Foire de la Châtaigne de Mourjou 2026 – France

What to expect in 2026

Foire de la Châtaigne de Mourjou is a major chestnut celebration in the Châtaigneraie cantalienne, bringing together local food, chestnut producers, artisans, traditional music, rural heritage, demonstrations, walks and family activities in the village of Mourjou, part of Puycapel in the Cantal department. The event is organized by the Association du Pélou, which works with the local community and more than 200 volunteers to promote the chestnut, the chestnut tree and the cultural identity of the surrounding region.

The 2026 edition is the 35th Foire de la Châtaigne et du Châtaignier. The official programme introduces the Morvan as the guest of honour and includes a mixture of traditional music, food, rural demonstrations, educational activities and cultural encounters. Visitors can browse the chestnut market, taste roasted chestnuts and chestnut-based specialities, meet producers and artisans, join countryside walks and watch demonstrations connected with chestnut cultivation and processing.

The fair has a strong connection with the local landscape. The official organizers explain that the event was created in 1990 after concern about the decline of the chestnut tree in the area. Its purpose has been to support the revival of chestnut production while promoting the identity and heritage of the Châtaigneraie cantalienne. The fair now attracts more than 20,000 visitors and involves around 200 volunteers.

Food is at the heart of the experience, but the event is not simply a food market. Its programme combines gastronomy with music, traditions, agricultural knowledge, nature and community activities. Visitors can move between food stalls, market stands, demonstrations, exhibitions, concerts and village venues throughout the event.

Event dates

Foire de la Châtaigne de Mourjou 2026 takes place on October 17 and 18, 2026, in Mourjou, Puycapel, Cantal, France. The official programme identifies this as the 35th Foire de la Châtaigne et du Châtaignier.

The programme covers activities across the village, with food, market stalls, music, walks, demonstrations and cultural activities taking place throughout the weekend. Some individual activities require advance reservation, while places are also available on site for selected activities.

Visiting this event? Don’t miss out on these amazing activities and local experiences while you’re here.

Venue & festival site

The festival is spread throughout Mourjou rather than being confined to a single enclosed exhibition centre. The village itself forms the main festival environment, with activities around the mairie, church, salle des fêtes, village square, market areas and nearby walking routes.

Key locations include:

• The village centre and streets of Mourjou
• The area near the mairie for official ceremonies and activities
• The church for musical performances
• The salle des fêtes for meals, dances and evening entertainment
• Covered marquees for food and market activities
• The Maison de la Châtaigne for chestnut-related exhibitions and activities
• The school courtyard and nearby areas for walking departures and family activities
• The surrounding countryside for organised hikes

The official programme also identifies the Maison de la Châtaigne as an important complementary site, with a museum area devoted to the chestnut, chestnut trees and the Châtaigneraie, together with a shop selling chestnut products.

Full food & drink programme

Food is integrated throughout the fair, with chestnuts appearing in both simple street-food formats and more elaborate dishes. The Association du Pélou operates its own food stands and prepares traditional products connected with the village and the local chestnut culture.

The official 2026 programme includes:

• Roasted chestnuts
• Fouace made with chestnut flour
• Local apple juice
• Truffade with sausage, fouace and coffee
• Tripoux breakfast
• Cheese and bread
• Bourguignon with vegetables
• Local cheeses
• Chestnut-based desserts
• Food served by participating restaurants
• A special evening meal
• A country-style market with regional products

The Association du Pélou also encourages visitors to bring reusable plates, cutlery and cups. A beverage is offered with the Sunday lunchtime meal for visitors who follow this approach.

The event’s food offer extends beyond chestnuts. Visitors can encounter local pork, potatoes, regional cheeses, apples, bread, pastries and other products associated with the Cantal countryside. The combination gives the fair a broader regional-food character while keeping the chestnut at its centre.

Featured foods & specialties

The signature product is the chestnut, presented in several forms throughout the fair. The official market information describes the chestnut as being represented in “all its states,” with producers, artisans and artists using the fruit as an ingredient, inspiration and regional symbol.

One of the most visible specialties is the roasted chestnut. The organizers traditionally roast more than a tonne of chestnuts during the fair using dedicated roasting equipment.

Fouace made with chestnut flour is another important local specialty. The Association du Pélou produces fouaces using the village’s bread ovens, making them an especially recognizable food associated with the fair.

Other featured foods include chestnut soup, chestnut cream, caramelized chestnuts, chestnut desserts, chestnut bread and dishes combining chestnuts with local meat and dairy products. These combinations demonstrate how the chestnut is used in both sweet and savoury cooking.

Restaurants, vendors & producers

The fair brings together more than 80 exhibitors from the Châtaigneraie cantalienne and other chestnut-producing departments, including Ardèche, Lozère, Gard, Haute-Vienne, Hérault, Aveyron, Corrèze, Dordogne and Lot. The official market information states that the chestnut inspires both food producers and artisans.

The official 2026 material also identifies several local businesses and producers connected with the event, including:

• L’Auberge de Mourjou
• Le Beauséjour in Calvinet
• Maison Cruzel
• Café des Sports de Calvinet
• Camping Moulin de Chaules
• La Ferme du Bos
• The Maison de la Châtaigne
• The Atelier des Castalous

Maison Cruzel is particularly associated with chestnut-based bakery and confectionery products, including chestnut bread, regional pastries and marrons glacés. The Atelier des Castalous focuses on transforming local chestnuts into flour, with equipment such as a dryer, sheller and mill.

The market also offers an opportunity to meet producers from different chestnut-growing areas rather than limiting the experience to products from Mourjou itself.

Wine, beer & beverage selection

The official programme includes local apple juice as one of the principal non-alcoholic drinks available through the Association du Pélou. The juice is produced from locally donated, untreated apples that are collected and pressed before being offered at the fair.

The fair also has a wider beverage culture connected with regional food and traditional celebrations. The organizers’ general information notes the importance of cider at the event, while the programme includes wine and other drinks as part of meals and evening activities.

Visitors should note that the official programme carries an alcohol-consumption warning and advises moderation. The organizers also encourage reusable cups and other reusable containers as part of the event’s environmental approach.

Tastings, cooking demos & workshops

Food education and practical demonstrations are important elements of the fair. The programme includes activities related to chestnut production, processing and culinary use, giving visitors opportunities to learn more about the ingredient rather than simply buying it.

The children’s programme includes an artistic expression workshop and the Atelier des Petits Mitrons, while the Maison de la Châtaigne provides a broader educational setting focused on chestnut heritage.

The programme also includes a chestnut-peeling competition, open to participants, where contestants compete to peel as many chestnuts as possible within the allotted format. Traditional games and other hands-on activities add to the family atmosphere.

Educational content extends into agricultural topics. A round-table discussion focuses on chestnut-related issues, including composting chestnut husks and supporting healthier chestnut production, as well as the revival of chestnut cultivation in the Morvan.

Ticket types & entry options

There is no general festival admission price published by the organizers for simply entering the village fair. Instead, individual activities, meals, concerts, museum access and organised walks may have their own charges.

The official 2026 programme lists the following prices, converted to U.S. dollars using the ECB reference rate of €1 = $1.1355:

• Chestnut-themed walking route: $5.68
• Longer guided walking route: $5.68
• Children under 12 on the shorter route: Free
• Lambrusquéra concert: $5.68
• Maison de la Châtaigne reduced fair admission: $4.54 for adults
• Maison de la Châtaigne reduced admission: $2.84 for children
• Sunday tripoux breakfast: $17.03
• Truffade, sausage, fouace and coffee: $19.30
• Closing evening meal: $22.71 for adults
• Closing evening meal: $11.36 for children under 12

The exchange-rate conversions are approximate and may differ from the final amount charged by a card issuer or payment provider.

VIP & premium experiences

The organizers do not advertise a separate VIP ticket, luxury hospitality package or premium festival pass.

Instead, visitors can choose from several paid experiences that provide a more structured way to participate in the event. These include organised countryside walks, special meals, the church concert and activities at the Maison de la Châtaigne.

Restaurant reservations can also provide a more formal dining experience, particularly at L’Auberge de Mourjou and Le Beauséjour, both of which publish special fair menus in the official programme.

Event rules

The fair is organised as a village event, so visitors should follow the instructions of the organisers and traffic marshals, particularly around the designated parking areas and pedestrian sections.

Important visitor information includes:

• Vehicle parking is directed to designated areas outside the village centre.
• Visitors are encouraged to bring reusable plates, cutlery and cups.
• Waste should be sorted into the appropriate collection points.
• Some activities require advance reservation.
• Spaces may also be available on site for selected activities.
• Alcohol should be consumed responsibly.
• Visitors taking part in walks should use suitable walking footwear.
• Activity schedules and arrangements may be subject to organisational changes.

The organisers specifically encourage visitors to support the event’s environmental approach by reducing disposable materials and sorting waste.

How to get there

Mourjou is part of Puycapel in the Cantal department and sits within the rural Châtaigneraie area. The official practical-information page places Mourjou-en-Châtaigneraie within a triangle formed by Aurillac, Figeac and Decazeville.

For visitors arriving by car, the organisers recommend following the event signs as they approach the village. Because normal vehicle access around the village is restricted during the fair, drivers should not rely on finding roadside parking close to the central activities.

Visitors travelling from outside the immediate area may wish to plan their route around one of the larger nearby towns before continuing into the rural Cantal countryside.

Public transport & parking

Parking arrangements are an important part of visiting the fair. The official practical information states that parking is prohibited along the roads around the village to help keep traffic moving and maintain safety. At least five free parking areas are provided around the village, with visitors directed to them by event signage.

The 2026 programme also clearly marks the parking arrangements as obligatory and instructs visitors to follow the signs to the designated free parking areas.

Public transport options into this rural area are more limited than in major French cities, so visitors should plan their final connection to Mourjou carefully. Visitors staying locally can also combine accommodation with walking, cycling or pre-arranged local transport where available.

Accommodation areas

The official practical-information page says that visitors can find numerous gîtes, campsites and a holiday village within approximately 15 kilometres of the festival area.

Accommodation options identified by the organisers include:

• Camping Moulin de Chaules, located between Saint-Constant and Mourjou in a natural setting near the Ressègue stream.
• Village Vacances La Châtaigneraie in Maurs, offering accommodation and holiday facilities.
• L’Auberge de Mourjou, which combines restaurant services with accommodation.
• Le Beauséjour in Calvinet, which offers a restaurant and chambres d’hôtes.
• Hotel des Voyageurs in Cassaniouze.

The official festival material also recommends checking local accommodation availability because the event attracts a substantial number of visitors.

Food & drink highlights

The central culinary attraction is the chestnut itself, but the fair gives visitors a broader taste of the Cantal countryside. Roasted chestnuts, chestnut-flour fouace and locally produced apple juice form the core of the Association du Pélou’s food offer.

The restaurant menus add more substantial dishes, including chestnut soup, farm pork, chestnut-based sauces, local cheese and chestnut desserts. These menus show how the ingredient moves from traditional snack food into complete regional meals.

The market is also useful for discovering products to take home. The presence of producers from several French chestnut-growing regions means visitors can compare different approaches to chestnut production, processing and presentation.

Accessibility

The organisers provide information about activities and facilities across different village locations, but accessibility can vary according to the specific venue and activity.

One notable option is the accessible randonnée service offered by Aux bergers d’Espradel, which provides donkey-assisted countryside outings using an Escargoline and specifically identifies accessibility for people with reduced mobility.

Visitors with accessibility requirements should contact the Association du Pélou before travelling to confirm the suitability of individual activities and venues, particularly for walking routes and temporary festival installations.

The festival’s dispersed village format means that visitors should also consider the distance between different activity areas when planning their visit.

Best days to attend

For visitors who want to experience the widest variety of activities, attending across the full weekend provides the most complete experience because the programme combines food, markets, music, walks, demonstrations and family activities.

The opening periods are useful for visitors who want to browse the chestnut market and see the fair as it gets underway. Food-focused visitors can build their visit around the organised meals and the many chestnut products available through the market.

Families can look for the children’s workshops, traditional games, artistic activities and other educational attractions. Visitors interested in rural heritage can combine the market with the Maison de la Châtaigne, exhibitions, demonstrations and the organised countryside walks.

Music lovers have several opportunities to hear traditional and regional groups, with performances taking place in the streets, village spaces and church.

Previous year’s highlights

The previous edition recorded strong visitor activity, with approximately 1.2 tonnes of roasted chestnuts, 1,650 litres of apple juice and around 700 fouaces. The organisers also reported more than 1,500 meals served and nearly 200 volunteers involved in the event.

The programme included a substantial mushroom exhibition, with 128 species recorded for the exhibition presented by the Association Mycologique de Toulouse. The edition also featured dozens of exhibitors, a chestnut-peeling competition and several musical groups and traditional dance activities.

The previous programme demonstrated the fair’s characteristic mixture of gastronomy, agricultural knowledge, music and regional traditions. Food markets were combined with demonstrations, children’s activities, walks and cultural performances rather than operating as a standalone commercial food fair.

Official tickets

Official reservations and event information are provided through the Foire de la Châtaigne de Mourjou website operated by the Association du Pélou. The official site provides reservation links for selected activities, including the church concert, organised walks and the evening meal.

Visitors can also purchase certain tickets or register for activities at the event information point during the fair, subject to availability. The organisers recommend booking selected activities in advance because spaces can be limited.

For the most accurate information on programme changes, reservations and availability, visitors should use the official festival website:

Official Foire de la Châtaigne de Mourjou website (https://foirechataignemourjou.fr/)