To celebrate its Grand Site de France label, the Vézelien is launching Les Lueurs de Vézelay, a season of 60 free events from April to October 2026.
Announced on May 7 by the Department of Yonne, the cultural season “Les Lueurs de Vézelay” promises to illuminate the region from April to October 2026. This large-scale program, made up of around sixty events, celebrates the obtaining of the prestigious Grand Site de France label, awarded in January to the 18 municipalities of Vézelien. The ambition is to offer an authentic and unifying experience, highlighting heritage, nature and local know-how.
« The Grand Site de France label is a founding event for the eighteen municipalities of Vézelien. With the Lueurs de Vézelay, the Department and its partners will celebrate an exceptional territory that shines throughout the world » declared Grégory Dorte, President of the Department of Yonne.
An exceptional label for a unique territory
Located in the north-west of Burgundy, Vézelien is a 20,057 hectare setting home to 4,000 inhabitants. Dominated by the Sainte-Marie-Madeleine basilica of Vézelay, listed as a UNESCO world heritage site, this territory is a crossroads of history, spirituality and preserved nature, partly classified as a Natura 2000 zone. Obtaining the Grand Site de France label, the fruit of fifteen years of effort, rewards management exemplary tourist attendance while respecting ecological balances. It is this recognition that the cultural season intends to share with locals and visitors.
Local and respectful programming
The event, whose artistic direction was entrusted to Willy Vanhonnacker, aims to be popular, multi-generational and intimate. Almost all of the shows and activities will be free, on a human scale, and designed to minimize environmental impact, without heavy amplification or energy-consuming lighting. Local roots are a priority: 50% of the artists and service providers come from the region, guaranteeing that more than half of the operating budget will be re-injected into the local economy.
« People spoke to me a lot about light in Vézelay, in particular about the phenomenon which allows the nave of the basilica to be illuminated by a path of light during the summer solstice. From there, we worked around the concept of “gleams”, something more intimate » explains Willy Vanhonnacker. Four main themes will punctuate the season: *Les Lueurs des Châteaux* for heritage, *Les Lueurs de Ces Pages* for viticulture, *Les Lueurs de la Cure, du Cousin et des Forêts* for nature, and *Les Simples Lueurs* for poetic strolls in the villages.
Key day: inauguration of the square on June 20
Saturday June 20, 2026 will be the highlight of the season, marking both the celebration of the label and the inauguration of the restored square of the basilica. The day will begin at 8 a.m. with “Les Convergences”: 18 processions of walkers will leave from each commune to meet in Vézelay, each bringing a piece of a collective work created by local artisans.
The program will continue with an entertainment village at the fairgrounds (10 a.m.-6 p.m.), a musical procession led by the Al Cantara company (6:30 p.m.), followed by the inaugural gesture and a concert by the vocal ensemble Les Métaboles. A large shared banquet will be organized at 7:45 p.m., before the poetic show “Les Allumeurs d’Étoiles” by the Lilou Company at 9:30 p.m. The evening will end with a large popular ball under the stars.
An invitation to rediscovery
Giant solar lanterns will serve as visual landmarks in each participating municipality throughout the summer. The season will end in October with the Paulée de la Confrérie des 4 Coteaux, a major traveling popular festival. Through this rich and varied program, Les Lueurs de Vézelay invites us to take a new look at the “eternal hill” and its treasures.
The complete press kit is available online (https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/t40p1b0n21vrfeg84gauh/Lueurs-Vezelay-Dossier-Presse-pages.pdf?rlkey=9tj8o850j0th9dsolsaihwezm&st=owt1na48&dl=0).
