Just'Rosé Festival

Sanary-sur-Mer: Capital of Provençal Rosé

Sanary-sur-Mer, a fishing port with colorful facades and turquoise waters on the Var coast, transforms every early May into the Provençal rosé capital for the Just'Rosé Festival. For three days, the port, pedestrian streets, and town squares are covered in pink—the color of Provence—to welcome dozens of Côtes de Provence wineries and thousands of wine lovers.

Provence is the world's leading producer of rosé, with over 150 million bottles per year, a large portion under the Côtes de Provence AOP appellation. Provençal rosé, recognizable by its pale color with salmon hues, is renowned for its freshness, aromatic finesse, and gastronomic versatility. The emblematic grape varieties—Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, Mourvèdre, Tibouren—yield wines with varied aromatic profiles, ranging from fresh red fruit notes to floral and spicy aromas.

The Just'Rosé Festival: Ten Years of Rosé and Conviviality

The Just'Rosé Festival was born from the initiative of the association Just'Sanary, a federation of Sanary-sur-Mer merchants, to promote Provençal rosé in a festive and convivial setting. Since its first edition, the festival has grown to become a major event on the Provençal wine calendar, attracting thousands of visitors each year from across France and abroad.

The 10th edition, scheduled from May 8 to 10, 2026, marks a special anniversary. For this special edition, the organizers have announced an enriched program with even more participating estates, new activities, and an expanded Gourmet Village. The festival is organized around the port of Sanary and the pedestrian streets of the town center, transformed into an open-air tasting and convivial space.

Wineries and Tastings

The heart of the festival consists of the winery stands. Dozens of producers from Côtes de Provence—from the main appellation as well as Bandol, Coteaux Varois en Provence, and Côtes de Provence Sainte-Victoire appellations—present their vintage rosés. Visitors, equipped with their tasting pass (glass and tokens included), discover the different expressions of Provençal rosé at their own pace: pale and fine rosés, structured and gastronomic rosés, organic rosés, and high-end cuvées.

The winemakers present passionately explain their winemaking methods, the characteristics of their terroir, and the food pairings for their cuvées. This direct interaction between producers and consumers is one of the festival's great added values, allowing wine lovers to forge privileged relationships with the estates and order directly from the property.

The Gourmet Village, Rose en Scène, and Just'Kids

The Gourmet Village brings together restaurateurs and gastronomic producers offering food and rosé pairings: cheese platters, Provençal charcuterie, Mediterranean tapas, oysters, seafood, and culinary creations inspired by the flavors of rosé. These gustatory combinations allow for the exploration of the natural complementarity between Provence rosé wines and Mediterranean gastronomy.

Rose en Scène is the program of free concerts and entertainment that takes place throughout the festival. Live music bands, DJ sets, street performances, and dance shows create a festive and Mediterranean atmosphere around the port. The eclectic music scene—jazz, pop, electro, world music—contributes to the event's unique ambiance.

Just'Kids, the area dedicated to children, offers creative workshops, games, and educational activities about vines and grapes, allowing families to fully enjoy the festival. This family dimension is a strong characteristic of Just'Rosé, which aims to be an event open to all, not exclusively reserved for connoisseurs.

Commitment to Responsible Consumption

The Just'Rosé Festival stands out for its strong commitment to responsible alcohol consumption. Free shuttles are provided from the main towns on the Var coast to allow visitors to come without their cars. Free breathalyzers are available at the festival exit. Staff members raise visitors' awareness about the importance of not driving after consuming alcohol. This initiative, supported by the organizers since the early editions, illustrates the desire to promote rosé as a pleasure to share, with respect for oneself and others.