the Francofolies de la Rochelle, a springboard for young artists and a playground for stars

For 37 years, the Francofolies have had an unchanging recipe: confirmed stars like Angèle, Calogero or Gaétan Roussel, quick to attract crowds, and young artists at the dawn of their careers. “I came for Calogero, (…) otherwise I like discovering new stars“, confirms a member of the public. For the first time, Marie-Flore, singer-songwriter, arrives at the Francofolies. She is welcomed by Gérard Pont, the director of the festival. “It was Bénabar who said, ‘Going to the Francos is having your diploma’. When she’s headlining the big stage, we’ll be glad we took steps with her.“, he confides.

For Marie-Flore, the Francos are “the obligatory passage“. Gaétan Roussel, singer-songwriter, is part of the long and prestigious list of artists who have left their mark on the history of the festival. He is a regular, whether solo or with his group, Louise Attaque. In 1998, he shared the stage with another beginner of the time, Matthieu Chedid, alias M.”I remember that when I was younger, I saw the posters and I said to myself: “If we could pass there, it would still be good“, confides Gaétan Roussel. Others have clicked there. This is the case of Patrick Bruel, who wrote break the voice after seeing a concert by Jacques Higelin.