Onion Fair of Villeneuve-la-Guyard
The great popular festival of the last weekend of August centered around the onion in the Sénonais region
About Onion Fair
Every last weekend of August, Villeneuve-la-Guyard (89340) celebrates the onion of its region with this traditional fair created in 1977. For two days, the town center comes alive with a flea market, a funfair, a local produce market, and an onion peeling contest. A brass band, a show evening, and conviviality make this summer event one of the highlights of the summer in the Sénonais.
Travel to this festival
Book your train or bus to reach Onion Fair at the best price.
Sponsored link
The Onion Fair: Half a Century of Tradition in the Sénonais
Since 1977, every last weekend of August, Villeneuve-la-Guyard (89340) transforms into the onion capital. The Onion Fair, organized by the commune's Culture and Festivals Committee, is one of the most popular rural festivals in the Yonne department: it brings together residents, market gardeners, artisans, and visitors around an emblematic vegetable of the Sénonais agricultural plain.
It's no coincidence that this fair originated in Villeneuve-la-Guyard. The town, nestled in the Seine valley on the border between the Yonne and Seine-et-Marne departments, benefits from particularly fertile alluvial land suitable for market gardening. Farmers in this region have long cultivated vegetables, onions, and cereals on the rich silt deposited by the river, supplying the markets of Sens and surrounding towns. The fair was created to celebrate and promote this local production, bringing together producers and consumers in a spirit of celebration and sharing.
A Rich Program Over Two Days
The Onion Fair takes over the heart of Villeneuve-la-Guyard across several emblematic streets and spaces: the Town Hall Square, the Grande Rue, the rue Chauveau, and the avenue des Promenades. The entire town center buzzes with non-stop activity for two days.
Saturday: A Fanfare Opening
Saturday begins at 8:00 AM with the setup of exhibitors along the village streets. At 10:00 AM, the official opening takes place at the Town Hall Square to the sound of the Fanfare de l'Espérance Varennoise, which leads a festive parade through the streets. Speeches by officials and an inaugural cocktail at the Salle des Fêtes mark the grand launch of the event.
During the day, the local produce market hosts local producers and food artisans. Seasonal vegetables, fresh and storage onions, oils, cheeses, jams, wines, and craft beers are displayed on the stalls, offering a gourmet panorama of local agriculture. Visitors can taste and buy directly from producers, in the great tradition of French rural fairs.
In the afternoon, sports and community activities take over: demonstrations and introductory sessions by local clubs, a dog show always popular with the public, exhibitions of painting and patchwork, and the unmissable onion peeling contest, which elicits laughter and tears in a good-natured atmosphere.
On Saturday evening, the Promenades transform into a festive stage with the show evening: a convivial meal featuring steaming onion soup and grilled meats, followed by a two-part show—a musical performance and a ball—that extends the celebration until late at night.
Sunday: Activities and Award Ceremony
On Sunday, the fair continues with renewed vigor. The flea market and second-hand sale attract bargain hunters from the early hours, while the funfair delights the children. At 2:30 PM, new musical entertainment boosts the atmosphere. The award ceremony for the onion peeling contest takes place at 4:30 PM, before the official closing at 6:00 PM, after enjoying one last plate of fries-merguez or a good onion soup.
The Onion, King Vegetable of the Sénonais
In the collective imagination of the Sens region and its surrounding towns, the onion holds a special place. Cultivated for centuries on the light, well-drained soils of the Seine valley and the Sénonais plateaus, it is a benchmark market garden crop in this part of northern Burgundy. The diversity of varieties grown—storage yellow onions, sweet red onions, spring white onions—testifies to the agronomic richness of this terroir.
The Onion Fair of Villeneuve-la-Guyard is thus much more than just a festive event: it is a living reflection of a local agricultural identity, a tribute to the market gardeners who tirelessly cultivate this humble and essential vegetable, and a strong symbol of the bond between the town's inhabitants and their nurturing land. Each edition perpetuates this collective memory and strengthens the sense of belonging to a rich and authentic territory.
A Village Festival in the Finest French Tradition
The Onion Fair belongs to that enviable category of popular rural festivals that add flavor to summer in France. Without artifice or over-media attention, it brings together several thousand people each year—locals, families, passing tourists—in an atmosphere of sincere conviviality. The volunteers of the Culture and Festivals Committee, committed year-round, ensure impeccable organization, from welcoming exhibitors to the logistics of the show evening. Their dedication is the secret to the longevity of this event which, after nearly fifty years, remains a timeless fixture on the Yonne's festive calendar.
Villeneuve-la-Guyard itself is worth a visit: a town of some 1,700 inhabitants, it is ideally located between Sens (20 km north) and Montereau-Fault-Yonne (15 km west), at the confluence of Burgundian and Île-de-France influences. The parish church, the banks of the Seine, and the surrounding hiking trails nicely complement a visit during the fair.
Onion Fair — edition 2026
The 48th Onion Fair of Villeneuve-la-Guyard will take place on August 29 and 30, 2026. Two days of popular festival in the town center: flea market, local produce market, funfair, onion peeling contest, brass band, exhibitions, and sports activities. On Saturday evening, a show and ball at Les Promenades. Free entry for this traditional Sénonais fair created in 1977.
48th Onion Fair - August 29 and 30, 2026
On August 29 and 30, 2026, Villeneuve-la-Guyard (89340) will celebrate the 48th edition of its Onion Fair, an unmissable event on the last weekend of August in the Sénonais region. Organized by the Culture and Festivals Committee, this popular event takes over the town center for two festive and convivial days.
Saturday, August 29, 2026
The day begins at 8:00 AM with the setup of exhibitors for the flea market and second-hand sale on Grande Rue and rue Chauveau. At 10:00 AM, the official opening takes place at the Town Hall Square to the sound of the Fanfare de l'Espérance Varennoise, which parades through the village streets before the inaugural cocktail at the Salle des Fêtes.
During the day, the local produce market brings together local producers (onions, vegetables, cheeses, jams, wines, craft beers) and food artisans. Sports and community activities from local clubs, the dog show, painting and patchwork exhibitions, and the iconic onion peeling contest animate Les Promenades and the surrounding areas.
In the evening, starting at 7:00 PM, the grand show evening takes place at Les Promenades: a convivial meal (onion soup, grilled meats, fries), followed by a musical show and a ball, in a festive atmosphere that brings families and friends together until late in the evening.
Sunday, August 30, 2026
The flea market and second-hand sale resume in the morning, accompanied by the funfair that delights children. At 2:30 PM, musical entertainment boosts the atmosphere. The highlight of the day arrives at 4:30 PM with the award ceremony for the onion peeling contest, a moment of lightness and humor that is highly anticipated. The fair officially closes at 6:00 PM.
Why Come to the 2026 Onion Fair?
- Buy onions and vegetables directly from local producers in the Sénonais region
- Participate in the onion peeling contest, an irresistible moment of good humor
- Hunt for bargains at the flea market and second-hand sale in an authentic village setting
- Enjoy the Saturday evening show: meal, music, and ball
- Discover local exhibitions (painting, patchwork) and activities from associations
- Experience a free popular festival rooted in Burgundian tradition since 1977
Programme Onion Fair 2026
Saturday, August 29, 2026
- 8:00 AM: Exhibitors open (flea market, local produce market)
- 10:00 AM: Official opening at Town Hall Square with parade by the Fanfare de l'Espérance Varennoise — official speeches and inaugural cocktail at the Salle des Fêtes
- Daytime: Local producer market, flea market, second-hand sale, funfair, painting and patchwork exhibitions, sports and dog show activities, onion peeling contest
- 7:00 PM: Evening at Les Promenades — convivial meal (onion soup, grilled meats), musical show, and ball
Sunday, August 30, 2026
- 8:00 AM: Opening (flea market, funfair, market)
- 2:30 PM: Musical entertainment
- 4:30 PM: Award ceremony for the onion peeling contest
- 6:00 PM: Closing of the Onion Fair
Highlights Onion Fair 2026
- Onion peeling contest open to all
- Local producer market (onions, vegetables, cheeses, wines)
- Parade by the Fanfare de l'Espérance Varennoise
- Saturday evening show and ball at Les Promenades
- Flea market and second-hand sale over two days
- Funfair and activities for children
- Painting and patchwork exhibitions
- Free entry
Prices Onion Fair 2026
Practical information — Onion Fair
Practical Information
Location
The Onion Fair is held outdoors in the center of Villeneuve-la-Guyard (89340), along several streets of the town:
- Town Hall Square (official opening, activities)
- Grande Rue and rue Chauveau (flea market, second-hand sale, exhibitors)
- Avenue des Promenades (show evening, musical entertainment)
- Salle des Fêtes (inaugural cocktail)
Access
- By car: From Paris, take the A6 towards Lyon, exit at Montereau-Fault-Yonne, then take the D606 towards Sens (approx. 80 km, 1 hour). From Sens, take the N6 / D606 towards Montereau (approx. 20 km, 25 min).
- By train: Montereau-Fault-Yonne station (Paris-Lyon Transilien line), then taxi or bicycle (15 km). Sens station (TER Bourgogne), then bus or car (20 km).
- Parking: Free parking on the outskirts of the town center. Plan to arrive early on Saturday morning to find a spot close to the activities.
Hours
- Saturday: Exhibitors open from 8:00 AM — Official opening at Town Hall Square at 10:00 AM with parade by the Fanfare de l'Espérance Varennoise — Show evening and meal at Les Promenades from 7:00 PM
- Sunday: Opens from 8:00 AM — Musical entertainment at 2:30 PM — Award ceremony at 4:30 PM — Closing at 6:00 PM
Admission
Access to the fair, activities, and flea market is free. The Saturday evening show may involve a contribution for the meal. The funfair and food stalls are pay-as-you-go.
On-site Catering
Traditional onion soup, merguez sausages with fries, grilled meats, drinks. Catering provided by local associations on both days.
Contact
- Comité Culture et Fêtes de Villeneuve-la-Guyard
- Phone: 03 86 66 42 97
- Email: [email protected]
- Town Hall Website: www.villeneuve-la-guyard.fr
Practical Tips
- Arrive early on Saturday morning for the best deals at the flea market and to find parking.
- Bring cash for purchases from producers and for food.
- The onion peeling contest is open to all—remember to register with the festival committee.
- The Saturday evening event is very popular: book in advance if a table meal is offered.
- In case of rain, some activities may move indoors to the Salle des Fêtes.
Festival-goer photos
No photo yet. Share yours!
Share your photos
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
Festival-goer reviews
No rating yet — be the first!
No review yet. Be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community
Travel to this festival
Book your train or bus to reach Onion Fair at the best price.
Sponsored link
Where does it take place — Onion Fair
Centre-bourg de Villeneuve-la-Guyard
Place de l'Hôtel de Ville, 89340 Villeneuve-la-Guyard