Saint-Vincent Tournante du Chablisien is one of the wine festivals that anchors the Burgundy calendar, drawing both local visitors and international wine travellers each year. It is held at Ligny-le-Châtel (2026 host village) in Chablis AOC, in the heart of one of France's most distinctive wine areas. The festival has been running since 1966 and reaches its 55th edition in 2026, giving it one of the longer track records among French wine events of its kind.
10,000–20,000 visitors. Celebrates Chablis Grand Cru and Premier Cru terroirs. Opening of winegrower cellars, solemn mass, inductions of the Piliers Chablisiens, festive banquet. Brotherhood proclamations are one of the more theatrical traditions in French wine, going back centuries in some cases and revived in others during the twentieth century. Members of the confrerie process through the streets in distinctive robes, before formally proclaiming the start of the harvest or the official judgement of the new vintage. Visitors can attend the public ceremony, the procession and the surrounding wine tastings, and many events also include inductions of new members. The event is organised by Confrérie des Piliers Chablisiens + Union des Viticulteurs de Chablis, which sets the tone and direction of the programme each year.
Burgundy's reputation rests on single-variety Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, parcelled across some of the most fragmented and prestigious climats in the wine world. The Cote d'Or vineyard landscape has been UNESCO-listed since 2015. Burgundy's festival year runs around two long-standing rituals: the Saint-Vincent Tournante in late January, which rotates between villages, and the Trois Glorieuses in mid-November, anchored by the Hospices de Beaune wine auction. Around these, the Paulees, Saint-Vincents and Grands Jours de Bourgogne form a dense calendar that draws professionals and enthusiasts to Beaune, Chablis and the Cote Chalonnaise in equal measure.
The 2026 edition is scheduled for 7-8 February 2026. Cost details are best confirmed directly with the organiser ahead of travel. Full programme, ticketing and updated information are published on the official site at festivalenfrance.com/en/festival/saint-vincent-tournante-du-chablisien. Visitors are advised to check directly with the organiser for the latest schedule, as French festival programmes are sometimes updated close to the event date.
Burgundy is reached via Dijon (with TGV from Paris in 90 minutes) or Lyon, with Beaune serving as the natural base for any wine festival visit. The Hospices de Beaune building, the Cite Internationale de la Gastronomie et du Vin, and the surrounding Cote d'Or vineyard walks all sit within easy reach. Burgundian gastronomy — boeuf bourguignon, coq au vin, escargots, jambon persille, gougeres — is closely tied to the wines, and the region's food markets in Beaune and Dijon are part of the experience.
