Wine forms one of the backbones for French culture so it’s no surprise to discover that French wine festivals surpass those anywhere else. And since wine production takes places across the country, so too do the celebrations related to harvest, special vintages, the first pressings or simply just because.
French wine festivals happen all year round too so there’s no need to wait for the autumn harvest. And there’s no need to stick to just the vin – wine festivals in France also celebrate food, music, dance and joie de vivre. Read on to discover our pick of the best.
Burgundy wine festivals
The first big festival of the year is on the last weekend in January and commemorates Saint Vincent, the patron saint of winemakers in Burgundy. The 100 brotherhoods in the region come together at a different village every year to celebrate all Burgundy wines, from the most famous crus to lesser-known labels. Founded in 1938, the Saint-Vincent-Tournante festival includes processions, a holy mass and plenty of wine tasting. The 2020 celebration takes places in Gevrey-Chambertin over the weekend 25 and 26 January.
> Book boating holiday in Burgundy
Jura wine festivals
One of the most unique French wines is made in Jura using green-skinned Savagnin grapes (not to be confused with Sauvignon grapes). These grapes and a long fermentation make Jura’s famous vin jaune and sweet vin de paille. The yellow wine sits for six years and three months in oak casks, one of which is officially opened during the Percée du Vin Jaune.
Dressed in gold, the vin jaune ambassadors escort the cask through the chosen village to the central stage for the grand opening. Once the pomp and circumstance are over, it’s time to try the freshly-opened wine and celebrate. The next edition of the Percée du Vin Jaune takes place on 1 and 2 February 2020 at Ruffey-Sur-Seille. Find out more about this French wine festival here.
Vineyard celebrations
The picture postcard town of Beaune hosts the annual Saveurs de Vignes, an event that celebrates the start of the wine-growing year. Visitors enjoy a leisurely 8km stroll through the area’s vineyards at Ascension (30 May in 2019) to see them coming into leaf and flower. 5 food stalls are strategically placed along the way and offer the best of local foodie treats paired perfectly with Burgundy wines.
A touch of Andalusia
One of the biggest and brightest French wine festivals has a distinctly Spanish feel to it with Pays d’Oc wine sharing the limelight with traditional Andalusian customs. The Béziers Feria that takes place over four days in mid-August has its roots in the Seville Fair. Dating back to 1968, the Feria showcases the area’s Spanish roots with bullfighting, dancing, horse shows and plenty of eating and drinking. Here, Languedoc rosés come into their own, bringing their fresh, floral bouquet to the celebrations. Olé and à votre santé! Discover more about Languedoc wines.
Wining and dining extravaganza
Saumur on the Loire goes to town in its annual Festivini, a festival of food and wine that runs over seven days between June and September. Vineyard tours, river cruises down the Loire and concerts take place during the event, but centre stage is reserved for the pairing menus served at participating restaurants in the area.
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Wine and 42k
Some French wine festivals come with a physically challenging element. The Marathon du Médoc combines the region’s wine with the 42k marathon round the region and some 50 chateaux en route. Known as one of the world’s must-do marathons, the Médoc version celebrates sport, fun and wine (the refreshment stands serve local wines to the runners). Most participants dress up (the theme for 2019 is Super Heroes) and the weekend includes the famous Mille Pâtes pasta and wine feast, concerts, and fireworks. After the marathon, you can take a relaxing stroll through the vineyards before another pasta banquet.
> Discover Medoc serenely aboard a Bordeaux river cruise
Official harvest start
The small village of Saint Emilion, home to some of the most famous French wines, celebrates the start of the wine harvest with the Ban des Vendanges de la Jurade de Saint Emilion. The official proclamation that the year’s grapes are ready to pick includes celebratory fireworks, a solemn parade through the village – home to the Bordeaux’s oldest wine guild – and the proclamation of the new guild members from the King’s Tower. There are also plenty of opportunities to enjoy Bordeaux wine at its best. This year’s event takes place on 15 and 16 September 2019.
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Ancient grape pressing
Hot on the heels of the harvest comes the Wine Pressing Festival that takes place in Chenôve in the Côte d’Or region of Burgundy. During the third weekend in September, visitors to the village can watch grape pressing in the traditional way with machines once used on the Dukes of Burgundy estates. You can then taste the juice that comes from the first pressing, known as bourru, before you enjoy concerts, entertainment and good Burgundy wine. Discover more about the Fête de la Pressée here.
> Discover the Cote d’Or from Dijon aboard a self-drive hire boat
Capital celebrations
In the heart of Paris, Montmartre has been home to vineyards for centuries and the celebration of the annual harvest is one of the most famous French wine festivals. Celebrated since 1933, Fête des Vendanges de Montmartre, honours wine produced by the Clos Montmartre vineyards with parades, concerts and plenty of wine tasting. Find out more
Wine by the seaside
If you do like your vin beside the seaside, head for Banyuls sur Mer for the grape harvest Fête des Vendanges in mid-October. On the Mediterranean in the Languedoc-Roussillon region, Banyuls sur Mer celebrates the first grape picking with wine tastings and barbeques on the beach. The absolute highlight comes when the newly-harvested grapes arrive by boat.
Wine and flowers
One of the oldest wine festivals in France takes place in Alsace in the picturesque village of Barr in Bas-Rhin. The annual Fête des Vendanges at the beginning of October has a distinctly floral theme with the entire village bedecked in flowers in preparation for the cortège fleuri. The pretty parade of floats, also covered in flowers, makes its way through Barr to celebrate the latest harvest. Wine tastings and pairings take place every day giving visitors the chance to try some of the area’s most famous whites.
Sparkling celebrations
For a bubbly French wine festival, head for the medieval village of Château-Thierry in the Marne Valley in October. Celebrating the region’s Champagne, the 2-day Champagne et Vous event offers workshops on producing sparkling wine, walks among the vineyards, tastings from over 30 champagne producers and pairings of local foodie treats with the famous bubbles.
Festival of the new
Perhaps the most famous wine festival in France, the Nouveau Beaujolais Festival is also one of the most eagerly awaited at national level. When the clock hand shifts past midnight on the third Thursday in November, the first bottles of the new Beaujolais are opened to the cheer of “Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé!”.
The uncorking of the first wine to be produced every year in France happens throughout the country, but the biggest celebrations take place in Beaujeu. As well as tasting the new wine, the village organises visits to vineyards, torchlight parades and a firework finale.
French wine festivals onboard
Our luxury hotel barge routes cruise the main rivers and canals in France, many of which pass through the country’s wine-growing regions. Time your holiday to coincide with one of the French wine festivals mentioned here and then on board, enjoy the best of local wines, paired to perfection with foodie feasts.
> Book your very own festival of wine now!
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