--- title: "Pèlerinage de sainte Marie-Madeleine 2027: dates, programme & getting there" description: "Vézelay's pilgrimage on the feast of Mary Magdalene, whose relics drew medieval crowds to the hill." url: https://www.cote-privee.com/events/pelerinage-sainte-marie-madeleine-vezelay lang: en updated: 2026-10-01 generated: 2026-10-09 image: https://www.cote-privee.com/og/events/pelerinage-sainte-marie-madeleine-vezelay.png --- # Pèlerinage de sainte Marie-Madeleine > Pèlerinage de sainte Marie-Madeleine: Vézelay's pilgrimage on the feast of Mary Magdalene, whose relics drew medieval crowds to the hill. Every 22 July, pilgrims gather at the basilica of Vézelay for the feast of Mary Magdalene, whose relics made the hill one of the great pilgrimage sites of medieval Europe. The diocese of Sens and Auxerre lists it among the pilgrimages of the Yonne, with the Sanctuaire de Vézelay as its contact, and it is open to all. ## Key facts - Type: Tradition - Vézelay - 1 h 28 from Beaune - Free entry - When: Every year on 22 July, the feast of Mary Magdalene. Expected dates, not yet confirmed · Thursday, 22 July 2027. - Venue: [Basilica of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine, Vézelay](https://www.cote-privee.com/things-to-do/basilique-de-vezelay) - Entry: Free - Official website: [yonne.catholique.fr](https://www.yonne.catholique.fr/pelerinages/peleriner-dans-lyonne/peleriner-dans-lyonne/vezelay-sainte-marie-madeleine) - Where: Vézelay · Yonne - Location: 95 km north-west of Beaune · Yonne - Coordinates: 47.4664, 3.7483 - From Beaune: ≈ 1 h 28 · 125 km - €320 one way from Beaune with a [private driver](https://www.cote-privee.com/private-driver) ## History According to the chronicle, around 880 the monk Badilon travelled to Provence and brought back relics of Mary Magdalene, and crowds of pilgrims followed through the Middle Ages. Saint Louis came to Vézelay in 1267 to recognise the relics. The pilgrimage faded after Protestant looting at the end of the 16th century and revived in the 1870s, when relics kept at Sens were returned to Vézelay. In 2016 Pope Francis raised 22 July from a memorial to a full feast. The 2026 pilgrimage marked 80 years since the 'croisade de la Paix' of 1946. ## What to expect The day is a religious occasion first, centred on celebrations in the basilica where the relics of Mary Magdalene are kept. Visitors of any faith are welcome to join or simply to watch with respect, and to see Vézelay as it was meant to be seen, as a place of pilgrimage rather than only a monument. ## Tips for the day The diocese publishes the programme a few weeks before. Dress modestly and keep noise down during services. Vézelay is about 1 hour 30 minutes from Beaune, and a driver can drop you as close to the basilica as access allows. ## Did you know? On the night of 29 June 1898 the relics were stolen from Vézelay; they reappeared that December, left on a grave in the cemetery of Briare. ## Around Pèlerinage de sainte Marie-Madeleine What to combine with Pèlerinage de sainte Marie-Madeleine on the same day, nearest first. ### Other events in July 2027 - **Runs Thursday 6 May – Saturday 31 July 2027** · [Mois des Climats](https://www.cote-privee.com/events/mois-des-climats): A festival of visits, walks and tastings celebrating Burgundy's UNESCO-listed Climats. (Culture · Beaune and the Côte-d'Or vineyards) - **Runs Tuesday 25 May – Tuesday 31 August 2027** · [Les Vin’dredis de la Halle](https://www.cote-privee.com/events/vindredis-halle-chambertin): Summer Friday tastings and gourmet evenings at the Halle Chambertin in Gevrey. (Wine festival · Gevrey-Chambertin) - **Runs Sunday 6 June – Thursday 30 September 2027** · [Lumières à Beaune](https://www.cote-privee.com/events/lumieres-a-beaune): Light projections on Beaune's landmarks, every evening in summer and from the Vente des Vins to early January. (Culture · Beaune) - **Runs Wednesday 16 June – Saturday 31 July 2027** · [Le Parcours des Tréteaux](https://www.cote-privee.com/events/parcours-des-treteaux-pernand-vergelesses): A theatrical tasting walk through Pernand-Vergelesses, with six food and wine stops. (Culture · Pernand-Vergelesses) - **Runs Thursday 24 June – Tuesday 31 August 2027** · [L’Été Frappé](https://www.cote-privee.com/events/l-ete-frappe-macon): A free summer-long festival of concerts and shows in the streets and parks of Mâcon. (Music · Mâcon) - **Runs Friday 25 June – Thursday 30 September 2027** · [Le Brunch des Halles](https://www.cote-privee.com/events/brunch-des-halles-dijon): Summer Sunday brunches cooked by local chefs under Dijon's iron market hall. (Food & markets · Dijon) ### Nearby - **Saturday, 17 October 2026 (Confirmed by the organiser)** · [Paulée du Vézelien](https://www.cote-privee.com/events/paulee-du-vezelien): A harvest-end day of parades through the four villages of the Vézelay appellation, ending with the blessing of the vintage. (Wine festival · Vézelay, Saint-Père, Asquins and Tharoiseau) - **A Saturday in mid or late January.** · [Saint-Vincent des Quatre Coteaux du Vézelien](https://www.cote-privee.com/events/saint-vincent-des-quatre-coteaux-du-vezelien): The winter feast of the Vézelay growers, with mass, mulled wine, a procession and a long banquet. (Tradition · Vézelay, Saint-Père, Asquins and Tharoiseau) - **Four days in late August, from Thursday to Sunday.** · [Rencontres musicales de Vézelay](https://www.cote-privee.com/events/rencontres-musicales-de-vezelay): Four days of choral and vocal music in and around the basilica of Vézelay at the end of summer. (Music · Vézelay) - **Two weekends in late July and early August, at nightfall.** · [Montréal en Lumière](https://www.cote-privee.com/events/montreal-en-lumiere): A night-time walk through the history of a medieval hill village, told by some sixty costumed performers. (Culture · Montréal) - **A weekend in early October.** · [Fête de l’Automne et des Associations du Morvan](https://www.cote-privee.com/events/fete-de-l-automne-et-des-associations-du-morvan): The Morvan's autumn fair at the park headquarters, with farm produce, fruit pressing and local societies. (Food & markets · Saint-Brisson) - **A weekend in May.** · [Fêtes médiévales de Semur-en-Auxois](https://www.cote-privee.com/events/fetes-medievales-de-semur-en-auxois): A weekend of medieval fantasy, music and a banquet beneath the towers of Semur-en-Auxois. (Tradition · Semur-en-Auxois) ### Villages - [Irancy](https://www.cote-privee.com/villages/irancy) (28 km away): The red wine village of the Yonne, set in a bowl of vines and cherry trees. ### Châteaux - [Château de Vault-de-Lugny](https://www.cote-privee.com/chateaux/chateau-de-vault-de-lugny) (9 km away): A moated castle with a tall square keep near Avallon, now an intimate five-star hotel. - [Château de Bazoches](https://www.cote-privee.com/chateaux/chateau-de-bazoches) (10 km away): The castle Vauban bought with a royal reward, and turned into a workshop for his military engineers. - [Château de Chastellux](https://www.cote-privee.com/chateaux/chateau-de-chastellux) (14 km away): A towered fortress at the gateway to the Morvan, still lived in by the family of its name. ### Things to do - [Basilica of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine, Vézelay (Basilique Sainte-Marie-Madeleine de Vézelay)](https://www.cote-privee.com/things-to-do/basilique-de-vezelay), 1 km away: A Romanesque masterpiece crowning a hill, where Saint Bernard preached the Second Crusade. - [Maison Jules-Roy](https://www.cote-privee.com/things-to-do/maison-jules-roy-vezelay) (1 km away): The writer Jules Roy's last home in Vézelay, with his study kept as he left it and terraced gardens facing the basilica. - [Zervos Museum of Modern Art (Musée départemental d’art moderne, collection Zervos)](https://www.cote-privee.com/things-to-do/musee-zervos-vezelay), 1 km away: Picasso, Calder and Miró in the Vézelay house where the writer Romain Rolland spent his last years. ### Restaurants - [Le Valucien](https://www.cote-privee.com/restaurants/le-valucien-vault-de-lugny) (9 km away · 1 MICHELIN star): A starred table with Mauritian accents inside a moated castle near Avallon. ## Questions about Pèlerinage de sainte Marie-Madeleine ### When is Pèlerinage de sainte Marie-Madeleine 2027? The 2027 dates of Pèlerinage de sainte Marie-Madeleine have not been announced yet. Usual timing: every year on 22 July, the feast of Mary Magdalene.. The organiser publishes them on yonne.catholique.fr. ### Where does Pèlerinage de sainte Marie-Madeleine take place? Pèlerinage de sainte Marie-Madeleine takes place in Vézelay (Yonne), at Basilica of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine, Vézelay. ### Is Pèlerinage de sainte Marie-Madeleine free to attend? Yes, entry to Pèlerinage de sainte Marie-Madeleine is free. ### How do you get to Pèlerinage de sainte Marie-Madeleine from Beaune? Vézelay is about 1 h 28 from Beaune by road (125 km). The easiest way is a private driver: from €320 for the whole car, up to 4 guests, with no parking to find and nobody at the wheel after a glass of wine. ### Can we book a private driver for Pèlerinage de sainte Marie-Madeleine? Yes. Your driver collects you in Beaune or at your hotel in an electric Polestar 2 (up to 4 guests), waits while you enjoy Pèlerinage de sainte Marie-Madeleine and drives you back. For the busiest weekends, book a few weeks ahead. → [Private driver from Beaune](https://www.cote-privee.com/private-driver) ## Book - [Book a driver](https://www.cote-privee.com/book?service=driver&place=sight:vezelay): No parking to find, no one left as the designated driver: everyone enjoys a glass. Your driver waits and drives you back: no parking to find, and everyone can enjoy a glass. ## Sources - - - [The full events calendar](https://www.cote-privee.com/events) --- Canonical page: