Beaujolais Nouveau 2026: the key facts
| Fact | What to remember |
|---|---|
| Release date | Thursday 19 November 2026, the third Thursday of November |
| Time | From 12:01 am on the Thursday |
| The wine | Young red from Beaujolais, made from gamay and vinified in a few weeks |
| Style | Young, fruity, light, drunk chilled in the following weeks |
| Organisation in Paris | No central event: evenings in bistros, wine bars and wine shops |
It is a party wine, not a wine to keep: it is drunk in the first weeks. The date follows the third-Thursday rule, so it changes every year; in 2026 it is Thursday 19 November.
Where to drink it in Paris on 19 November
- Seine cruise: Vedettes du Pont Neuf offers on 19 November a one-hour cruise with unlimited tasting of three Beaujolais Nouveau 2026 wines and commentary on Beaujolais, departing at 6:45 pm or 8:15 pm (boarding 30 minutes before) from Square du Vert-Galant on the Île de la Cité. The listed price is €25 as a web price (€27 regular); places are limited and booking is recommended. Check prices and times on the operator's website.
- Bistros, wine bars and wine shops: many host an evening on the Thursday, often with a charcuterie and cheese board. They announce the programme a few days before on their page or door: book if you are aiming for a Thursday night. The Paris tourist office has listed La Bonne Franquette (18th) and Les Noces de Jeannette (2nd) in the past; confirm they hold an evening in 2026 before going.
- To take away: a bottle bought at a wine shop from 19 November drinks well at the hotel, well chilled, with charcuterie and cheese.
What to drink it with
Beaujolais Nouveau is served lightly chilled, around 12 to 14 °C. It goes well with charcuterie, mild cheeses, ham, terrines and simple bistro dishes such as andouillette or roast chicken. Neighbourhood bistros are the natural place to find it, rather than starred restaurants.
If you miss the Thursday: a guided tasting all year
Beaujolais Nouveau is only around for a few weeks. To taste several French wines with a sommelier, whatever the day, a guided tasting is the simplest solution: you learn to compare regions and to pair wine and cheese, often in a cellar or wine shop in Montmartre or the Marais. Compare the options in Wine and cheese tasting in Paris: which offer and in Wine tasting with a sommelier in Paris. For a cultural visit, see the page on the Musée du Vin.
To go further
Beaujolais Nouveau falls in the middle of November, with Paris Photo, the chocolate show and the first Christmas lights: the full programme is in What to do in Paris in November. If you stay until Thanksgiving, read Thanksgiving in Paris.
Information checked on 23 October 2026 (Vedettes du Pont Neuf website, Paris Je t'aime). The bistro evenings are not published for 2026: check with each venue.
