Week-end Gourmand du Chat Perché
The great festival of Doloise and Franche-Comté gastronomy
2026
About Chat Perché
The Week-end Gourmand du Chat Perché is the premier gastronomic event in the Jura region. Every year in late September, from Friday to Sunday, producers, food artisans, chefs, and winemakers from Bourgogne-Franche-Comté set up their gourmet villages in the historic Renaissance center of Dole. Admission is free; the Tasting Pass guides visitors from cloister to cloister for a multi-course meal. The weekend also features food-themed performances, a children's area, and a career forum for middle school students on Friday. The organizers expect 55,000 visitors for the 2025 edition.
Chat Perché — edition 2026
The 12th edition of the Week-end Gourmand du Chat Perché takes place in Dole from Friday, September 25th to Sunday, September 27th, 2026. This year, the Beaujolais region and the town of Charolles are the guests of honor, with Nelson Monfort serving as the event's patron. Over 175 producers, artisans, and winemakers from Bourgogne-Franche-Comté will set up shop in the narrow streets of the historic center, along the Canal des Tanneurs, and at the foot of the Collégiale Notre-Dame. Friday is reserved for a career forum for students, while the gourmet villages and tasting areas open to the public on Saturday the 26th and Sunday the 27th.
12th Edition: September 25th to 27th, 2026
The Week-end Gourmand du Chat Perché returns to Dole from Friday, September 25th to Sunday, September 27th, 2026. Friday is dedicated to a career forum for students, while the gourmet villages and tasting experiences open to the public on Saturday and Sunday in the protected historic sector of Vieux Dole, along the Canal des Tanneurs and at the foot of the Collégiale Notre-Dame.
2026 Guests of Honor
The Beaujolais region is our guest, showcasing its twelve appellations, white wines, wine-based cocktails, and the traditional "mâchon beaujolais". Charolles, in Saône-et-Loire, is the guest town, bringing its AOP Charolais beef and cheese, sausages, rillettes, 100% Charolais beef hot dogs, and famous pottery. Both delegations will be hosted at the Place Nationale in the Village Gourmand des Invités.
Producers, Chefs, and Artisans
175 exhibitors from Bourgogne-Franche-Comté are expected. The Tasting Pass, limited to 5,000 copies, guides visitors from cloister to cloister for a multi-course meal featuring thirty local artisans, including caterers, restaurateurs, pastry chefs, cheesemakers, and winemakers. Frédéric Doucet (Maison Doucet, Charolles) and Romain Barthe (Auberge de Clochemerle, Vaux-en-Beaujolais) will join Jura-based chefs Joël Cesari, Laurent Barberot, Romuald Fassenet, and Vivien Sonzogni for the banquet, pop-up restaurants, and culinary demonstrations.
Shows, Entertainment, and Forum
The organizers have announced 30 gastronomy-themed shows, a children's area, and pop-up restaurants. Nelson Monfort is the patron of this 12th edition. On Friday the 25th, the "From Field to Plate!" forum will welcome middle school students starting at 9:00 AM to explore careers in food, tourism, hospitality, and agriculture. The event drew 55,000 visitors in 2025.
Highlights Chat Perché 2026
- 12th edition, from Friday, September 25th to Sunday, September 27th, 2026 — public events on the 26th and 27th, student forum on the 25th
- Nelson Monfort, patron of the edition
- Guests of honor: Beaujolais and the town of Charolles, hosted at Place Nationale
- 175 producers, artisans, and winemakers from Bourgogne-Franche-Comté
- Tasting Pass for 23 €, limited to 5,000 copies, touring the cloisters of Vieux Dole
- Chefs at the banquet and pop-up restaurants: Frédéric Doucet, Romain Barthe, Joël Cesari, Laurent Barberot, Romuald Fassenet, Vivien Sonzogni
- "Colors and Grape Varieties" blending workshops at the Musée des Beaux-Arts, five sessions over the weekend
Programme Chat Perché 2026
Friday, September 25th, 2026
- From 9:00 AM — "From Field to Plate!" Career Forum, a day reserved for students: exploring careers in food, tourism, hospitality, and agriculture with professionals and training institutions from Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. Organized by the Association Gourmande du Chat Perché and Les Produits Gourmands de Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, with the support of the Ministry of Education.
Saturday, September 26th, 2026
- 10:00 AM — "Colors and Grape Varieties", a wine blending workshop with the Fruitière vinicole d'Arbois combined with an art discovery tour · Musée des Beaux-Arts · 1h30 · 22 € · adults only, very small groups, take home your own blended bottle · booking at Dole Tourisme, Place Grévy, or on the festival website
- 11:45 AM - 12:45 PM — Pop-up restaurant "1 Chef, 1 Product, 1 Wine": Guillaume Ferrier, restaurant La Comédie in Lons-le-Saunier · Chapelle des Jésuites · 14 €
- 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM — Pop-up restaurant: Léa Senot and Clément Bourdiaux, restaurant Vert Feuille in Arc-et-Senans · Chapelle des Jésuites · 14 €
- 2:00 PM — "Colors and Grape Varieties" · Musée des Beaux-Arts · 1h30 · 22 €
- 4:00 PM — "Colors and Grape Varieties" · Musée des Beaux-Arts · 1h30 · 22 €
- 6:00 PM — "Colors and Grape Varieties" · Musée des Beaux-Arts · 1h30 · 22 €
Sunday, September 27th, 2026
- 11:45 AM - 12:45 PM — Pop-up restaurant "1 Chef, 1 Product, 1 Wine": Vivien Sonzogni, La Table du Grapiot in Pupillin · Chapelle des Jésuites · 14 €
- 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM — Pop-up restaurant: Laurent Barberot, La Chaumière in Dole · Chapelle des Jésuites · 14 €
- 2:00 PM — "Colors and Grape Varieties", blending workshop · Musée des Beaux-Arts · 1h30 · 22 €
Saturday, September 26th and Sunday, September 27th — Ongoing and by reservation
- Gourmet villages with free access in the historic center: 175 producers, artisans, and winemakers from Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, from the streets of Vieux Dole to the Canal des Tanneurs and the foot of the Collégiale Notre-Dame
- Village Gourmand des Invités, Place Nationale: specialties from Charolles and the Destination Beaujolais, dining area at the foot of the Collégiale, and the Chat Perché refreshment bar. Free entry, no pre-order required
- Chat Perché Gourmet Menus in partner restaurants and cafés in Dole and the surrounding area, featuring homemade Burgundian and Franc-Comtois products · booking highly recommended
- Tasting Pass — 23 € · a journey through the cloisters of the Vieux Dole protected sector. The official site describes five stops: Hôtel-Dieu (appetizers), the Dames d'Ounans cloister, opened by the Lycée Charles Nodier (gourmet bites), the main courtyard of the Collège Notre-Dame de Mont-Roland (cheeses), the Collège de l'Arc courtyard (sweet treats and organic yogurt), and the Visitation cloister (coffee, tea, or herbal tea). The kit includes a screen-printed tasting glass, a tasting notebook, a glass holder, 5 tasting coupons (butchers, caterers, pastry chefs, chocolatiers, local cooperatives), and 5 drink coupons (Jura wines, fruit juice or lemonade, coffee, tea, or infusion). Pick up at the Médiathèque forecourt on the day and time indicated on your ticket. 5,000 passes available. Visitors are welcome to bring their own cutlery
- Little Gourmet Pass — 8 € · lunch box prepared by La Grande Tablée: cherry tomatoes, fried chicken wrap, Vache qui rit, chocolate coconut macaroon, organic apple juice. Recommended for children up to 10 years old; must be accompanied by an adult. As of August 13, 2026, the organizer has opened this to all children up to 10, with or without a parent's Tasting Pass; pick up at the Médiathèque forecourt or the Chat Perché refreshment bar
- Bell Tower Pass — 8 € · tasting at the top of the Collégiale: country ham on a thick slice of bread, "sèche de la mémé" (local biscuit), glass of white wine (the "Chat" dose) or organic apple juice, and a 360° view of Dole with commentary by students from the Lycée Charles Nodier tourism department. On sale at the foot of the Collégiale starting at 10:00 AM, limited quantity, no reservation
- Gourmet Picnic Basket — 28 € for two people · pâté en croûte with mustard, Burgundian parsley ham, Montbéliard sausage, coleslaw, organic plain yogurt, cat-tongue biscuits, bread, Vache Qui Rit, bottle of water, Griottines verrine, and a free cooler bag. Pick up at the Delphine et Marinette village refreshment bar, Place Nationale, from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Limited to 200 baskets
- The Great Table Investigation — 47 € · lunch-investigation at the Maison des Orphelins, Rue Pasteur, by La Grande Enquête and Dol'Agape. Menu: aperitif and savory appetizers, Jura pie and green salad, pork tenderloin with Mâconnaise sauce, Comtois gratin and seasonal vegetables, cheeses (Morbier, Cantal), chocolate delight with nougatine crumble, coffee, accompanied by Jura wines, apple juice, and Velleminfroy water
Announced, times not yet published
- Chat Gourmand Banquet — 98 € per person · at the Commanderie de Dole, prepared by a team of Michelin-starred chefs and "Meilleurs Ouvriers de France". Tickets on sale early September on the association's website, limited seating
- Gourmet and Musical Readings — 14 €, duration 1 hour · at the Protestant Temple of Dole: texts read by Jacques Pithioud, music by Jacky Saintebarbe (accordion or upright piano), with appetizers. Program includes Colette on cheese and wine, a Japanese writer and the 1935 Romanée Conti, chef Ragueneau's almond tartlet recipe, and a post-harvest dinner in Tuscany
- Impressionist Tastings — 19 € per person, 45 min to 1 hour, 20 participants maximum · taste without using your sense of smell, touch the marl and limestone soils, drink wine from a ceramic cup made with Jura clay, then translate your impressions into calligraphy. The organizer announced this tasting at the Chapelle Saint-Jérôme, amidst the works of Thierry Moine (Instagram, August 11, 2026)
Nelson Monfort is the patron of this 12th edition. The organization has announced 30 gastronomy-themed shows and a children's area; as of mid-August 2026, the "Shows and Entertainment" page on the official website is still empty and the festival gazette is still the 2025 version, so the detailed schedule of shows has not yet been published.
Prices Chat Perché 2026
Tasting Pass: 23 € (5 tastings at 5 locations, 5 drinks), 5,000 passes available.
Little Gourmet Pass (up to 10 years old): 8 €.
Bell Tower Pass: 8 €, on sale at the foot of the Collégiale starting at 10:00 AM, limited quantity, no reservation.
Gourmet Picnic Basket (for two people): 28 €, limited to 200 baskets.
Pop-up restaurant "1 Chef, 1 Product, 1 Wine": 14 €.
Gourmet and Musical Readings: 14 €.
Impressionist Tastings: 19 €.
"Colors and Grape Varieties" workshop at the Musée des Beaux-Arts: 22 €.
The Great Table Investigation: 47 €.
Chat Gourmand Banquet at the Commanderie: 98 € per person, tickets on sale early September.
Online ticketing via Yurplan, accessible from the official website weekend-gourmand-dole.fr. Tickets are non-exchangeable and non-refundable.
Practical information — Chat Perché
Location
Historic center of Dole (39100): streets of the protected sector, Place Nationale, Tanneurs canal, Hôtel-Dieu, and the cloisters of Old Dole.
Dates
The last weekend of September, from Friday to Sunday. Friday is reserved for the student career forum; the gourmet villages are open to the public on Saturday and Sunday.
Prices
Free admission to the gourmet villages and public spaces. Passes, workshops, meals, and banquets require payment and can be booked via the association's online ticketing system.
Access
By car: Dole is 48 km from Besançon and 49 km from Dijon, via the A36 and A39 exits. Free parking is available at Avenue de Lahr, Cours Clemenceau, Cours Saint-Maurice, and Place Barberousse.
By train: Dole station, with connections from Besançon and Dijon.
By plane: Dole-Jura airport.
By bike: The EuroVelo 6 route passes through the Pays de Dole along the old towpaths of the Doubs and the Rhine-Rhône canal.
Contact
Association Gourmande du Chat Perché: +33 6 84 07 19 77, [email protected]. Official website: weekend-gourmand-dole.fr.
Accommodation and information: Dole Tourisme, +33 3 84 72 11 22.
Dole's gastronomic festival
The festival takes its name from the Contes du chat perché (The Wonderful Adventures of Nils/The Cat Stories) by Marcel Aymé (1902-1967), who was born in Joigny and spent his childhood in Dole. The "Chat Perché" trail, marked by bronze cat markers, is now the city's official tourist route, and the cat serves as its emblem. The Association Gourmande du Chat Perché, founded in 2016 and run by about fifteen permanent volunteers, organizes the event in partnership with the City of Dole.
A journey through the Renaissance center
Gourmet villages are set up in the narrow streets of the protected historic district, along the Tanneurs canal and at the foot of the Notre-Dame collegiate church. The Hôtel-Dieu and the cloisters of Old Dole—Dames d'Ounans, Collège de l'Arc, and Visitation—host the stops for the Tasting Pass.
The Tasting Pass
The Tasting Pass is the highlight of the weekend. It entitles holders to five tastings prepared by local Dole artisans—butchers, caterers, restaurateurs, pastry chefs, chocolatiers, and regional dairy cooperatives—along with five drinks, including Jura wines. The kit includes a branded tasting glass, a glass holder, and a booklet detailing the heritage of the sites visited. The number of passes is limited to 5,000 per edition to ensure product quality and comfort at the tasting locations.
Producers, chefs, and restaurateurs
Each edition honors a guest region and city. The festival brings together producers, food artisans, and winemakers from Bourgogne-Franche-Comté: 175 exhibitors are expected for the 2026 edition. Michelin-starred chefs prepare dishes using guest products for the banquet and pop-up restaurants. Partner restaurants and cafés serve a homemade "Menu Gourmand du Chat Perché" throughout the weekend, featuring Burgundian and Franche-Comté products; reservations are highly recommended.
Performances, activities, and career forum
Food-themed shows take place in the streets of the historic center, alongside a children's area and various activities. On Friday, the "From Field to Plate!" forum welcomes middle school students to explore careers in food, tourism, hospitality, and agriculture; it has been organized since 2015 with Les Produits Gourmands de Bourgogne-Franche-Comté and the support of the Ministry of Education. The Week-end Gourmand also serves as a training ground for the tourism department of the Lycée Charles Nodier: 80 students and a dozen teachers welcome and guide visitors, and the school opens the Dames d'Ounans cloister for the Tasting Pass.
Attendance
The organizers report 55,000 visitors in 2025, following a record of nearly 60,000 in 2023. Half of the attendees come from the Jura, 40% from the rest of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, and 10% from other regions or abroad.
Where does it take place — Chat Perché
Chat Perché in brief
History of Chat Perché
Edition 2025 Sep 2025Other festivals near Dole
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