Fête du Crémant et Tape-Chaudrons
Châtillon-sur-Seine chases away winter with a carnival parade, clanging cauldrons and Crémant de Bourgogne.
- Wine festival
- Châtillon-sur-Seine
- 1 h 27 from Beaune
€320one way from Beaune with a private driver
Book a driverAt a glance
- Official website
- tourisme-chatillonnais.fr
Getting there
Private driver from Beaune: 1 h 27 by road (124 km), €320 one way for the whole car.
Coming by train or plane? Transfers from stations and airports →
About the event
On the third Saturday of March, Châtillon-sur-Seine celebrates the coming of spring and its local Crémant de Bourgogne in a single colourful day. The Tape-Chaudrons combines the town carnival with a wine festival: floats parade through the streets to music, and the Crémant is poured at tastings.
What to expect
Expect a parade of floats and music through the town centre, costumes, noise and good humour, with Crémant tastings along the way. It is a lively local carnival rather than a formal wine fair, and a cheerful introduction to the sparkling wines of the Châtillonnais.
History
According to local tradition the custom goes back to the 5th century and the Burgundians, when people beat hard on cauldrons to chase winter away and hurry the arrival of spring.
The Châtillonnais is the northern Crémant country of Burgundy. Its vineyard of about 250 hectares spreads across 23 communes along a 120 km Route du Crémant, and Crémant de Bourgogne makes up 85 per cent of the local wine and 20 per cent of the region's Crémant.
Good to know
Tips for the day
Check the programme with the Châtillonnais tourist office before travelling. Châtillon is about 1 hour 45 minutes from Beaune; add the Trésor de Vix at the Musée du Pays Châtillonnais and the Douix spring, and let your driver bring you home after the tastings.
Around here
What to combine with Fête du Crémant et Tape-Chaudrons on the same day, nearest first.
- Food & markets
Journées Gourmandes de Marsannay-la-Côte
Usually a weekend in early MarchMarsannay-la-Côte - Wine festival
Salon des Vignerons de Nuits-Saint-Georges
Usually the Saturday and Sunday of the Hospices de Nuits sale weekend, in early to mid MarchNuits-Saint-Georges - Sport
Semi-marathon de Nuits-Saint-Georges
Usually the Saturday of the Hospices de Nuits sale weekend, in early to mid MarchNuits-Saint-Georges - Wine auction
Vente des Vins des Hospices de Nuits-Saint-Georges
Usually the second Sunday of MarchVougeot
Questions
The 2027 dates of Fête du Crémant et Tape-Chaudrons have not been announced yet. Usual timing: the third Saturday of March.. The organiser publishes them on tourisme-chatillonnais.fr.
Did you know? The Tape-Chaudrons is said to date back to the 5th-century Burgundians, who banged on cauldrons to drive winter away.
Sources
A private driver for the day
No parking to find, no one left as the designated driver: everyone enjoys a glass.