Cluny abbey, founded in 910 by Guillaume of Aquitaine and Abbot Bernon, was one of the spiritual centres of Europe. In this little village in southern Burgundy sprang up one of the greatest ever systems of spiritual, intellectual, artistic and political influence with the creation of over a thousand abbeys throughout the western world.
Cluny 2010 celebrates the 1100th anniversary of the founding of Cluny abbey in southern Burgundy. Events are planned at Cluny and at other Cluniac sites in Europe from September 2009 until December 2010. To undertake this extensive programme of events, the town of Cluny has joined forces with the Fédération des Sites Clunisiens (an association of 135 Cluniac sites in Europe).
Cluny 2010 comprises three distinct projects: 1. GUNZO (the name of the monk who received in a dream the plans for the great abbey church) focuses on multidisciplinary research and enhanced reality;
2. HÉZELON (the name of the architect monk who came from Liège to build the great abbey church) focuses on renovating/refurbishing the built heritage;
3. BERNON (the name of the first abbot of Cluny who journeyed from Baume-les-Messieurs in the Jura to found the abbey at Cluny) focuses on the programme of events whose aim is to highlight the living heritage of Cluny and to stimulate long-term tourist activity in the Clunisois.
Almost 200 different events are planned for the year-long festivities, with the following highlights: - Celebrating the Master-builders, 29th June to 4th July 2010, commemorates Cluny’s heritage (previews of international exhibitions, dramatised tours of the abbey and monastic town, private houses and gardens open to the public, performances, etc.)
- ‘Cluny and Europe’, 29th June to 30th September 2010, an exhibition of international importance in the imposing setting of the abbey.
- ‘All Europe comes to Cluny’, September 2010, an opportunity for visitors from other Cluniac sites in Europe to see the town of Cluny as a living theatre set designed by the Teatro Potlach troupe and to attend other performances, such as a horse show by the French National Stud.
To find out more, visit the official website:
www.cluny2010.eu
Press officer
Pierre-Alain Billardon / communication@cluny2010.eu or 06 69 15 71 55
The programme of major events is described in a 16 page brochure ‘Burgundy celebrates Cluny 2010’, available in the main Tourist Information offices in Burgundy and available for downloading on the Burgundy Tourist Board website: www.burgundy-tourism.com |
| April to November 2010 ‘Les Gaulois font la tête’ (Get ahead with the Gauls) at Bibracte (58340) |
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Representations of individual human heads and manipulation of skulls, staged as if part of a police enquiry, combining elements of anthropology and archaeology, in order to better understand the meaning of a group of stories selected from European archaeological material of the 2nd and 3rd centuries BC.
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| 16th May 2010 ‘Fleurs de Vigne’ festival in Auxerre (89000) |
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A unique opportunity to taste wines from the nine wine-growing areas of the Yonne all in the same place. Over 100 Yonne wine-growers gather on the banks of the river Yonne to present their products. Free tastings, organised activities, jousting tournament on the river.
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| 16th to 18th April 2010 Mâcon wine fair (71000) |
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One of the best fairs for meeting wine-growers, discovering, tasting and buying a representative selection of French wines. The annual Macon wine competition takes place on Saturday 17th April 2010.
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| 21st to 24th May 2010 The ‘Montgolfiades’ (hot-air ballooning) at Chalon-sur-Saône (71100) |
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Whitsun weekend is reserved for this great hot-air balloon and wine festival attracting fifty or so balloons from all over Europe. On the Sunday there are organised activities on the Prairie Saint-Nicolas: wine tasting, exhibitions, demonstrations, games, music, shows and, of course, hot-air balloon flights.
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| 26th to 30th May 2010 Festival of Words at La Charité-sur-Loire (58400) |
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The “Festival du Mot” focuses on the ‘magic and power of words, written and spoken, oral traditions, accents, etc.’, turning La Charité-sur-Loire into what could be described as the language capital of the French-speaking world.
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| 24th to 27th June 2010 Blues in Burgundy - Le Creusot festival (71200) |
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This annual event is an authentic tribute to the blues and the history of blues, far from the glitter and glamour of Show Biz. The greatest groups have performed at this festival since its creation in 1991.
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| 25th to 27th June 2010 ‘Nuits Métisses’ in Auxerre (89000) |
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This cross-cultural festival has been going for ten years and is now THE regional event for world culture (music and dance), an early summer opportunity to have fun and mix with others. The “Nuits métisses” are open to everyone (free-of-charge) and encourage people to participate, especially those from expatriate communities who can often feel cut off from the rest of society.
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| July to September 2010 Great Wines of Burgundy Festival (Côte-d’Or, Saône-et-Loire and Yonne) |
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Music and Wine combined to produce some unforgettable moments – this is the aim of the Great Wines of Burgundy Festival which has been in existence for some twenty years …
Chablis, Noyers-sur-Serein, Meursault, Gevrey-Chambertin and Cluny have been entrusted with the most important mission of delighting the palate and the ears of everyone who attends these friendly and festive occasions. About fifty concerts, thirty or so other events, an international summer school at Noyers, Jazz academy at Gevrey-Chambertin, wine study course at Meursault – all these make this event, that lasts from July to late September, the largest festival in the Burgundy region!
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| 2nd to 25th July 2010 International Festival of Baroque Opera in Beaune (21200) |
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The Beaune Festival is one of the most prestigious festivals of Baroque music in Europe and, as such, it continues the musical tradition of the court of the Dukes of Burgundy, considered to be one of the most brilliant and magnificent of the 15th century. Operas, concerts of sacred music, instrumental music and recitals, take place over 4 weekends in a number of settings – the Romanesque collegiate church of Notre-Dame (12th/14th century), the courtyard and “Salle des Pôvres” of the 15th century Hôtel-Dieu in Beaune.
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| 7th to 14th July 2010 ‘Les Zaccros d'ma rue’ at Nevers (58000) |
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This great festival of street art began in 2000 and takes place in early July in the centre and outskirts of Nevers. Les Zaccros d’ma rue” is sure to inspire strong emotions with its entertainment, friendly atmosphere and surprises. It’s hard to make head nor tail out of much that you see – truly amazing!
On average the public can enjoy over 200 different performances every year, most of which are free-of-charge.
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| 7th to 10th July 2010 Jazz at Couches (71490) |
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23rd Jazz festival.
Concerts take place in a marquee and the list of performers reflects the growing reputation of this festival: Renaud Garcia-Fons, Trilok Gurtu, Elvin Jones, Joe Zawinul, the Mingus Big Band, the Vienna Art Orchestra, Didier Lockwood, Richard Galliano, John Scofield, Mieke Stern … among many others.
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| 9th to 11th July 2010 Festival 4/14 in Dijon (21000) |
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A Franco-American food festival around the covered market in Dijon. On the programme: musical events, wine tasting, sampling local specialities. This festival originated as a friendly get-together between the United States and France, involving music, good food and wine.
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| 16th to 18th July 2010 ‘Aux Zarbs’ in Auxerre (89000) |
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“Aux Zarbs” is a festival of modern music, a place to party and meet all sorts of people. It aims to attract wide audiences with something to interest everyone. Today “Aux Zarbs” is the major modern music event in Burgundy.
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| 18th July to 26th September 2010 The Summer of Portraits at Bourbon-Lancy (71140) |
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Biennial exhibition of photographs displayed all over town throughout the summer.
In just a few years “Summer of Portraits” has become THE photographic exhibition devoted to portraiture in Europe. 350 photographers will exhibit over 1,500 photos in the town streets (over two kilometres of exhibitions, 40,000 visitors in 2008).
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| 21st to 25th July 2010 ‘Chalon dans la rue’ at Chalon-sur-Saône (71100) |
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Over 23 years this festival has become the ‘must see’ street theatre event in France, with its drama, dance, circus acts, etc. Over 1,000 artists and 350,000 spectators take part. During the event the town of Chalon-sur-Saône is transformed into a vast stage where thousands of spectators become actors and protagonists in the festival.
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| 23rd to 25th July 2010 ’Nuits Péplum d'Alésia’ at Alise-Ste-Reine (21150) |
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Building on its success in earlier years, the “Nuits Péplum” event continues its crusade against regional and cultural isolation. It is a festival of songs in French performed every night by a range of singers – an unknown performer from Burgundy, from elsewhere in France, a well-known singer and an international discovery. The venue is the natural rock theatre in the outstanding setting of Alésia.
10th Nuits Péplum d’Alésia Festival
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| 5th to 8th August 2010 Cajun and Zydeco Nights in Saulieu (21210) |
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For 17 years now thousands of fans of Cajun and Zydeco music have been coming to Saulieu to enjoy great Louisiana music, dance, films and food. The Cajun and Zydeco Nights festival in Saulieu is the only one of its kind in Europe.
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| 19th to 22nd August 2010 Fête de la Vielle (hurdy-gurdy) at Anost (71550) |
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The “Fête de la Vielle” has become one of Burgundy’s unmissable events and has carved itself a place amongst the best traditional music and dance festivals (Saint-Chartier Festival, Lorient Festival, ...), both national and international. For 4 days the village of Anost is filled with the sounds of bagpipes, violins, diatonic accordions and hurdy-gurdies. The programme comprises a variety of concerts and improvised jam sessions in the village bars and restaurants. Every year about 20,000 people come to enjoy this warm and friendly festival of traditional music.
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| 19th to 22nd August 2010 ‘Rencontres musicales’ in Vézelay (89450) |
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A series of 10 truly outstanding concerts in the magical setting of the basilica, but also at Avallon, Asquins or Saint Père sous Vézelay.
The atmosphere at this festival is friendly and unpretentious, concert-goers rubbing shoulders with performers in the streets and gardens of the “colline éternelle” (as Vézelay is known).
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| 9th to 19th September 2010 ‘Jazz à Beaune’ (21200) |
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This festival offers a rather unusual mix of activities: Burgundy wine tasting before each concert and a programme that combines swing, blues, harmonising, improvisation and outdoor performances every afternoon in the centre of Beaune.
Alongside great international jazz artists, the festival also gives up-coming young musicians the chance to perform.
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| October 2010 International Adventure Film Festival in Dijon (21000) |
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Dijon thrills to the exploits of well established adventurers and newly discovered young explorers.
The 19th ‘Ecrans de l’Aventure’ event to be held in Dijon, jointly organised by the city of Dijon and the Guilde Européenne du Raid, awards prizes to the very best international audiovisual productions.
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| 23rd and 24th October 2010 62nd Chablis wine festival (89800) |
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Discover and taste the 4 different Chablis appellations. Over 50 exhibitors.
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| 5th to 13th November 2010 ‘Rencontres Internationales D’Jazz de Nevers’ (58000) |
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For over 20 years now this festival has been attracting jazz fans from all over France and much further afield.
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| 19th to 21st November 2010 Hospices de Beaune wine auction celebrations (21200) |
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The greatest charitable wine auction in the world is now organised by Christie’s. It takes place every year on the 3rd Sunday in November.
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| 9th to 13th December 2010 ‘Beaune Blues Boogie Festival’ (21200) |
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An international festival bringing together the best Blues and Boogie-Woogie piano players from across the world. With its mix of traditional Jazz, Blues and Burgundy this event offers a number of shows in different venues.
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