Bardou
Bardou lies in the Parc Naturel du Haut Languedoc in the mountains near Montpellier in Southern France and is our special destination for those who appreciate the essentials of life. The accommodation is rustic but you will be rewarded with a unique setting of stunning scenery and tranquility. Consisting of twenty ancient stone houses, Bardou is an authentic example of the architecture and layout of a tiny medieval mountain hamlet.
Bardou is the perfect place for enjoying nature. Several marked trails offer short- or long-distance walks for all levels. You might also enjoy swimming in the refreshing waters of mountain streams with waterfalls and secluded deep rock pools.
A magical place. Learn more about Bardou, its history, about acommodation, the climate, what to discover around. Continue ...
Coming next in Bardou:
Symphonic Holiday
28th May - 8th June 2026

Symphonic Holiday
28th May - 8th June 2026
Conductor: David Curtis
Cello: Matthew Sharp
MAURICE RAVEL, Ma Mère l'Oye
DMITRY SHOSTAKOVICH, Cello Concerto No. 1
ÉTIENNE-NICOLAS MÉHUL, Symphony No.1
Vacancies
We still have places for timpani, one viola and two violins

Étienne Méwho?
With the Symphony No. 1 by Étienne Méhul, exciting new repertoire can be explored in Bardou next year. Born in 1763, halfway between Beethoven and Mozart’s birth-years, Étienne Méhul became the leading French composer under the revolution and empire. Méhul's main musical concern was that everything should serve to increase the dramatic impact. He carved out a place for himself in France’s musical landscape with a series of operas set in passionate and troubled situations. His music’s energy and unexpected harmonies was suited to obsessive characters. But Méhul also was a talented symphonist. In Méhul’s G minor symphony, there is energy, rhythm, inspiration, soulful orchestration. Not for nothing had his music been labelled Romantic.
Mehul's First Symphony is notable for its dissonant and violent mood, and has been compared to Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5, written in the same year. It was revived in one of Felix Mendelssohn’s concerts with the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra to an audience including Robert Schumann, who was impressed by the piece.
28th May 2026
Arrival of the participants in Bardou
ON THE FOLLOWING DAYS,
We will have two rehearsals per day, the first one in the morning, the second rehearsal in the evening after an early dinner.
The coaches will be in Bardou on the three days with sectionals (30th May - 1st June).
In the afternoons you can explore the surrounding of Bardou with your hiking boots, dare a refreshing swim in the rock pools of the mountain streams or just enjoy the peace and quiet of Bardou.
2nd June
A day without rehearsals, allowing longer excursions that might include: An outing to the beautiful historical town of Pézenas; visiting and wine tasting at local vineyards in the Faugère and St Chinian area; an exciting canoeing excursion on the river Orb or a hiking tour through the wonderful Caroux-plateau with its great variety of flora and fauna and stunning scenery including view of the Pyrenees.
6th June
In the evening we will have our first concert at Château de Cassan / Roujan
7th June
In the afternoon we will have our final concert in Saint-Chinian, followed by the farewell dinner in Bardou
8th June
Departure
ORCHESTRA
Ravel: 2[1.2/pic] 2[1.2/Eh] 2 2[1.2/cbn] — 2 0 0 0 — tmp+3 — hp — cel — str — perc
Shostakovich: 2[1.2/pic] 2 2 2[1.2/cbn] — 1 0 0 0 — tmp — cel — str
Méhul: 2 2 2 2 — 2 0 0 0 — tmp — str
TEAM
Conductor: David Curtis
Coach violin: Ekaterina Tamazova
Coach viola: Louis Merlet
Coach cello / double bass: Matthew Sharp
Wind sectionals with David Curtis
GENERAL INFORMATION / FAQ
Please do also read our general information with frequently asked questions on Symphonic Holidays.
ACCOMMODATION
The participants will be accommodated in various houses of the hamlet in double rooms. A limited number of single rooms is available. The standard of the houses reflect the humble nature of the place in general. Please pay attention to the fact that toilettes and showers are located in central facilities of the village. We have one house (with two beds) available with private bath / toilette.
MEALS
We will take our meals together which are based on Mediterranean cooking with fresh regional products.
TRAVEL
The nearest airports and long distance train stations are Montpellier, Béziers and Toulouse. From here you have connecting trains or busses to Mons la Trivalle and Bédarieux. Pick up service to Bardou is provided (Bardou is not connected to public transport). Click here for detailed information. We are happy to help you with organizing your trip!
A magic place. Learn more about Bardou, its history, the infrastructure, about the climate, what to discover around. Continue ...
PRICE
1.140,- € (students: 790,- €) including accommodation and meals. Not included are travel expenses and expenses on excursions.
280,- € single room supplement
Supplement for house with private bath / toilette (with two beds): 250,- € each person
We can provide bedding (duvet/blanket, pillow, bed linen) and towels for 15,- €.
BOOKING
If you wish to book this Symphonic Holiday kindly use the booking form or send us an e.mail (mail@dacapo-travel.eu, writing in English, German, French or Italian). Your booking is binding as soon as we have confirmed it.
The reduced fee for students is limited to the number of five places on this Symphonic Holiday. Please send us an e.mail with a copy of your student id.
A non-refundable deposit of 150,- € is payable on confirmation that a booking has been accepted. The balance of the price is to be paid by 28th February 2026.
Minimum group size 30 participants. We might decide to cancel a programme if at any time up to three month before there were insufficient bookings. We would refund everything you had paid to us. We do not refund your travel expenses if you had booked your trip (for example flights or trains) prior to our confirmation of the programme.
























Jonas Hees a fondé da capo orchestra & travel en 2016 avec Frédéric Tschumi. Violoncelliste amateur, il est aujourd’hui responsable de la gestion de da capo et de ses programmes. Chargé d’organiser la Sinfonietta à Bardou pendant plusieurs années, cette riche expérience lui a donné l’idée de développer et d´élargir le concept de vacances musicales à des musiciens amateurs. En tant que cuisinier passionné, il saura aussi mettre toute son attention pour vous proposer d’excellents repas durant vos vacances.


