Tour Auto at Fontenay Abbey

The Tour Auto consists of a prestigious rally featuring hundreds of legendary vintage cars passing through the grounds of the historic abbey. Historically, the event links the industrial heritage of automotive design with the medieval architecture of the Cistercian world in Burgundy. It reinforces a regional identity that values both technological history and the careful preservation of monumental architectural heritage. Visitors have the rare opportunity to observe classic Ferraris and Porsches against the backdrop of 12th-century stone monastic walls. The social impact is notable, attracting automotive enthusiasts from across Europe to the heart of the rural Côte-d’Or department. For researchers, it illustrates the successful management of multi-layered heritage events in sensitive and protected UNESCO-listed landscapes. This event preserves the legacy of both automotive engineering and monastic architecture by creating a unique dialogue between technology and history.