Fête de la Bague
France's oldest horse race, run every 31 May along the chestnut-lined mall of Semur-en-Auxois.
- Tradition
- Semur-en-Auxois
- 1 h 05 from Beaune
€230one way from Beaune with a private driver
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At a glance
- Venue
- Semur-en-Auxois
- Organised by
- Ville de Semur-en-Auxois
- Official website
- ville-semur-en-auxois.fr
Getting there
Private driver from Beaune: 1 h 05 by road (83 km), €230 one way for the whole car.
Coming by train or plane? Transfers from stations and airports →
About the event
Every 31 May, Semur-en-Auxois gives itself over to the Course de la Bague, a horse race held since 1639 and billed as the oldest in France. The winner still receives a gold ring struck with the town's arms. Around it the town holds a street fair, a funfair, two other historic races and fireworks.
What to expect
In 2026 the festivities opened on 29 May with a concert and a torchlight procession, and the Timbale races for draught and trotting horses followed the next day. On 31 May a fair of about a kilometre and a half filled the streets from 8 am, and the Bague races began at 3.30 pm. The Chausses and the fireworks followed a week later, with a funfair running throughout.
History
The Bague is run on the mall, the broad avenue of chestnut trees now called the Cours Charles-de-Gaulle, which becomes a racecourse for the day over 2,112 metres of beaten earth. The Timbale, a trotting race for harnessed horses, uses the same course, and the oldest of the three races, the Chausses, is run on foot through the cobbled streets.
The Chausses disappeared in 1652 and was revived in 1978. Legend links it to games in honour of Hercules, said to have founded the town, while the tourist office also cites a royal ordinance of 1369 in which Charles V encouraged sport over games of chance.
Good to know
Tips for the day
Watch the races from along the Cours Charles-de-Gaulle and arrive early on 31 May, when the fair draws thousands of visitors. The full programme is posted on the town's website ahead of the festivities. Semur is about an hour from Beaune, and on such a busy day being dropped off and collected is far easier than parking.
Around here
What to combine with Fête de la Bague on the same day, nearest first.
- Music
Festival Musique au Chambertin
Long held over five days in late August and early SeptemberGevrey-Chambertin - Culture
Mois des Climats
Each year over several weeks in late spring and early summer, usually ending in early JulyBeaune - Music
Festival De Bach à Bacchus
Usually the first half of July, with a prelude of concerts on weekends in MayMeursault - Wine festival
Chardonnay Day à Chardonnay
A Thursday in May, from late afternoon into the eveningChardonnay
Questions
The 2027 dates of Fête de la Bague have not been announced yet. Usual timing: the race is run every 31 May, whatever the day of the week, amid about ten days of festivities in late May and early June.. The organiser publishes them on ville-semur-en-auxois.fr.
Did you know? Since 1651 the winner of the Bague has received a gold ring struck with the arms of Semur.
Sources
A private driver for the day
No parking to find, no one left as the designated driver: everyone enjoys a glass.