Festival Au Bonheur des Bistrots
The travelling festival that celebrates country bistros
About Au Bonheur des Bistrots
The Festival Au Bonheur des Bistrots is a travelling cultural event in the Pays de Chaumont, in Haute-Marne. Supported by the Syndicat Mixte du Pays de Chaumont with the labelled Bistrots de Pays in the communes of Andelot, Bricon, and Vouécourt, this convivial festival pays tribute to rural cafés, the true "parliaments of the people." From June to August, it offers chat evenings, travelling photographic exhibitions, and open-air Cinécyclo screenings. Free and open to all, it revives the spirit of the bistro as a place for social connection and sharing.
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Festival Au Bonheur des Bistrots: When Culture Takes Over the Bistros of Pays de Chaumont
The Festival Au Bonheur des Bistrots was born from a strong desire: to celebrate and keep alive the country bistros, these emblematic places in the French rural world that are disappearing. In France, the number of bistros has dropped from 200,000 in the 1960s to around 38,000 today. Faced with this reality, the Syndicat Mixte du Pays de Chaumont, in Haute-Marne, imagined a travelling festival that would restore these establishments to their historical role as places for meeting, debate, and conviviality.
A Travelling Festival in the Heart of Villages
The originality of the Festival Au Bonheur des Bistrots lies in its travelling and participatory format. Rather than concentrating in a single town, the festival moves from village to village, successively taking over the labelled Bistrots de Pays in the area: Le Cantarel in Andelot-Blancheville, L'Europe in Bricon, and Inattendues in Vouécourt. Each stop is an opportunity to discover a unique place, its history, its inhabitants, and the singular atmosphere that makes these rural establishments so charming.
Chat Evenings: Rediscovering the Art of Conversation
At the heart of the program, the chat evenings bring together authors, journalists, and bistro enthusiasts for a convivial meal. Among the festival's notable guests are Pierre Josse, former editor-in-chief of the Guide du Routard, and Pierrick Bourgault, author, journalist, and photographer, whose book Au bonheur des bistrots (published by La Martinière) inspired the festival's name. These evenings are true moments of sharing where readings, anecdotes, and discussions with the audience recreate the warm atmosphere of bistros of yesteryear.
Travelling Photographic Exhibitions
Each chat evening is accompanied by an open-air photographic exhibition, set up in the village squares. The black and white shots by Pierre Josse and the colourful photographs by Pierrick Bourgault pay tribute to the men and women who keep these establishments alive day after day. These striking portraits reveal the charm, humanity, and nostalgia of these irreplaceable places of life. The exhibitions remain visible for several weeks after each evening, allowing residents and visitors to discover them at their own pace.
Cinécyclo: Cinema Powered by Pedals
One of the festival's most original activities is Cinécyclo, an open-air cinema concept where the energy needed for projection is generated by the spectators themselves, by pedaling on bicycles. Free and open to all, Cinécyclo screens three short films on environmental and societal themes, set against the exceptional backdrop of the Pays de Chaumont landscapes. This fun and eco-responsible experience brings together young and old in a festive and relaxed atmosphere, at dusk, near the bistros.
A Tribute to Country Bistros
The festival is part of the national network of Bistrots de Pays, which labels cafés-restaurants committed to animating rural areas. In Pays de Chaumont, three establishments proudly bear this label and actively participate in the festival. These bistros are more than just places to eat: they are the beating heart of the villages, spaces for social connection where residents, artisans, farmers, and passing visitors mingle. The festival highlights their essential role in the vitality of rural territories.
French Chanson and Live Performance
Over the editions, the festival has enriched its program with French chanson concerts, storytelling performances, and comedy acts that extend the festive spirit of the evenings. These intimate performances, held within the bistros themselves or in the village squares, create a unique closeness between artists and the audience. The festival's participatory format invites everyone to contribute to the atmosphere, whether by singing, telling a story, or simply sharing a drink at the counter.
Au Bonheur des Bistrots — edition 2026
La deuxième édition du Festival Au Bonheur des Bistrots revient en Pays de Chaumont pour un nouvel été de rencontres, de culture et de convivialité dans les Bistrots de Pays de Haute-Marne. Le festival poursuit sa mission de valorisation des bistrots ruraux avec des soirées causeries, des expositions photographiques et des projections Cinécyclo.
Deuxième édition – Été 2026
Fort du succès de sa première édition, le Festival Au Bonheur des Bistrots revient pour un deuxième été en Pays de Chaumont. Du 5 juin au 8 août 2026, le festival investira à nouveau les Bistrots de Pays labellisés du territoire pour proposer un programme riche en rencontres, en culture et en convivialité.
Le Syndicat Mixte du Pays de Chaumont et ses partenaires préparent une programmation enrichie, avec de nouveaux invités, des expositions inédites et des animations participatives qui prolongeront l'esprit du festival. Les soirées causeries, les expositions photographiques itinérantes et les projections Cinécyclo seront de nouveau au rendez-vous, complétées par des concerts de chanson française, des spectacles de conte et des numéros d'humour dans l'enceinte des bistrots.
Le programme détaillé et les dates précises des événements seront annoncés au printemps 2026 sur le site du Syndicat Mixte du Pays de Chaumont et sur la page du festival sur le site des Bistrots de Pays.
Highlights Au Bonheur des Bistrots 2026
À retenir pour 2026
- Dates : du vendredi 5 juin au samedi 8 août 2026
- Deuxième édition du festival itinérant en Pays de Chaumont
- Soirées causeries, expositions photo et Cinécyclo dans les Bistrots de Pays
- Programmation enrichie avec chanson française, conte et humour
- Programme détaillé à venir au printemps 2026
Prices Au Bonheur des Bistrots 2026
Practical information — Au Bonheur des Bistrots
Practical Information
Dates and Locations
The Festival Au Bonheur des Bistrots takes place annually from early June to early August, with events spread over several weekends in the Bistrots de Pays of Pays de Chaumont. The festival is travelling and moves from village to village:
- Bistrot de Pays Le Cantarel – Andelot-Blancheville (52700)
- Bistrot de Pays L'Europe – Bricon (52400)
- Bistrot de Pays Inattendues – Vouécourt (52320)
Access and Transport
By car: Pays de Chaumont is accessible via the A5 motorway from Paris (approx. 2.5 hours), then by the RN67 or RN19 towards Chaumont. The villages of Andelot, Bricon, and Vouécourt are located within a 20 to 40 km radius of Chaumont. Free parking is available near each venue.
By train: Chaumont station is served by TER trains from Paris-Est (approx. 2.5 hours via TGV to Langres or direct TER), Dijon, and Troyes. From the station, a vehicle is necessary to reach the festival villages.
Prices
All cultural activities of the festival (photographic exhibitions, Cinécyclo screenings) are free and open to all. The chat evenings are offered as meal-chats; participation in the meal is paid (affordable price, booking recommended). Drinks at the bistro are at the participants' expense.
Times
Chat evenings generally start at 7:00 PM or 7:30 PM with the opening of the photographic exhibition, followed by the meal-chat. Cinécyclo screenings begin at dusk, around 9:30 PM - 10:00 PM, and last about 1.5 hours.
Food
The participating Bistrots de Pays offer quality catering highlighting local products and Haute-Marne specialties. It is recommended to book your place for the meal-chats with the respective bistro, as places are limited.
Accommodation
Several accommodation options are available in the Pays de Chaumont: hotels and B&Bs in Chaumont (15 to 40 minutes from the festival villages), rural gîtes in the surrounding communes, as well as campsites. The Pays de Chaumont Tourist Office can help you find suitable accommodation.
Accessibility
The organizers strive to make the festival accessible to everyone. Open-air exhibitions are accessible to people with reduced mobility. For indoor events, it is advisable to contact the bistro in advance to check accessibility conditions.
Contact
For any further information, please contact the Syndicat Mixte du Pays de Chaumont:
- Address: 40 bis avenue Foch, 52000 Chaumont
- Phone: 03 25 35 36 94
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: pays-chaumont.com
Practical Tips
- Remember to book for the meal-chats, as places are limited.
- Bring warm clothing for the open-air evening screenings.
- The photographic exhibitions remain visible for several weeks: enjoy them even outside the evening dates.
- The festival is family-friendly and open to all ages.
- Consult the Bistrots de Pays website for the detailed program and updates.
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Where does it take place — Au Bonheur des Bistrots
Bistrots de Pays du Pays de Chaumont
40 bis avenue Foch, 52000 Chaumont