Witches' Festival of Chalindrey
The Great Halloween Coven at Fort du Cognelot
2026
About Witches' Festival
The Fête des Sorcières (Witches' Festival) in Chalindrey takes place in late October at the Fort du Cognelot, an 1877 military structure now owned by the Communauté de communes des Savoir-Faire. Inspired by local legends surrounding the devil Foulletot and the 1598 trial of the sorcerer Clément Rabiet, the event has been running since 1999. It features a Halloween market with around 60 exhibitors, live performances, children's workshops, and the traditional 'witches' bread' baked in the fort's own oven in Haute-Marne.
Witches' Festival — edition 2026
The 28th Witches' Festival (Fête des Sorcières) takes place on October 24 and 25, 2026, at the Fort du Cognelot in Chalindrey. Passe-Partout, from Fort Boyard, will be the guest of honor on Sunday, performing a rock-blues concert at 1:00 PM followed by an autograph session until 6:00 PM. Throughout both days, enjoy magic, fakir, and vampire clown shows, fire juggling, stilt-walking performances, face painting and balloon sculpting workshops, and a market featuring 60 exhibitors.
28th edition, October 24 and 25, 2026
The L'Effort du Cognelot association is hosting the 28th Witches' Festival on October 24 and 25, 2026, at the Fort du Cognelot, owned by the Communauté de communes des Savoir-Faire. The fort is open from 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM on Saturday and from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Sunday.
Passe-Partout, Sunday's special guest
Passe-Partout, a guide at Fort Boyard since 1990, will perform a rock-blues set on Sunday, October 25 at 1:00 PM. He will then host an autograph session from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM, sharing anecdotes about Fort Boyard and taking selfies with fans. His agent, Patrick Grosjean, signed the contract on June 4, 2026, at the Chalindrey town hall.
Market, workshops, and bread oven
Sixty exhibitors will set up shop in the fort's rooms, offering costume jewelry, home decor, handmade clothing, local delicacies, and Halloween accessories. The fort's oven will be firing up to bake traditional wood-fired witch bread, brioches, and various sweet and savory treats. Food and drinks are provided by the L'Effort du Cognelot association. The association's new board, installed in the spring of 2026, also announced in June that a public escape game will be available, along with wooden games placed throughout the fort's alcoves.
Highlights Witches' Festival 2026
- Passe-Partout, from Fort Boyard, guest of honor on Sunday, October 25: rock-blues concert at 1:00 PM, followed by an autograph session from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM
- 28th edition, held in the rooms of the Fort Vercingétorix
- Four shows by Magix Silli: magic, vampire clown, fakir, and fire juggling
- Market with 60 exhibitors and the fort's traditional bread oven
Programme Witches' Festival 2026
Saturday, October 24, 2026 — Open from 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM
- 2:45 PM — Stilt-walking performance by Emilie Lucotte (1st set)
- 3:00 PM — Magic show by Magix Silli
- 4:00 PM — Stilt-walking performance by Emilie Lucotte (2nd set)
- 4:30 PM — Vampire clown show by Magix Silli
- 5:00 PM — Stilt-walking performance by Emilie Lucotte (3rd set)
- 6:30 PM — Fire juggling show by Magix Silli
Sunday, October 25, 2026 — Open from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
- 11:00 AM — Magic show by Magix Silli
- 1:00 PM — Musical performance by Passe-Partout, featuring a rock-blues repertoire
- 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM — Autograph session with Passe-Partout
- 2:15 PM — Stilt-walking performance by Emilie Lucotte
- 3:00 PM — Fakir show by Magix Silli
- 4:00 PM — Stilt-walking performance by Emilie Lucotte (final set)
- 5:00 PM — Vampire clown show by Magix Silli
Ongoing, Saturday and Sunday from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM
- The Balloon Cauldron, balloon sculpting by Flip Flop
- The Enchanted Faces workshop, face painting for kids with Zoé and Cicié&Cie: glam vampire, demonic doll, skull, scars
All weekend long
- Exhibitor market: 60 vendors inside the fort's rooms — costume jewelry, decorative items, handmade clothing, local produce, and Halloween accessories
- Fort bread oven: wood-fired witch bread, brioches, and sweet and savory treats
- Wooden games set up in the fort's alcoves
- Exhibition by the Conservatoire d'espaces naturels de Champagne-Ardenne
- Public escape game, to be announced in June by the organizing association
- Refreshments and food available on-site, managed by the L'Effort du Cognelot association
Prices Witches' Festival 2026
Practical information — Witches' Festival
Location
Fort du Cognelot (also known as Fort Vercingétorix) in Chalindrey (52600). The fort is perched on the Cognelot ridge between Chalindrey and Langres.
Dates and times
The festival takes place over a weekend in late October. In 2026, it will be held on October 24th and 25th:
- Saturday, October 24: 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM
- Sunday, October 25: 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
2026 Admission
- Free for children under 12
- €5 for ages 12 and up
- Family Pack: €8 (2 adults + children under 12)
Food and drink
Refreshments and snacks are prepared and served on-site by the L'Effort du Cognelot association. The fort's oven produces traditional wood-fired 'witches' bread.'
On-site tips
The fort contains stairs and partially underground rooms: please wear comfortable shoes and bring warm clothing.
Contact
- L'Effort du Cognelot Association (exhibitors): [email protected]
- Communauté de communes des Savoir-Faire, 16 rue de la Libération, 52600 Chalindrey — +33 3 25 88 82 03
- Official website: www.fetedessorcieres.fr
A military fort taken over by witches
In late October, the Fort du Cognelot—also known as Fort Vercingétorix—hosts the Fête des Sorcières. Built between 1874 and 1877 on a ridge between Chalindrey and Langres, the site features over 15 exhibition rooms that house the festival's vendors, decorations, and entertainment.
A legend rooted in local history
The festival draws from local Haute-Marne folklore. According to legend, the devil, nicknamed 'le Foulletot,' lived on the Cognelot hill, where he would appear in red clothing to preside over the witches' sabbath. In 1598, a local man named Clément Rabiet was declared a sorcerer and executed for boasting about meeting the devil. This trial earned Chalindrey its reputation as the 'land of sorcerers.' The festival has been held since 1999; the 2023 edition marked its 25th anniversary, and 2026 will be its 28th.
A Halloween market within the fort's walls
Around 60 exhibitors set up shop over the two-day event, selling costume jewelry, decorative items, handmade clothing, local produce, and Halloween accessories. A local baker crafts 'witches' bread' in the fort's oven, alongside a variety of sweet and savory brioches and treats.
Performances and workshops
The program varies from year to year. Expect to encounter fantastic creatures (werewolves, elves, fairies, clowns), live music, magic shows, acrobatics, face painting, and balloon sculpting workshops, as well as exhibitions by the Conservatoire d'espaces naturels de Champagne-Ardenne.
A festival powered by volunteers
The Communauté de communes des Savoir-Faire, which owns the fort, entrusts the organization to the local association L'Effort du Cognelot. Fort Vercingétorix has been listed in the supplementary inventory of historical monuments since November 5, 2010. Decommissioned around 1935, it now serves as a sanctuary for bats, surrounded by dry grasslands classified as a natural area of faunistic and floristic interest.
Where does it take place — Witches' Festival
Witches' Festival in brief
History of Witches' Festival
Edition 2025 Oct 2025Other festivals near Chalindrey
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