What used to be a fairly quiet affair has grown over the years to become a huge week-long event with films, balls, exhibitions, concerts… and obviously just a little bit of wine 😉 A real traditional Parisian festival!

(c) Mustafa Hulusi.


The celebrity sponsors Victoria Abril (from Almodóvar’s films) and French filmmaker Claude Lelouche set the tone: the 18th arrondissement thinks it’s the star in Paris’ crown and is ready to flaunt it for the 75th Grape Harvest Festival! Over the week from 6th – 12th October, here’s what to expect:

– film with the “Montmartre fête son cinéma” event. Things kick off with a special homage to the Gaumont Palace, a beautiful 3,600-seat cinema that was in the Montmartre area until being demolished in 1972. The special night (6th October) will recreate a night at the cinema in 1913 with vintage sweets, newsreel, a dog trainer and other weird (and unlikely) things… Many other film nights are programmed too. Click here for the details (alas, the site is French only).

– concerts with the Amélie Poulain orchestra (good grief), a homage à François Truffaut, Helena Noguerra, and “La Bande des 4” (Claude Lelouch, Francis Lai, Nicole Croisille and Pierre Barouh) together on stage for the first and probably last time ever! French film buffs will love it. Everyone else will probably sleep through it. All the details here.

– exhibitions such as “Pathé in Montmartre, the Francœur Studios and the Pathé Wepler”, a non-stop projection of photos, films and reports at the Museum of Montmartre, “Vineyards around the world”, an outside photo exhibition by Korean artist Se-Young, “Montmartre Celebrates its Artists”, an exhibition of paintings, sculpture and photography by inhabitants of the 18th arrondissement (hmm), and lots of other stuff too. All the details here.

– no less than three balls! During the week or at the weekend, you can read all the details of who will be playing and who will be dancing here!

– a chorus on Friday 10th October at 6pm at the Arènes de Montmartre. 500 children will be singing emblematic songs from films made in the area. Fancy listening to 500 children at the same time? Go ahead… All the details here…

– fireworks! on Saturday 11th October. A special son et lumière with film dialogue and music will accompany the show (as it’s the centenary of film music this year). Rendezvous at Sacré Cœur at 11pm (ouch! Tough on the kids, that one).

– and of course the Great Parade. 1,500 participants – including the mayor of Paris himself – will wind their way through the area (route here). Starts at the 18th arrondissement town hall, place Jules Joffrin, at 3pm on Saturday 11th October. More information here.

And of course don’t forget that the Festival is also the occasion to to taste the wine! Some say great things about it: “Brilliant robe, deep red, with hints of purple”, “floral poppy aroma mixed with black fruit smells…” I wonder how the not-brilliant weather of 2008 has affected this year’s crop? Please feel free to tell us!

The festivities run from 6th to 12 October. All the information (unfortunately all in French) can be found on the official site for the “Vendanges de Montmartre 2008”. Have a great time, OK?!

Bigger map here