Live Music in Reims

A city that shaped medieval music through Guillaume de Machaut's 14th-century innovations at its cathedral, Reims has carried serious musical weight for centuries and continues to do so. The Flâneries Musicales festival, founded in 1990, draws international classical talent to Notre-Dame Cathedral and the city's famous Champagne cellars, while the annual Sunnyside Festival covers jazz, soul, funk, and hip-hop each October. On the contemporary side, Reims has produced a notably concentrated cluster of electronic artists, including Yuksek, Brodinski, and electro-rock duo The Shoes. The live venue circuit runs from La Cartonnerie, praised for its sound quality and intimate atmosphere, up to Reims Arena, a 9,000-capacity complex built in 2021 for major touring acts. Between those poles, spots like Le Shed, Le Clos, and Le Dropkick keep the mid-sized and grassroots end of the calendar consistently stocked.