Les Nourritures Élémentaires

Les Nourritures Élémentaires – Rabelais, wine and ideas

The festival Les Nourritures Élémentaires is a unique event in France that celebrates the heritage of François Rabelais, a native of the Chinon region and the first French author to have written about wine. Born in 2016, this multidisciplinary festival unfolds every autumn in the streets, cellars, and heritage sites of Chinon and the Rabelaisie, whose borders coincide with those of the AOC Chinon wine appellation.

A festival at the crossroads of knowledge and flavors

Each edition explores a theme drawn from Rabelaisian works – the giant, the farce, utopia, obscenity – through a contemporary and interdisciplinary lens. The festival invites writers, philosophers, historians, artists, and scientists to share their perspectives and knowledge in conferences, round tables, readings, and debates. This intellectual dimension is combined with a rich artistic program: concerts, theater performances, film screenings, exhibitions, and writing workshops.

The Caves Painctes and the grand banquet

The highlight of the festival is the grand banquet at the Caves Painctes, these underground galleries dug into the tuffeau stone and immortalized by Rabelais in his writings. This underground dinner-show offers food and Chinon wine pairings in a unique Rabelaisian atmosphere. Each festival event is accompanied by free tastings of AOC Chinon wines and meetings with winemakers from the different estates of the appellation.

A free and friendly festival

True to Rabelais's humanist spirit, the festival is entirely free (except for the banquet at the Caves Painctes). It aims to be accessible to all and promotes friendliness, sharing, and curiosity. The Syndicat des Vins de Chinon and numerous cultural and institutional partners support this event, which contributes to the influence of Chinon and its literary, wine, and gastronomic heritage.

Biennial editions

Since 2024, the festival has adopted a biennial rhythm. The 9th edition, dedicated to "Giants," was held in October-November 2024. The next edition will explore the theme of utopia in October 2026.