Burgundy moons
Ancient cathedrals, castles, silent abbeys,
villages and towns throughout Burgundy come alive with music,
theatre, dance and song from June until October at over a
hundred locations.
Beaune vibrates to concerts of the very best
in Baroque, and
noble château courtyards echo to symphony orchestras.
String quartets in rural Romanesque churches
send their harmonies across the countryside beneath a
benevolent Burgundy moon ;
jazz stars come to Couches and Nevers, the
world’s folk groups celebrate annually at Dijon’s Fête de la
Vigne – the region’s concert calendar is worthy of
international capitals, for Burgundy attracts the best.
From Bach to Bacchus
Meursault’s music festival’s title sets the
tone: a land of so many fine wines must logically enjoy
letting its hair down, dressing up and having fine time.
Jousting tournament on the Saone
Whether it’s carnaval at Chalon, mediaeval
festival at Semur-en-Auxois or Saulieu’s gourmet’s fair;
jousting tournaments on the waters at Clamecy, Accolay or
Auxonne; the French formula one Grand Prix at Magny-Cours, the
hurdy-gurdy festival at Anost or the national blues festival
at Le Creusot; the choice is endless but the theme remains the
same:
mediaeval festival at Semur-en-Auxois
Burgundy’s parties are like its wines – rich
and varied and there to be enjoyed. Hot air balloons
congregate in bubbling, colourful high masses at
Chalon-sur-Saône, while more down to earth concerns are
catered for at the many regional food fairs like Beaune’s
Wine, Bread and Cheese fair, Escolives-Sainte-Camille’s cherry
fair, Saint-Léger-sous-Beuvray’s Chestnuts fair or Pluvet’s
Onion fair.
French Formula 1 Grand Prix in Nevers/Magny-cours
Hurdy-gurdy festival at Anost Jousting tournaments on the
Saône Medieval Festival, Semur-en-Auxois Bussy-Rabutin
French Formula 1 Grand Prix in Nevers/Magny-cours
Wine events
The Saint Vincent Tournante, a procession
through the streets of famous wine villages followed by a
feast, celebrates the patron saint of winegrowers on the first
weekend before or after January 22nd. High
point of the annual wine cycle comes after the vendanges, or
grape harvest, with the Trois Glorieuses, three gloriously
hedonistic days of wine-tasting, auctions, feasting and fête.
Festivities begin at Clos de Vougeot on the
third Saturday of November with the Confrérie du Tastevin’s
annual disnée, or grand dinner, the sort legends are made of.
Sunday, from dawn to dusk, is taken up with the important
business of tasting, pricing and selling the year’s harvest at
the Beaune Hospice auction.
Selling the year’s wine harvest at the Beaune Hospice auction
At Meursault, La Paulée is celebrated on the
Monday. Local winegrowers and their guests treat themselves to
a generous banquet with some of their best vintages, each
grower bringing his own bottles to compare, rival and consume
with those of his neighbours. A literary prize of a hundred
bottles of Meursault, is awarded to the author of a book on
the countryside. Other wine events are
sprinkled throughout the calendar and include the auction at
Nuits-Saint-Georges, the national wine fair at Mâcon, the wine
fair at Pouilly-sur-Loire, the wine press festival at Chenôve,
Joigny’s vendanges festivities to celebrate
the end of grapepicking, the celebration of newly pressed wine
at Nuits-Saint-Georges and the Chablis and Auxerrois wines’
fairs. Pageants in the four corners of
Burgundy
Many memorable summer evening historical
pageants are played out in the Roman Theatre of Autun, at the
Château of Saint-Fargeau or in the collegiate church in
Semur-en-Auxois. Great sound and light shows take place in the
gothic cathedral at Auxerre, in Auxonne’s castle and in La
Clayette Château.
Historical pageant played out at the Château of Saint-Fargeau
| Information on all Burgundy’s
festivities is available on request from the Comité
Régional du Tourisme or from the four departments’
tourist committees. Consult
the website :
www.burgundy-tourism.com |
credits
: Burgundy
Tourist Board
France Regions Burgundy
index
|
