seine Valley not too far away, you can enjoy a holiday of music and much more!

• Line-up: Calypso Rose, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Imany, Martin Garrix, Roger Hodgson (Supertramp) and more
• Prices: 1 day ticket from €36 (£30) - 3 day pass from €80 (£70)
• Campsite: 5 minute walk from the festival
• Getting there: Newhaven to Dieppe ferry service with DFDS Seaways: up to three sailings a day. You could even cycle from Dieppe to the festival via popular cycle route, the Avenue Verte!
• Tickets: Book with Festicket
• Visit the festival website for more information: https://greenhorsefestival.fr

For the culture vultures: Septembre Musical de l'Orne, 1 September-1 October – southern Normandy (Orne)

A key event in Normandy's cultural calendar, the annual Septembre Musical de l'Orne [Musical September in the Orne] boasts five weekends of classical music, from Bach, Handel and Mozart to Rachmaninov, Beethoven, opera and flamenco, played by orchestras and ensembles from across Europe at some of the most beautiful sites in southern Normandy, such as the regal Le Pin National Stud (nicknamed the 'Versailles for horses') and the stunning grounds of the Château de Carrouges.

• Line-up: BarokOpera Amsterdam, flautist Philippe Pierlot, harpist Tjasha Gafner, flamenco trumpeter Geoffroy Tamisier, the Kracow Symphony Orchestra, the Normandy Regional Orchestra and more.
• Prices: €15-€30 per person per concert. Book tickets to three or more concerts and pay the reduced 'Passion' tariff for all concerts (saving €3 per ticket)
• Accommodation: Visit the festival website for a wide range of restaurants, gîtes, hotels and B&Bs that are close to concert venues: http://bit.ly/MusicalSeptRestosAccomm
• Getting there: Portsmouth to Caen/Ouistreham with Brittany Ferries: daily cruise-ferry sailings – up to three sailings a day.
• Tickets: Book via the website, by phone: +33 (0)2 33 26 99 99 or by email: info@septembre-musical.com
• Visit the festival website for more information: septembre-musical.com/en

-ENDS-

For more details on festivals in Normandy, visit: http://bit.ly/NormandyRocks

For details on how to get to Normandy, visit: http://bit.ly/howtogettonormandy  

 For press enquiries and photo requests, contact:

Fran Lambert

UK & Ireland Press Officer for the Normandy Tourist Board

Email: fran.lambert@atout-france.fr

Tel: +44 (0)20 7061 6637

Web: www.normandy-tourism.org 

Twitter: @NormandyPRUK