Grand Pardon de Chaumont

A jubilee born in the 15th century

The Grand Pardon de Chaumont traces its origins to a papal bull signed on February 8, 1475, by Pope Sixtus IV, at the request of Jean de Montmirel, a Chaumont native close to the Roman Curia. This exceptional document grants perpetual plenary indulgence to all the faithful who, whenever the feast of Saint John the Baptist (June 24th) falls on a Sunday, visit the Saint-Jean-Baptiste collegiate church, confess, and receive communion. Chaumont is the only city in the world to benefit from such a papal privilege.

A unique calendar rhythm

The Grand Pardon is celebrated according to a calendar cycle of 6, 5, 6, and 11 years, corresponding to the years when June 24th falls on a Sunday. Since 1475, 81 editions have been held up to 2018. Only once in its history, in 1798, was the Grand Pardon not celebrated, as the revolutionary calendar no longer included Sundays.

The grand procession and the "diableries"

On the Sunday of the Grand Pardon, a grand procession travels through the city streets, stopping at several stations known as "montres" or theaters, where the life of Saint John the Baptist is depicted through works called Mysteries, featuring a repertoire of 15 plays. These sacred and secular performances, sometimes burlesque in nature, are known as "diableries" and have been drawing crowds for centuries.

Spectacular street floral displays

One of the most iconic traditions of the Grand Pardon is the floral decoration of the streets of Chaumont. For two years, hundreds of volunteers craft over 250,000 crepe paper flowers and 20 kilometers of garlands, which are installed overnight from June 22nd to 23rd to create a morning surprise. Each street features a specific color code, turning the historic center into an unparalleled floral wonderland.

Remarkable collective effort

The decoration committee coordinates the creation of thousands of flowers, kilometers of garlands, and numerous chandeliers installed in public spaces. The city's technical services maintain a plan for securing the cables that support the garlands and coordinate with property owners to hang them, allowing Chaumont to don its colorful floral attire.

Religious and secular festivities

The Grand Pardon blends religious celebrations—solemn masses, processions, and pilgrimages to the basilica—with secular festivities organized by around forty social, cultural, and religious associations. The program spans several months, from the first Sunday of Advent until June 24th, featuring concerts, exhibitions, lectures, film discussions, and shows.

The flower-decked float parade

The Grand Pardon Association, created in 2001, organizes the parade of richly decorated floats, which is one of the highlights of the festival. Cavalcades, costumed parades, music, and street performances punctuate the festivities and shine a spotlight on the city of Chaumont.

Recognized heritage

Since October 1, 2018, the Grand Pardon de Chaumont has been listed in the Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage in France. An application is currently underway with UNESCO to have the Grand Pardon inscribed as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, a testament to the exceptional reach of this centuries-old tradition.

On the road to the 2029 Grand Pardon

The next edition of the Grand Pardon is set for the weekend of Saturday, June 23rd and Sunday, June 24th, 2029, eleven years after the 2018 edition: this is the next time the feast of Saint John the Baptist falls on a Sunday. No edition will take place in 2026, 2027, or 2028.

Preparations have been underway for a long time. The Grand Pardon Association, chaired by Béatrice Jehlé, is already mobilizing about 200 people: about fifteen volunteers in each of the eight committees in charge of different aspects of the festival, in addition to the participants of the flower workshops. Every Tuesday, these busy hands assemble the crepe paper flowers petal by petal to adorn the city streets. The pace shows the scale of the task: at ten pom-poms per session, it takes 380 sessions to reach the goal of 3,800 flowers for a single workshop, even though there are only 52 Tuesdays in a year.

The theme for the 2029 edition has already been decided: "Through forgiveness, dare to seek peace." The detailed program is expected by the end of 2028, as the year of the Grand Pardon begins on the first Sunday of Advent preceding it—December 3, 2028.

Basilica under renovation

At the heart of the event, the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Basilica has been undergoing extensive renovations since the early 2020s: securing the structure, managing rainwater, and preserving painted decorations. The project, which is larger than expected, will span about fifteen years and will not be completed by 2029. However, the city has organized its work schedule around the festival: the structural safety operations will be finished in time for the June 2029 festivities.

550 years of the papal bull

In February 2025, Chaumont celebrates the 550th anniversary of the bull of Sixtus IV with three events: a vigil at the Notre-Dame-du-Rosaire church on February 1st, led by about fifty young people aged 5 to 17; a lecture by Elisabeth Charron, director of the departmental archives, at the Espace Bouchardon on February 7th; and a thanksgiving mass at the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Basilica on February 9th. These anniversary festivities kick off the long preparation for the 2029 Grand Pardon.