27 July 29 July 2024

À Cognac
From €19/evening

A reflection of true local identity, the cognac festival has so much to offer every year.

Conviviality allied with sharing draws in an ever faithful and invaluable public over the years. La Fête du cognac is three days of partying and fun, three days during which it’s easy to identify the desire of producers to promote the wine-making wealth of the area

An event that’s both festive and for families

Although many think of the Festival of cognac as an event where you can discover so many different flavours, in fact the festival aims to attract a public with all kinds of expectations. For some it’s the familial aspect, for others the festivities but all would agree that it’s an event for sharing around simple moments in time.

It’s a mixture of tastes but also a reflection of a very diverse proposition that is one of the oddities of the event. The cognac bars are festive places for tasting the produce yet the food stands are keen to promote local culinary specialities.

The cognac festival, regional meal, tasting on the banks of the Charente followed by a concert

Meet all the stakeholders involved in the cognac industry

In accordance with its founding principles, the cognac festival is a good occasion to meet up with all the stakeholders in the industry. Thus everyone can benefit from the event to promote their activities to the greatest number. In particular, a public of some 24,000 people is one of the strengths of the show and enables them to popularise local produce, the DNA of the festival that is run entirely by volunteers. These are just some of the characteristics that have granted the festival a key place in the list of major events over the last twenty years.

The origins of the cognac festival

It was perhaps a crazy idea but a handful of Young Farmers who wanted to defend and promote their products dreamed up the idea of a festival based around cognac, pineau des Charentes, local Charentais wines and gastronomic produce. The festival takes place in the marina where cognac is served as an apéritif (a long drink) or a cocktail or as a Summit in seven bars.

The vast majority of cognacs come from properties owned by Young Farmers from the two Charente départements. Open-air dining is possible thanks to the presence of refreshment stands that offer local gastronomic products. But it doesn’t end there! From 9pm, or at sunset, dancing begins. The port of Cognac is transformed into a veritable musical scene thanks to these iconic concerts that bring the evenings to a close.

“I met and talked with some fantastic, friendly people (mustn’t forget the staff and the volunteers!). It’s an unforgettable memory. I do remember having shouted “COGNAC? IT’S EVERY YEAR OR NOTHING!”

In fact, the recipe for this event is so successful that it’s become a people’s festival: they come, they eat outdoors, they relax and then start dancing. When the sun sets, La Fête du cognac crosses frontiers and takes you on a journey through different musical styles. Artistes, whose on-stage presence needs no introduction, make themselves heard in the town’s port.

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