Azimuth Productions in the persons of Geneviève Girard and Bernard Batzen pronounced themselves "very happy" with the results of this seventh edition of their world music festival Les Méditerranéennes on September 12 - 14, the second staged in the seascape setting of Parc de Valmy in Argèles sur Mer near Perpignon, France, close to the border with Spain. Batzen told Vip News, "This is the first edition that really feels like a festival, with this venue we have really found the recipient for the spirit of the festival. I am very happy with the reaction from the media and with everything artistically. We put a lot into the way people are welcomed, and into the backstage areas, happy artists give good shows!"

Certainly the setting, in parkland overlooked by a very impressive chateau, was very beautiful, it is the only festival I have attended where I could complain about the oleander blossoms and the pines behind the stage blocking my view of the deep blue Mediterranean! The sun shone on all three days having rained on the previous days (according to Batzen he did a deal with God) and according to the Red Cross not a single problem was reported. All in the entire event had more of a holiday feel than anything else. Numbers were slightly less than expected, the Friday was disappointing with 1500 people for a bill topped by Algerian-born French singer Enrico Macias, this could have been due to the fact that he attracts an older audience not used to a festival ambience, although there was a large seating area. Algerian singer Souad Massi played a great set before Macias that would have had the Saturday and Sunday audiences on their feet dancing.

4000 turned up for the Saturday to see Pascal Comelade and Roy Paci, the Sicilian trumpeter and highlight of the 2002 "Les Méditerranéennes", Spanish singer Luz Casal, famous for 'Piensa en mi'… the famous theme from Pedro Almodovar's film 'High Heels', Cuban music from Raul Paz plus a very enigmatic set performed in its entirety behind a screen featuring projected images from the Gotan Project. On Sunday all the chairs wer removed and around 2,500 people danced to The Colifata Sound System, a crossbreed collective of musicians from Barcelona; ska and Jamaican R&B with Jim Murple Memorial; the very exciting Ojos de Brujo, creators of flamenco dub, groove masters Le Peuple de l'Herbe, and kings of "raggarlic", the Massilia Sound System. A spontaneous addition to the programme was a powerful acappela version of Harry Belafonte's Banana Boat Song, by Paris based American singer, Ilene Barnes enthusiastically accompanied by the audience.

Local wine growers and local restaurants catered for the backstage hospitality, and it was obvious that this festival was totally supported by the authorities in the area who saw the event as an addition to their efforts to encourage and extend the tourist trade beyond the summer season which sees thousands of up-market campers descend on the area. This sort of co-operation between promoters and regional authorities is great to see, and if and when extended to other areas could lead to a healthy increase in this type of 'civilised' mid-size music and arts events. Batzen was pleased to tell me that Azimuth had been offered an agreement to stage Les Méditerranéennes in the Parc de Valmy for a further five years.