Michel Pampelune in interview: “Eldorado is a specialist festival, but not an elitist one!”

Created in 2024 in a former sawmill in Vancé, in France’s Sarthe region, the Eldorado Americana Festival is unlike any other festival in the country. Americana, country, blues, folk and roots rock come together in a setting that evokes the wide-open landscapes of the United States. Behind this unique project stands a passionate music lover working behind the scenes, who has been championing these genres for decades. As the second edition gets underway, Michel Pampelune looks back with Blues Actu on the philosophy behind Eldorado and what, in his view, makes this intimate festival so distinctive.

🎙️ Michel Pampelune interviewed by Cédric Vernet

After a successful first edition, what convinced you that Eldorado truly had its place in the French festival landscape?

The festival’s first edition, held in September 2024, was a real validation, both artistically and organizationally. Our small team rose to the occasion, and festivalgoers, just like the artists, left delighted with the experience, praising our professionalism even though we were only just getting started. Beyond that, it is also a deeply personal conviction of mine. I believe there is room for a small, distinctive festival devoted to these so-called niche genres. I don’t know of any other festival like Eldorado in France. Does that mean it’s a bad idea? Or simply that no one had tried it before? Time will tell.

Yet the term “americana” isn’t widely used in France. What does it mean to you?

It’s true that the term “americana” isn’t widely used in France, and I probably won’t keep using it forever. At the beginning of the project, however, it seemed like the simplest and clearest way to subtitle Eldorado as an “Americana Festival,” to signal our intentions and give people an immediate idea of what we were trying to do.

You’ve been a record store owner, producer, concert promoter and publisher… Is Eldorado ultimately a synthesis of all those experiences?

In a way, yes. I’ve learned a great deal from my previous professional adventures, and all of that feeds into this new project. But I’ve always stayed on the same path. The vehicle has changed, the medium has changed, but the guiding principle remains the same: sharing the music I love and acting as a bridge between these artists and the audience. Enjoy it first, then share it.

“People often ask us: Why Vancé?”

Launching a festival dedicated to American roots music in a small village in the Sarthe must have seemed completely crazy to some people…

Absolutely. People often ask us: “Why Vancé?” Why not? I live in Vancé myself, and we have this site, a former sawmill, which is simply perfect for Eldorado.

So what does Vancé bring to the festival that you could never find in a big city?

First and foremost, the site itself. This former sawmill. Then there’s our countryside, nestled among vineyards and castles, at the crossroads of the Sarthe, Indre-et-Loire and Loir-et-Cher regions. It has a unique charm. After all, “country” literally means countryside. These roots-oriented styles of music naturally belong in a rural setting.

There’s something rather beautiful about turning an old sawmill into a cultural venue. Is the setting an essential part of the project?

Absolutely. It’s actually the very reason why the festival takes place here. The two covered wooden buildings look like a huge barn owned by Neil Young. With its mix of wood and metal, the site already has a soul long before we add any decoration. I also love the symbolism of bringing an old factory back to life through a cultural project.

You’ve been championing these genres in France for decades. Do you feel that the French public’s perception of americana has changed?

I think it has, yes.

Today, do you think there are still “hidden” artists capable of moving audiences the way Neil Young, Townes Van Zandt or Johnny Cash once did?

I think so. I hope so. The form is timeless. I like to believe that there will always be artists who pick up a guitar, sing about heartbreak and give us goosebumps. Artists as important as the ones you mentioned? Maybe not, because they more or less wrote the rulebook for the genre and left some enormous shoes to fill. But lately I’ve really been enjoying Jesse Wells.

This year’s lineup includes French exclusives such as Dylan LeBlanc and Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter. Is it difficult nowadays to bring these kinds of artists to France?

Yes, it is. Ideally, when putting together our lineup, we try to catch artists who are already touring Europe or let them know of our interest well in advance. Unfortunately, France isn’t a particularly important market for the kind of artists we’re interested in. They can earn much higher fees in countries such as the Netherlands, Spain or the United Kingdom.

Before arriving at the lineup we’ll unveil, I had four artists cancel even though they had already confirmed. I had to rebuild the bill several times. I guess that’s part of learning the job… For now, one of our strengths is the relationships I’ve built with artists and managers through my work as a press officer. In the longer term, I hope Eldorado’s uniqueness and the quality of our hospitality will become our greatest assets.

Many of the artists you’ve booked share a sense of authenticity that seems almost at odds with today’s music industry: GA-20, Luke Winslow-King, Alela Diane… Do you deliberately avoid artists who feel too “manufactured”?

I don’t even think about it. It must be subconscious. But you’re probably right. It may well be one of the defining characteristics of Eldorado. All the artists on the bill are, above all, singer-songwriters. What matters to me is that they have their own personality, that they bring something unique while remaining connected to a musical heritage.

I want Eldorado to be a specialist festival without becoming an elitist one. I believe over-formatting kills authenticity. A certain simplicity, a certain economy of means, often leads to performances that are more sincere and more intense.

“Culture is an opportunity for rural communities.”

You often speak about the role of culture in rural areas. Do you think this issue is still largely underestimated in France?

I do believe that culture, much like tourism before it, represents a real opportunity for rural communities. In a nearby town, a major factory closed down. Jobs disappeared, then the local shops, the school is now under threat, and young people have moved away to larger cities. Culture can play a part in bringing life back to these areas.

That said, I don’t think the issue itself is underestimated. There are already many initiatives. What’s sometimes difficult is convincing people that culture has a price, that artists also need to make a living and can’t work for free.

Organizing a festival today, with rising costs, unpredictable weather and economic uncertainty, has almost become an act of commitment, hasn’t it?

Pretty much. You have to be ready to work long hours, evenings and weekends, often on a voluntary basis, and invest your own money without any guarantee of getting it back. As for the weather, that’s become a constant concern. Our first edition took place under pouring rain. This year, we’re dealing with a heatwave.

Thankfully, we have an incredible team of volunteers and technicians. And our venue is partially covered, which means people can enjoy the festival sheltered from both the sun and the rain.

Do you see Eldorado growing in the future, or are you determined to preserve its intimate scale?

It’s possible that Eldorado will grow a little over the coming years, if only to give us the means to bring in slightly bigger artists. But I’m determined to preserve its boutique-festival spirit and its human scale, because that’s exactly what these kinds of music deserve. We’ll see. For now, our priority is simply to ensure the festival continues to exist.

“My dream artist is someone I haven’t discovered yet.”

If you had to sum up the spirit of Eldorado through three essential albums, which ones would you choose?

I would choose Fade Away Diamond Time by Neal Casal, I Feel Alright by Steve Earle, and The Southern Harmony & Musical Companion by The Black Crowes. And if you’ll allow me a fourth, I’d add Hollywood Town Hall by The Jayhawks.

Is there one dream artist you would absolutely love to welcome to Eldorado one day?

The dream artist I’d love to welcome to Eldorado is someone I haven’t discovered yet.

Ultimately, what would you like festivalgoers to feel when they leave Eldorado?

I’d like them to leave feeling they’ve discovered artists they might never have encountered anywhere else, that they’ve shared a warm and genuine experience, and that they’ll want to come back. That’s exactly what Eldorado is all about: sharing musical favourites in a place that already has a soul of its own.