Festival dIle de France.

3 Sept-15 Oct 2006. Held in spectacular venues throughout the Ile-de-France region, including the Chteau de Fontainebleau, the Abbaye des Vaux de Cernay and the Eglise Notre Dame de Taverny, this annual festival of classical, traditional, jazz and experimental music hosts performers from a dozen countries along the ancient Silk Route. The opening event, Un caravansrail Samarkand at the Chateau de Villareaux, offers music and dance from Albania, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkey, India and China, with performances on ten stages, a Mongol village, arts and crafts, films, workshops for children and ethnic food stalls and restaurants (3 Sept from 12.30). Highlights of the festival include the Whirling Dervishes of Konya (17 Sept), the Legend of Rama performed by the National Theatre of Thailand (29 & 30 Sept), Les Nuits dIstanbul at the Cirque dHiver (29, 30 Sept & 1 Oct) and electro-jazz, hip-hop and world music in Factory (11-14 Oct at La Cigale, Paris). Also on offer are master-classes, guided tours, meetings with the artistes, conferences and workshops. Admission 25-5. For events, times and venues see website (in French). Shuttle bus transport to out-of-Paris venues is provided by the Ville de Paris at 5 return.