Burgundy - Saint Vincent Festival

The patron saint of wine

If you didn’t know, Saint Vincent is the Patron Saint of Wine. Every year, in Burgundy, France, during the last weekend in January, this very important Saint is celebrated in the villages of Burgundy. Every year the location changes and in 2018, the festival will take place in St. Véran.

The beginning of prunning

Legends abound as to the origins.?It is said that one day St Vincent stopped at a vineyard to chat to one of the wine growers. His donkey started nibbling the young shoots on the vine with the result that the following year, the crop was far more productive. The Saint’s donkey had invented pruning! The celebration has been going on since Medieval times!

There are ‘confréries’ or associations of vignerons in each wine village but the grandest of all is the Confrérie des Chavaliers du Tastevin founded in 1938. On the Saturday morning, dressed in their scarlet robes and full regalia carrying banners, the members process through the streets leading the statue of their saint to celebrate mass followed by a wine tasting and banquet.

A feast for all

Tables will be set up in the streets and all of the inhabitants will come with food and of course there will be plenty of wine flowing! The houses are even decorated with flowers and we saw several scarecrow like figures along the roadside.

France is a land where traditions are carried out throughout the centuries. One more wonderful reason to come to France and maybe a good reason to come during the winter months! Let us help you find a chateau or villa to live like a local in amongst the vineyards of Burgundy.

Chateau Aquila ,Mercurey Saône-et-Loire