Burgundy and Franche-Comté pull out all the stops this weekend. Côte-d'Or revives its oldest equestrian tradition while Auxerre's vintners open their cellars wide. Our editors' pick goes to the Fête de la Bague in Semur-en-Auxois, a festive legacy of 1639 returning every May 31 at the foot of medieval ramparts. Heritage shares the stage with contemporary creation: Théâtre en Mai closes its two-week run in Dijon, while the Haut-Jura kicks off its venerable music festival. Here are eleven picks, from the Auxerre vineyards to the Morvan foothills.
Headliners
Fête de la Bague in Semur-en-Auxois (Côte-d'Or)
On May 31, the Cours Charles de Gaulle becomes a popular racetrack for France's oldest horse race. The tradition dates back to 1639: the Bague race (galloping for a golden ring), the Chausses race (running), and the Timbale race (trotting) unfold through the streets of this medieval hilltop town. The winner receives a gold ring, a prize awarded for nearly four centuries. Far more than a competition, it is a singular Burgundian people's festival, blending equestrian aristocracy with families picnicking on the ramparts. Free admission, intimate atmosphere, no equivalent in France.
Théâtre en Mai in Dijon (Côte-d'Or)
The flagship festival of Théâtre Dijon Bourgogne, a national drama centre, wraps up its final weekend. Founded in 1990 by Robert Cantarella, Théâtre en Mai has become one of France's leading platforms for contemporary theatre, with a sharp eye on emerging European creation. May 30-31 brings the last salvo of performances around the Parvis de la Gare and satellite venues across the city. A demanding lineup that draws programmers and professionals from across France each year. The ideal way to gauge Europe's young scene before the Avignon main event.
Haut-Jura Music Festival in Saint-Claude (Jura)
Founded in 1985, this historic festival concludes its 2026 edition across the Haut-Jura communes. Concerts in exceptional heritage venues — abbeys, barns, churches — a roving music caravan, musical hikes and silent-film concerts: the programme blends classical, jazz, world music and contemporary creation. Saint-Claude, France's capital of pipes and diamond cutting, is worth the trip on its own. May 31 marks closing day: farewell concerts, end-of-festival vibes, warm welcome from the volunteers.
Intermediate picks
Fleurs de Vigne in Irancy, Saint-Bris, Chitry (Yonne)
The annual gathering of Auxerre winemakers opens cellar doors on May 30-31. Nearly 90 estates welcome visitors across five wine villages: Irancy (pinot noir and césar), Saint-Bris-le-Vineux (Burgundy's only sauvignon AOC), Chitry, Coulanges-la-Vineuse and Escolives-Sainte-Camille. Free tastings, winemakers' lunches, cellar visits and walks through vineyards in bloom. A perfect weekend to discover this lesser-known appendix of Chablis country, where slopes and tufa rock recall the Loire more than the Côte. The exact programme of events varies from village to village.
Heures Musicales de Pontigny (Yonne)
The season just opened on May 25 in the magnificent setting of Pontigny's Cistercian abbey-church, the largest Cistercian abbey in the world. The May 30-31 weekend features its first major concerts: chamber music, choirs, organ and baroque ensembles resounding under the 12th-century pale stone vaults. The acoustics are world-famous — Charles Munch recorded here, and the tradition lives on. Before the summer peak, this is the perfect time to discover the venue without the crowds. Pontigny is also worth visiting for its intellectual history: Paul Desjardins held his famous Decades here between the wars.
Dé-lire en Revermont in Arbois (Jura)
From May 28 to 31, this literature and read-aloud festival spreads four days of encounters across Arbois, Champagnole, Poligny and Salins-les-Bains. Invited authors, public readings, literary concerts, writing workshops: the wordplay name fits perfectly. The free, community-run organisation comes from Lire au Cœur du Jura and Compagnie Le Porte Plume. Beyond books, it is a chance to wander the country of Pasteur, its vin jaune cellars and listed wine landscapes. Mixed audiences, friendly atmosphere, short distances between venues.
ROAFF in Ronchamp (Haute-Saône)
On May 29-30, the Ronchamp Open Air Filature Festival takes over a reclaimed industrial site: La Filature. Born in 2021 in the village famous for Le Corbusier's chapel, the festival serves two eclectic nights across rock, rap, electro and metal. The open-air stage, DIY spirit and volunteer welcome give it the feel of an emerging festival far removed from national mega-events. The Filature site itself is worth the visit — a notable textile industrial heritage and testament to Franche-Comté's working-class history.
Saône en Bulles in Farges-lès-Chalon (Saône-et-Loire)
Saône-et-Loire's comic book festival sets up shop on May 30-31 at the Salle des Jandelles. Dozens of authors and illustrators from across France and Europe sign books, exhibit and meet readers. The visitor-voted Comic of the Year award has become a respected industry barometer. Friendly, family-sized and on a human scale — the antithesis of Angoulême, and that is exactly what people come for. Farges-lès-Chalon, a small commune between vineyards and meadows, suits the format beautifully.
