Annual Foire de Chalon-sur-Saône, Saône et Loire

CHALON-sur-Saône, Saône et Loire, Burgundy, is not a town to rest on its laurels. With the annual Foire attracting on average an extra 1000 people each year, in 2006 33,000 people attended, they expect this year to be bigger and better than ever.

Being held at Parc Expo from September 28 to October 7 there are 150 exhibitors from a range of businesses and entertainment lined up to entertain visitors with special dedication to people with reduced mobility.

Amongst the exhibitors are the Anthracite Jazz Band, Tutu the Clown, les Sourdines à l’huile and two evenings dedicated to celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Big Band Chalon Bourgogne.

There will also be specialities from various countries around the world Bolivia, Morocco, Russia, Thailand, China as well as the towns twinned with Chalon-sur-Saône Solingen and St Helens.

This year a stage has been installed in Foyer 3 for the musical groups with a dance floor in front . This will include a programme of rock music, Irish music, Scottish music, gipsy music, latin music and traditional French songs.

There are two soirées exceptionnelles at 8pm au Colisée

Friday, October 5 SWING ERA : Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington
Saturday, October 6 HOMMAGE à COUNT BASIE

The Foire cannot be complete without exhibitions such as swimming pools, verandas, solar heating, furniture, gardening, travel, beauty, food and of course wine.

Taste foie gras, spices, preserves, biscuits, sweets, nougat, chocolate fruits and snails. Sample the wines of the Champagne region, wines de la côte de Nuits et côte de Beaune, Banyuls, wines du Cerdon, Bordeaux, Crémant, Absinthe and of course les bières du Québec, du Jura, de Bourgogne

Foyer 3 will also house the restaurant area with specialities such as the Alsatian Tavern laying on sauerkraut, delights from the Camargue, a Brittany creperie and Tunisian couscous plus many other tastes to enjoy.

Don't forget to look in on the stands of the local paper, tourist offices, conseil general and games where you can win prizes.

The Foire is open every day between 11am and 8pm and the evenings of September 29 and October 5 and 6.