31 wine festivals across France — dates, ticket links, and editorial picks for 2026.
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France has more wine festivals than it has appellations — and it has 340 appellations. From January's Saint-Vincent celebrations in Burgundy villages to December's champagne light shows in Épernay, the French wine calendar is a year-round affair that doubles as a cultural education. These are not just tasting events: they are living expressions of regional identity, historic tradition, and French joie de vivre.
The great advantage of planning a France trip around a wine festival is that you gain access to places, people, and wines that simply are not available during ordinary visits. Cellar doors that stay closed to walk-ins open for a weekend. Winemakers who normally sell through négociants pour straight from the barrel. Villages that receive almost no tourists outside festival season come alive.
France has 20 major wine festivals in our database across Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Alsace, the Rhône Valley, Languedoc, Provence, and the Loire. Here are the events that matter most in 2026 — organised by region, with practical details for planning your visit.
All prices are per person. Dates are 2026.
• Saint-Vincent Tournante — January 24–30 | Burgundy | €20–€40
• Salon des Vins de Loire — February 9–11 | Angers | €15–€30
• Bordeaux Fête le Vin — June 18–21 | Bordeaux | €12–€25
• Foire de Champagne (Troyes) — June 9–22 | Troyes | €5–€10
• Vinexpo Bordeaux — June 9–11 | Bordeaux | €80–€150 (trade)
• Fête des Vignerons du Languedoc — July 13–19 | Montpellier | €5–€12
• Fête de la Véraison — August 5–11 | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Free
• Foire aux Vins d'Alsace — August 21–30 | Colmar | €5–€10
• Marathon du Médoc — September 12–14 | Pauillac | €85
• Fête de la Jurade de Saint-Émilion — September 18–20 | Saint-Émilion | Free
• Ban des Vendanges — September 13–15 | Avignon | €20–€60
• Fête des Vendanges de Montmartre — October 9–15 | Paris | Free
• Hospices de Beaune Wine Auction — November 15–20 | Beaune | €50–€200
• Beaujolais Nouveau Day — November 19–20 | Nationwide | Free
The UNESCO-listed Garonne riverfront transforms for four days in late June as over 80 Bordeaux appellations set up pavilions along the quays. This is Bordeaux at its most accessible: a glass costs €12–€25, there are no dress codes, and the crowd is a genuine mix of locals, French tourists, and international visitors. Evening fireworks over the river are spectacular.
The Fête le Vin runs biennially in even years — 2026 is one of them. Plan accordingly: this is one of the biggest wine events in Europe, drawing 500,000 visitors over four days. Bordeaux city hotels book out months in advance; staying in Saint-Émilion or the Médoc and commuting in by train is a viable alternative. Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport (BOD) has excellent connections from across Europe.
Pavilions are organised by appellation. The Saint-Estèphe, Pauillac, and Saint-Julien stands are the highlights for serious red Bordeaux; the dry white Bordeaux stands and the Sauternes pavilion attract devoted queues. A full passport of stamps across multiple stands is the objective of many repeat visitors.
The Jurade ceremony has been re-enacted every year since the 1940s — though the brotherhood itself dates to 1199. From the top of the Tour du Roy in the walled medieval village of Saint-Émilion, black-robed Jurats formally proclaim the harvest and welcome new members into the confraternity. Entry to the village and much of the ceremony is free.
The real pleasure is in the village itself. Saint-Émilion's streets are lined with tasting rooms from Pomerol, Fronsac, and Saint-Émilion itself, all open during festival weekend. The underground monolithic church, the viewpoints over the vines, and the limestone walls make this one of the most photogenic wine weekends in France. Stay in the village if you can — rooms are limited but magical; Libourne (10 minutes away) has far more options.
The saint's day celebration that rotates between Burgundy villages every January is a genuine insider event — thousands of French wine lovers descend on a single host village (announced the previous autumn) while the rest of the world barely knows it is happening. The host village opens its cellars, decorates its streets with vine motifs, and producers from across the Côte d'Or pour their wines.
Tickets (€20–€40) include tastings across the village. The event is extremely convivial and distinctly French — arrive with some basic wine knowledge and a willingness to share a barrel top with strangers. The Côte de Nuits version tends to be more formal; the Côte de Beaune hosting years are more relaxed. Check st-vincent-tournante.fr for the 2026 host village.
The world's most famous charity wine auction has taken place in the Burgundy town of Beaune every November since 1859. The auction itself — held in the candlelit Hôtel-Dieu — is part of the three-day Les Trois Glorieuses celebrations that also include the Paulée de Meursault and the Clos de Vougeot dinner. Barrel lots are sold to négociants and private buyers, with proceeds funding the historic hospital.
Public tickets (€50–€200) give access to the tasting before the auction. The Trois Glorieuses dinners require invitations or considerable advance planning. The week around the auction is Beaune's busiest — restaurants charge peak prices and rooms are scarce. Book both the accommodation and any planned restaurant dinners at least three months ahead.
Even without tickets to the formal events, visiting Beaune in auction week is worthwhile. Every négociant house has a sale or event, tasting rooms are all open, and the town's medieval centre is alive. It is genuinely one of the great wine experiences in France.
The Avenue de Champagne in Épernay — home to Moët & Chandon, Perrier-Jouët, Dom Pérignon, and other great houses — lights up for a week of illuminated facades, light installations, and champagne pours. The Champagne region in December is not an obvious tourist destination, but Habits de Lumière transforms it into something genuinely magical.
Entry to the light show is €15–€30. Most champagne houses offer house tastings during the festival week at reasonable prices. Épernay itself is a 90-minute train ride from Paris — this is an excellent day trip option for Paris-based visitors, or a reason to overnight in Reims, which has excellent hotels and restaurants.
The largest wine fair in Alsace runs for 10 days at the Colmar Exhibition Centre. Over 300 Alsace winemakers pour their Rieslings, Gewürztraminers, Pinot Gris, and Crémants alongside live concerts and local food. Entry is €5–€10; tastings are priced individually.
Colmar itself is worth lingering in — the medieval half-timbered old town, the canals, and the proximity to the Wine Route make it one of the most satisfying wine destinations in France. Strasbourg (1 hour by train) has the nearest major airport and broader accommodation options.
Angers hosts the Loire Valley's professional wine trade fair — over 300 domaines from Muscadet to Sancerre in one place. While primarily a trade event, the Sunday opening is public (€15–€30). For anyone serious about Loire wines — the diversity is extraordinary, from Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc to Melon de Bourgogne and Pouilly-Fumé — this is an unmatched opportunity in a single venue.
The medieval hilltop village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape celebrates véraison — the colour change of the grapes — with a free festival of costumed parades, street theatre, troubadours, and open tastings. Entry to the festival is free; wine purchases are at normal prices. The timing (early August) is ideal for combining with a broader Rhône Valley visit.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape is 15 km north of Avignon, which has an excellent train station and TGV connections from Paris. The village itself has limited accommodation; Avignon or Orange (20 minutes away) make better bases.
Paris's most charming wine festival celebrates the harvest of the tiny Clos Montmartre vineyard in the 18th arrondissement — one of the last working vineyards within the city limits. Five days of free street events, parades, concerts, and fireworks transform the Montmartre hilltop. The actual wines are sold at auction to fund local charities; the festival itself costs nothing to attend.
The timing (mid-October) makes this a natural anchor for an autumn Paris trip. The 18th is lively, the views are spectacular, and the combination of autumn foliage and Parisian light is exceptional. Nearby wine bars in Pigalle and the Butte do their own parallel tastings throughout the week.
French wine regions are well-connected by TGV: Paris to Bordeaux is 2 hours; Paris to Dijon (Burgundy) is 1h40; Paris to Strasbourg (Alsace) is 2h10. A France-by-train wine tour hitting multiple festivals in a single trip is genuinely feasible. EuroRail passes offer good value if you plan 3+ regional stops.
Accommodation books fast for the major events. Bordeaux Fête le Vin (June), Hospices de Beaune (November), and Habits de Lumière (December) all require booking 3–4 months ahead in the host city. For smaller regional festivals, 6–8 weeks is usually sufficient.
The French wine festival etiquette is worth understanding: spitting is entirely normal and respected (especially at professional events), tasting notes in French are fine but English is widely spoken, and bringing your own picnic to outdoor festivals is strongly encouraged.
Bordeaux Fête le Vin is the most internationaly oriented and has the most English-language signage and support. The Foire aux Vins in Colmar is also very accessible, and Montmartre Vendanges is free and requires no French at all to enjoy.
September and October are peak harvest season and host some of the most atmospheric events (Jurade in Saint-Émilion, Ban des Vendanges in Avignon, Vendanges de Montmartre). June is excellent for Bordeaux. November is worth braving for Hospices de Beaune if you are a Burgundy lover.
Some are entirely free (Fête de la Véraison, Vendanges de Montmartre, Beaujolais Nouveau). Most charge a modest glass/entry fee (€5–€40). Professional events like Vinexpo charge trade rates (€80+). The Hospices de Beaune auction is the most expensive for full participation.
Generally yes. Most festivals permit — and encourage — direct producer sales. At events like Saint-Vincent Tournante and the Foire aux Vins, buying directly from domaines is the main purpose. Producers typically accept cash and cards, and many will arrange shipping to EU addresses.
The next 6 dated wine festivals in France.
One of the world's largest international wine and spirits trade fairs, held at the Bordeaux Exhibition Centre. Industry professionals gather for business meetings, tastings, and trend showcases from producers across 30+ countries. A biennial event that alternates with Bordeaux Fête le Vin.
View festival detailsA major regional trade fair and public festival celebrating Champagne wines and local products of the Aube department. Combines large-scale exhibitions with champagne tastings from smaller grower-producers rarely found outside the region. A more local, less tourist-heavy alternative to Épernay events.
View festival detailsBordeaux's signature wine festival transforms the UNESCO-listed Garonne riverfront into a four-day celebration of regional wines and gastronomy. Over 80 appellations set up pavilions along the quays, with masterclass tastings, live music, and fireworks. Held biennially in even years since 1998, it draws half a million visitors.
View festival detailsA summer cultural festival in the medieval abbey town of Cluny, combining classical music performances with wine tastings from southern Burgundy producers. Concerts take place in the Romanesque abbey ruins, and vignerons from Mâconnais and Beaujolais pour during intervals.
View festival detailsThe Muscadet wine region's annual celebration in the Italianate town of Clisson, near Nantes. Producers from the Sèvre et Maine, Côtes de Grandlieu, and Coteaux de la Loire pour their sur lie wines alongside local seafood. The picturesque riverside setting adds charm to this affordable, authentic festival.
View festival detailsMontpellier's celebration of Languedoc wine brings together producers from across France's largest wine region. Held on the Place de la Comédie, the festival showcases the extraordinary diversity of Languedoc terroirs — from coastal Picpoul to mountain Minervois — at remarkably affordable prices.
View festival detailsRanked by data richness — events with confirmed dates, insider tips, and editorial worth-traveling-for scores appear first.
Bordeaux's signature wine festival transforms the UNESCO-listed Garonne riverfront into a four-day celebration of regional wines and gastronomy. Over 80 appellations set up pavilions along the quays, with masterclass tastings, live music, and fireworks. Held biennially in even years since 1998, it draws half a million visitors.
View festival detailsThe world's most anticipated annual wine event: Bordeaux opens its châteaux each April for trade and press to taste the previous year's vintage still in barrel. While access is strictly controlled for professionals, the week transforms Bordeaux into an extraordinary hub of wine world activity, and satellite consumer tastings are publicly accessible.
View festival detailsThe Dordogne's annual celebration of Bergerac wines, held in the historic centre of Cyrano de Bergerac's city. Producers from all 13 Bergerac appellations pour, including sweet Monbazillac and Pécharmant reds, alongside regional food producers. The festival spills through the pedestrian old town.
View festival detailsCahors celebrates its celebrated black wine — made from Malbec, known locally as Côt or Auxerrois — over a weekend of tastings, river boat excursions, and food pairings in the historic medieval city. The festival draws producers from across the Lot Valley appellation and champions Cahors as Malbec's true European home.
View festival detailsHeld in the vineyard heart of the Var département, this summer festival celebrates Provence rosé — the world's most imitated wine style. Producers from Côtes de Provence, Bandol, and Coteaux Varois pour alongside local food stands, live music, and pétanque. A genuinely Provençal occasion.
View festival detailsThe Pyrénées-Atlantiques appellation of Jurançon — famous for its honeyed sweet whites made from Gros and Petit Manseng — celebrates the harvest with a weekend of tastings, cellar visits, and food pairings in the foothills above Pau. One of France's most under-visited quality wine regions.
View festival detailsRibeauvillé's annual new wine celebration in the heart of the Alsace Route des Vins. The medieval market town opens its cellars and sets up tasting stands along its cobbled streets, pouring the year's first Rieslings, Pinot Blancs, and Muscat. A genuine local festival with a free wine fountain as the centrepiece.
View festival detailsThe vignerons of Sancerre open their cellars across the hilltop town and surrounding villages for a spring tasting weekend, coinciding with the Ascension holiday. Producers from the 14 Sancerre communes pour their Sauvignon Blancs and Pinot Noirs, with panoramic views of the Loire Valley.
View festival detailsBurgundy's grandest evening tasting, held annually in Beaune, where producers from across the Côte d'Or present their Grand Cru and Premier Cru wines. The event brings together Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Leroy, Rousseau, and other legendary estates in a single evening session — an almost unparalleled tasting opportunity.
View festival detailsA week-long celebration of wine across Paris's bars, restaurants, and wine shops, with over 150 participating venues offering special tastings, wine dinners, and producer events. Unlike a traditional wine fair, Paris Wine Week brings wine directly into neighbourhood wine bars, with a focus on natural and artisan producers.
View festival detailsThe Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin's prestigious annual tasting competition and banquet at the historic Château du Clos de Vougeot. Around 700 Burgundy wines are evaluated against strict quality criteria. The black-tie Saturday banquet in the château's medieval cellar is one of the great wine world social events.
View festival detailsThe Loire's great white wine village opens its famous tufa-carved cave cellars for an annual November tasting weekend. Vouvray's Chenin Blanc producers — including some of the Loire's most celebrated domaines — pour their dry, demi-sec, and moelleux wines from cellars carved directly into the chalky cliffs.
View festival detailsBurgundy's beloved patron saint celebration rotates between villages each January. The host village decorates its streets, opens its cellars, and thousands of visitors taste wines from across the Côte d'Or. It's the best way to experience Burgundian village life and community spirit.
View festival detailsThe Loire Valley's premier professional wine fair brings together over 300 domaines from Muscadet to Sancerre under one roof. While primarily a trade event, the final day opens to the public. An unmatched opportunity to taste across all Loire appellations and meet winemakers directly.
View festival detailsThe leading trade fair for Mediterranean wines, held biennially at the Montpellier Exhibition Centre. Over 1,500 exhibitors from 15 Mediterranean wine-producing countries showcase their wines. A professional event that also hosts the World Grenache Day celebrations.
View festival detailsOne of the world's largest international wine and spirits trade fairs, held at the Bordeaux Exhibition Centre. Industry professionals gather for business meetings, tastings, and trend showcases from producers across 30+ countries. A biennial event that alternates with Bordeaux Fête le Vin.
View festival detailsA major regional trade fair and public festival celebrating Champagne wines and local products of the Aube department. Combines large-scale exhibitions with champagne tastings from smaller grower-producers rarely found outside the region. A more local, less tourist-heavy alternative to Épernay events.
View festival detailsA summer cultural festival in the medieval abbey town of Cluny, combining classical music performances with wine tastings from southern Burgundy producers. Concerts take place in the Romanesque abbey ruins, and vignerons from Mâconnais and Beaujolais pour during intervals.
View festival detailsThe Muscadet wine region's annual celebration in the Italianate town of Clisson, near Nantes. Producers from the Sèvre et Maine, Côtes de Grandlieu, and Coteaux de la Loire pour their sur lie wines alongside local seafood. The picturesque riverside setting adds charm to this affordable, authentic festival.
View festival detailsMontpellier's celebration of Languedoc wine brings together producers from across France's largest wine region. Held on the Place de la Comédie, the festival showcases the extraordinary diversity of Languedoc terroirs — from coastal Picpoul to mountain Minervois — at remarkably affordable prices.
View festival detailsCelebrating véraison — the moment grapes change colour — this medieval festival takes over the hilltop village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Costumed parades, street theatre, troubadours, and tastings from the village's famed domaines create an authentically Provençal atmosphere.
View festival detailsThe largest wine fair in Alsace, running for 10 days at the Colmar Exhibition Centre. Over 300 Alsatian winemakers pour their Rieslings, Gewürztraminers, and Crémants alongside live music, food stalls, and cooking demonstrations. It is the single best place to taste the breadth of Alsace wine in one visit.
View festival detailsThe world's most convivial marathon winds through 59 prestigious Médoc châteaux, with wine and food stations instead of energy gels. Runners dress in elaborate costumes and the route passes through some of Bordeaux's greatest vineyards. The atmosphere is more carnival than competition.
View festival detailsThe official proclamation of the Côtes du Rhône harvest, held in Avignon's Palais des Papes. The ceremony includes a blessing of the grapes, barrel tastings of the new vintage, and a grand outdoor dinner in the papal courtyard. A formal but festive opening to the southern Rhône harvest season.
View festival detailsA centuries-old ceremonial harvest proclamation by the Jurade brotherhood, held from the top of the Tour du Roy in the medieval village of Saint-Émilion. The ceremony includes inductions of new members and a public proclamation of the harvest, followed by open-air tastings and festivities throughout the village.
View festival detailsParis's beloved grape harvest festival celebrates the tiny Clos Montmartre vineyard in the 18th arrondissement. Five days of parades, concerts, fireworks, and tastings transform the hilltop neighbourhood. Despite being in Paris, it's a genuine harvest celebration — they really do pick grapes from the 2,000 vines.
View festival detailsThe world's most famous charity wine auction, held annually since 1859 in the historic Hôtel-Dieu. Part of the three-day Les Trois Glorieuses celebrations across Beaune, Meursault, and Clos de Vougeot. Barrels from the Hospices' own vineyards fetch record prices at Christie's-managed auction.
View festival detailsA celebration of Nice's tiny AOC Bellet appellation, one of France's most exclusive wine zones. Local vignerons pour their rosés, whites, and reds in the hillside village of Saint-Roman-de-Bellet above Nice. One of the few chances to taste these rare wines outside of Niçois restaurants.
View festival detailsThe world-famous release of the year's Beaujolais Nouveau at midnight on the third Thursday of November. While celebrated globally, the real party is in Beaujolais itself — Beaujeu, the historic capital, hosts the largest celebrations with fireworks, barrel rolling, and rivers of fresh Gamay.
View festival detailsThe charming seaside town of Bandol hosts this annual December celebration of the new vintage. Bandol AOC producers line the harbour promenade with tasting stands, and the festival coincides with a blessing of the wine and traditional Provençal Christmas market.
View festival detailsThe Avenue de Champagne — home to Moët & Chandon, Perrier-Jouët, and other prestigious houses — lights up for a spectacular winter festival. Light shows illuminate the grand facades while champagne flows freely from open-cellar tastings. The village of Hautvillers hosts parallel events at Dom Pérignon's abbey.
View festival detailsThe peak months in our directory and the must-attend France festival.
The biggest cluster runs from late August through October — Bordeaux Fête le Vin in June (biennial, even years), the Saint-Émilion Jurade in September, Paulée de Meursault and the Hospices de Beaune sale in mid-November, and dozens of village fêtes des vendanges (harvest fairs) across Burgundy, Provence, and the Rhône through September and October. A smaller wave of caves ouvertes (open cellar weekends) runs in spring across Alsace and the Loire.
For the marquee paid events — Bordeaux Fête le Vin, Vinexpo trade days, the Hospices de Beaune auction weekend — yes, book 2–4 weeks ahead because hotel inventory in Beaune and central Bordeaux sells out first. Village fêtes des vendanges, open cellar days (caves ouvertes), and most appellation-led tasting weekends are free and walk-in. Each festival page in this guide lists its specific ticket policy.
Bordeaux Fête le Vin (biennial, late June) is the most accessible — held on the quays in central Bordeaux, a single tasting pass covers 80+ producers across all the major Bordeaux appellations, and you can do it in a long weekend without renting a car. For deeper immersion, the Hospices de Beaune weekend (third Sunday in November) pairs the famous charity auction with three days of tastings across Burgundy.
Most of France harvests between late August and mid-October. Champagne usually starts first (last week of August / first week of September), followed by Burgundy and the Loire mid-to-late September, Bordeaux late September through early October, and the Rhône and Languedoc into mid-October. Harvest fairs (fêtes des vendanges) cluster in September across all regions — village calendars confirm the weekend a few weeks ahead.
Village fêtes des vendanges and caves ouvertes weekends are usually free or under €10 for an event glass. Single-day tasting passes at city festivals like Bordeaux Fête le Vin run €25–€40. Multi-day passes for higher-end events (Hospices de Beaune, Salon des Vignerons Indépendants in Paris) sit €50–€80. Trade-day passes (Vinexpo) require credentials and are not open to the public.
Yes — September is the easiest month because Bordeaux, Burgundy, and the Loire all run harvest events in parallel. A common pairing is the Saint-Émilion Jurade (third weekend in September) with a Burgundy village fête the following weekend. October pairs Beaujolais Nouveau territory with the southern Rhône and Languedoc. The trip planner at /plan can surface overlapping dates by region.
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