If country and western is your thing, you really won’t be disappointed by the Country Rendez-vous Festival in Craponne-sur-Arzon. The organisers have been very successful in recent years at attracting top talents from Nashville and Austin, as well as from all over the US and Europe.
The festival has grown in size and now attracts 35,000 people, big enough, but not too big – the event still has a wonderful family atmosphere.
But what really makes the rendez-vous special is the setting – a natural amphitheatre at 1000m (nights are cool) surrounded by pine forests with incredible views of the mountains of the Velay and Ardèche. So if it is country, bluegrass or zydeco you’re into, or just the great outdoors, come on down to one of the most scenic hoe-downs this side of the Atlantic. Yeehaa
Event details can change
Please check with the organisers that the event is happening before making travel arrangements.

Contact Details
Tel: +33 (0) 4 71 03 25 52
Fax: +33 (0) 4 71 03 24 45
Email: [email protected]
The festival takes place in the mountains of central France. Lyons and Clermont-Ferrand are only 80 miles away.
It is located half a mile from the center of Craponne, which is a thousand year-old quiet and peaceful village, renowned for its handmade lace, its medieval dungeon, church and houses.

DIRECTIONS
Fly to Paris Charles de Gaulle International airport. There take a High Speed Train (TGV) to Lyons Railway station (2 hours’ ride) or fly straight to Lyons St Exupery International airport. In Lyons rent a car and follow the instructions below.
In Lyons take the A7 (Marseille – St Etienne), then take the A47 to Saint Etienne, leave the A47 (St Etienne – Le Puy en Velay) at Bas en Basset, Retournac. 10km after the village of Bauzac, turn right for Craponne sur Arzon. It is 30km from Le Puy en Velay, 70km from Saint Etienne, 100km from Clermont Ferrand and 120km from Lyon.
Tourist Information in Craponne : #33 471 03 2314
Tourist Information in Haute-Loire : #33 471 07 4154
Nearest airports : Lyon Saint Exupery (100 miles) , Saint Etienne Bouthéon (40 miles).
Nearest Railway Stations : Le Puy en Velay (20 miles), Saint Etienne (35 miles), Lyon (80 miles).

THE LINE-UP
“There is no boundary between ‘types of music’ … I see only two types of sounds — good ones and bad ones.” Gram Parsons
and we have the best in
New Country, Bluegrass, Americana, Honky Tonk, Western Swing, Cajun, Tex-Mex, Old Time, Rockabilly, Alternative, Insurgent, Red Dirt, Hillbilly, Texas Swing and a whole lot more.

Festival Country Rendez-Vous Representative in Nashville : Trisha Walker Cunningham
Festival Country Rendez-Vous Representative in Austin : Dr Gary Hartman
MC Johnny Da Piedade (The Big Cactus Country radio show)

Friday 27 July 2012
7.00PM-1.30AM (5 BANDS)
7.00PM-8.00PM: ERIK SITBON & THE GHOST BAND (F)
8.15PM-9.20PM: CROOKS & STRAIGHTS (CR)
9.35PM-10.40PM: THE TURNPIKE TROUBADOURS (USA)
10.55PM-00.05AM: THE STEELDRIVERS (USA)
00.20AM-1.30AM: TWO TONS OF STEEL (USA)

Saturday 28 July 2012
6.00PM-1.00AM (5 BANDS)
6.00PM-7.10PM: HILLBILLY ROCKERS (F)
7.25PM-8.35PM: MODERN EARL (USA)
8.50PM-10.00PM: AMBER DIGBY & MIDNIGHT FLYER (USA)
10.15PM-11.30PM: KELLY WILLIS & BRUCE ROBISON (USA)
11.45PM-01.00AM: WHISKEY MYERS (USA)

Sunday 29 July 2012
3.00PM-11.00PM (5 BANDS)
3.00PM-4.05PM: HOWLIN’ FOX (F)
4.20PM-5.30PM: RONNIE BOWMAN (USA)
5.45PM-6.55PM: JOHN SLAUGHTER (USA)
7.10PM-8.30PM: JUSTIN HAIGH (USA)
8.45PM-10.00 PM: BAYOU ROUX (USA)

Free Concerts (downtown Sat and Sun)
LAURETTE CANYON, PHENIX COUNTRY BAND, ERIK SITBON