Les Glorieuses de Bresse à Louhans
Burgundy's side of the great December poultry contests, where the finest Bresse capons are judged and sold.
- Food & markets
- Louhans
- 57 min from Beaune
€200one way from Beaune with a private driver
Book a driverAt a glance
- Organised by
- Ville de Louhans-Châteaurenaud
- Official website
- glorieusesdebresse.com
Getting there
Private driver from Beaune: 57 min by road (69 km), €200 one way for the whole car.
Coming by train or plane? Transfers from stations and airports →
About the event
The Glorieuses de Bresse are the four December competitions in which breeders show their finest Bresse poultry, trussed in the traditional way, before a jury of chefs and gastronomes. Louhans, in Saône-et-Loire, hosts one of them, followed by a market where visitors can buy the prize birds for Christmas.
What to expect
The poulardes and capons are laid out in rows, sewn tightly into fine cloth in the Bresse tradition of roulage, and judged before the awards are announced. After the prize-giving the market opens; the organisers describe a crowd of chefs, entertainers and gastronomes from around the world.
History
The first competition of dressed poultry was held in Bourg-en-Bresse on 23 December 1862, and the breeders have shown their best birds every December since. Today the Glorieuses take place in Bourg-en-Bresse, Louhans, Montrevel-en-Bresse and Pont-de-Vaux.
Good to know
Tips for the day
The market opens straight after the prize-giving, so arrive in time for the results. Louhans is about an hour from Beaune across the Bresse plain, and with a driver a cool box of capons can travel straight home.
Around here
What to combine with Les Glorieuses de Bresse à Louhans on the same day, nearest first.
- Christmas
Les Fééries de Noël de Dijon
Usually from the last Saturday of November to the first Sunday of JanuaryDijon
- Culture
Augustodunum, spectacle historique d’Autun
Around eight evenings from late July to early AugustAutun
Questions
The 2026 dates of Les Glorieuses de Bresse à Louhans have not been announced yet. Usual timing: One day in mid-December, as one of four Glorieuses; Louhans held its contest on 13 December 2025.. The organiser publishes them on glorieusesdebresse.com.
Did you know? The top capon prize at Louhans and Bourg-en-Bresse is a Sèvres vase given by the Presidency of the French Republic.
Sources
A private driver for the day
No parking to find, no one left as the designated driver: everyone enjoys a glass.