Summer in Burgundy: Don’t Miss the Ciné-Rétro Festival in Beaune

A trip to Burgundy is wonderful in every season, but summer might take the cake because of the annual Ciné-Rétro Festival in Beaune. For one month between July 25th and August 22nd, 2015, the festival brings to life the age of the silent cinema, projecting classic silent films accompanied by fabulous live piano concerts performed by the composer Jean Claude Cottier, who founded the festival.

From Burgundy to Quebec, the award-winning pianist has performed at prestigious venues around the world, often accompanying theatre performances. The annual Ciné-Rétro Festival is his true passion, and he takes pride in creating original and improvised musical compositions to accompany the films.  It makes for a lively and spirited evening in the cabaret style. Between screenings, Cottier recounts fun anecdotes about the films and their actors.

For its 21st edition in 2015, the Ciné-Rétro Festival invites young and old alike to an extraordinary setting: inside the former baroque chapel of the city’s Carmelite nuns. The Chapelle St Etienne on the Place Ziem is a landmark in the centre of Beaune, its façade covered in beautiful sculptures. The shows take place here every night at 9 pm, except the Thursdays when it’s held at the Comédie du Vin with a degustation of three top-notch Burgundy wines.

There will be 25 films screened over the course of the festival, highlighting stars like Charlie Chaplin, Harold Lloyd, Laurel & Hardy, Buster Keaton, Billy Bevan, Max Linder, and Harry Langdon.

The ticket prices if 10 euros, and the discounted price (students, etc) is 7 euros. An added bonus: there is a special price of 6 euros on Sundays and Mondays.