Fête de Cormeilles-en-Parisis

The Fête de Cormeilles-en-Parisis, between vineyards and quarries

The Fête de Cormeilles-en-Parisis is the annual festive event for the inhabitants of this unique commune in the Val-d'Oise, perched on the limestone heights overlooking the Seine valley. Organized by the municipality and local associations, this popular celebration highlights the exceptional natural and cultural heritage of a town whose history is intimately linked to viticulture and gypsum extraction.

Cormeilles-en-Parisis is a commune of about 24,000 inhabitants belonging to the Val Parisis urban community. The town is distinguished by its marked relief — the heights of Cormeilles culminate at over 190 meters above sea level — and by its gypsum subsoil, exploited for centuries to produce Parisian plaster. These gypsum quarries, some of which are now rehabilitated as natural spaces, constitute a unique geological heritage in the Île-de-France region.

The Cormeilles vineyard, a thousand-year-old wine heritage

Cormeilles-en-Parisis is one of the few communes in the Île-de-France region to have maintained an active vineyard. The Cormeilles hillsides, south-facing above the Seine valley, have been cultivated with vines since the Middle Ages. The wine of Cormeilles, appreciated at the court of the kings of France and the princes of the Church, brought fame to the commune until the 19th century.

Today, the municipality maintains the municipal vines and organizes a grape harvest festival every autumn to celebrate this wine heritage. During the summer festival, a market for Île-de-France wines and a tasting of Cormeilles wines allow residents and visitors to (re)discover this little-known Parisian vineyard. These gastronomic and wine events are one of the originalities of the Fête de Cormeilles.

Open-air concerts and shows

The Fête de Cormeilles-en-Parisis offers a program of concerts and shows that liven up the town's parks and squares during the summer. The town hall park and other green spaces host concerts of French variety music, jazz, and world music. These free open-air events take advantage of Cormeilles' exceptional natural setting — the views of the Seine and Paris on clear days are striking — to offer a unique musical experience.

The Fête de la Musique on June 21st traditionally opens the festive season in Cormeilles-en-Parisis. The shopping streets and squares transform into open stages for amateur and professional musicians, in a friendly festive atmosphere that brings residents together around their passion for music.

The National Day on July 14th

The National Day is celebrated in Cormeilles-en-Parisis with a festive program that brings families together. A popular dance led by an orchestra or DJ precedes the fireworks display launched from the heights of the commune, offering a pyrotechnic show visible from a great distance thanks to Cormeilles' altitude and topography. This "high-altitude" fireworks display is one of the most beautiful in the area and attracts spectators from neighboring communes.

Hikes and discovery of natural heritage

The summer festival is also an opportunity to offer residents guided hikes in the old vineyards and in the rehabilitated gypsum quarries. These guided walks allow visitors to discover the geological and historical heritage of the commune in a preserved natural setting. The sensitive natural areas of the Hauts de Cormeilles, classified by the General Council of the Val-d'Oise, are places of remarkable biodiversity that deserve to be known and protected.

Nature outings organized by environmental associations also allow for the observation of the fauna and flora of the limestone hillsides, natural habitats of great richness home to rare plant and animal species in the Île-de-France region.

Neighborhood festivals and associative life

Neighborhood festivals organized in the different sectors of Cormeilles-en-Parisis complement the central events. These local festivities allow residents to gather in an intimate and friendly setting, around a shared meal or a sporting activity. They reflect the associative vitality of a commune where numerous sports, cultural, and social associations liven up local life throughout the year.