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 The Languedoc region has some excellent festivals that perfectly sum up the relaxed way of life in the South of France. If you're here visiting, then follow our guide to find the best festivals in the South of France.
May festivals - Languedoc
Pezenas: Cavalcade
The Cavalcade is a popular local festival celebrating the golden age of Pezenas when it was the capital of Languedoc. The festival features a large handicraft market and a medieval costume procession through the streets. For more information on Pezenas see 10 Best sites in Languedoc.
Nimes: Feria de Pentecost
This is the City's most important festival, held on the fifth weekend after Easter. There is a heavy bullfighting emphasis (tauromachie), but there is also plenty of music, dancing and a large street market in the old town. There is also a great site with up to date information on the Ferias in Nimes (Nimes Feria).
Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer
A huge gypsy fair is held in Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer every year towards the end of May. This fair has a long old history. The story starts shortly after the Crucifixion of Christ, when many of his disciples were being hunted out of Palestine. One group of disciples boarded a boat, which according to legend had no sail or oars and was guided by God across the Mediterranean to Provence. This group contained Lazarus, Mary Magdalene, Maria Jacobe, Maria Salome and Lazarus' sister Mary Martha. On arrival, Mary Martha went north to Tarason, Lazarus and Mary Magdalene went east towards Marseille and the other two remained in the Camargue. Here they built a small church and lived out their lives quietly. They had a local gypsy servant Sara, who has since been adopted as the patron saint of all gypsies.
Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer is situated on the Camargue coast. Although the place is tiny, it is absolutely heaving in the summer. The place itself is a fairly non-descript sort of place, but you can imagine that for centuries fishermen have dragged their boats and their catch up onto the beach - just as they do now. What makes Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer standout however has been the succession of pilgrims that have visited it for centuries. Click here for more information on Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer.
June festivals - Languedoc
Beaucaire
Beaucaire is a pretty little place, with parks situated all along the canal banks. The best time to visit Beaucaire is either during June's Fete du Drac, a traditional festival in honour of the town's dragon mascot; or during the Estivales in July, a reconstruction of the town's medieval fair (see below).
Pavalas
The Maguelone music festival situated in the famous cathedral, features medieval and baroque music concerts taking place over a two week period
Pezenas
Over a weekend in June, Pezenas celebrates its association with Molliere, during its golden age. There are lots of street markets and costume processions.
Montpellier: Le Printemps des Comediens
This is a theatre, dance and music festival held in the gounds of the Chateau d'O, situated in the Northwest of the city. More information and dates can be obtained from www.printempsdescomediens.com
Narbonne: Festival National de Theatre Amateur
Held in late June and early July, free nightly performances are held on the Cours de la Madeleine at the Archbishop's Palace.
July festivals - Languedoc
Montpellier Danse
In late June and early July, Montpellier is home to a three week festival of traditional music and danse from around the world. The festival takes place in the old Ursuline convent, the Comedie, Le Corum and other venues around the city. For information please visit
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Sete
Grand Canal, Sete
Montpellier: Festival de Radio-France
This international music festival has become a real fixture in the Montpellier calendar. Featuring all music genres from classical to Jazz. Held at various venues across the city. For more information see www.festivalradiofrancemontpellier.com
Nimes: Les Jeudis
Every Thursday night in July there are street markets with live music through the centre of Nimes. Nimes is also a wonderful city to visit and the Pont du Gard is a must on any tour to the South of France (Best sites in Languedoc).
Narbonne: Bastille Day
A huge four-day outdoor party in the cours Mirabeau.
St Guilhem
St Guilhem
Sete: Fiesta de Sete
Sete is a busy place for festivals in July & August. The Festival de Sete is a two-week long Mediterranean music festival covering folk and pop music from North Africa and Europe. The festival takes place in late July to early August. There is plenty of street theatre and parties going on, as well as nightly performance in the Theatre de la Mer. For more information visit www.fiestasete.com
Beaucaire Medieval Fair
Beaucaire is also famous for its annual fair held since medieval times on the fourth week of July. This ten day fair dates back to 1217 when the town was granted an annual trade fair by the Count of Toulouse. This was in memory of a famous victory against Simon de Montfort's forces in the town. At its height this fair would attract upwards of 300,000 people and was famous throughout the South of France. The Musee Auguste Jacquet in the town has an impressive display of the history of the Beaucaire Fair. Behind the site of the fairground stands the ruined castle. Rising some 35m above the Rhone, this providessome dramatic views over the local area.
St-Guilhem-les-Desert
During July, St Guilhem holds its 'Musique Sacree'. This music festival performed in the abbey-church features religious and baroque music.
Meze: Festival du Thau
Overlooking Meze
Festival d'Avignon
For lovers of theatre, dance and contemporary art, the Festival d'Avignon remains a major yearly event. Having celebrated its 60th year in 2007 this festival is becoming a major event for this beautiful city straddling the regions of Provence and Languedoc. From 6 to 27 July. For more information on the Festival d'Avignon, please visit http://www.festival-avignon.com
Carcassonne
Throughout July Carcassonne throws open its doors to dance, music and theatre, with nightly performances in the castle's amphitheatre. See Best sites in Languedoc for more information on Carcassonne.
August festivals - Languedoc
Aigues-Mortes: Les Nuits d'Encens
The town's 'Nights of Incense' offers a real mix of music and danse from European Chamber music to Arabic dance. Nightly performances are held in the courtyard of the Logis de Gouverneur
Water Jousting in Sète
Originating in Sète centuries ago, this sport is now a passionate fixture of Languedoc traditional culture. We stumbled upon it quite by chance one Sunday afternoon. This spectacle is something that really has to be witnessed to be believed and it is difficult to describe adequately, but here goes: The sport consists of two elaborate rowing boats with a platform at one end. On the platform sit 6 jousters dressed all in white. As the boats charge towards each other one of the jouster's picks up their shield and jousting pole and tries to dislodge the other boat's jouster from their platform. A great applause greets a jouster falling into the canal. The boats past each other 7 times and the winning crew is the one who unseats most opponents. All of this is accompanied by an on-board band. Each area of Sete has its own Societe des Jouste and rivalry is fierce. Teams from other Languedoc ports (Meze, Marseillan, Agde) also compete. The season runs from late spring through the early autumn, with more frequent tournaments taking place in the summer. The most important championships are held here on 25 August, the fete de St-Louis, with accompanying fireworks at night.
Saint-Gilles: Feria de la Peche et de l'abricot
Sitting on the edge of the Petite Camargue, the old town of Saint-Gilles is a pleasant place to wander around, with its narrow windy streets. Through the centre of Saint-Gilles runs the Rhone-Sete Canal. The canal-side is now a busy place full of restaurants, shops and bot hire kiosks. The town features a wonderful 12th Century Abbey Church, now a UNESCO World Heritage monument. The biggest festival in Saint-Gilles takes place in mid August, with the Feria de la Peche et de l'Abricot (Peach & Apricot Festival), which features street processions, dancing and the obligatory bull-fighting.
Orb Valley: Festivale de la Vallee de l'Orb
Taking place in various town squares throughout the Orb valley, this festival features lots of wine and folk music activities.
Beziers: La Feria
Without doubt the greatest festival in Languedoc. Beziers comes alive in spectacular fashion with fireworks, street entertainment and a daily Spanish corrida. There is also an important wine festival. See Beziers Feria for more up to date information on the programme of activities.
Aigues-Mortes: fete de St-Louis
Held on the weekend closest to 25 August this medieval pageant features a reconstruction of St Louis' departure for the Crusades against the Muslims in North Africa. More information on visiting Aigues Mortes can be found in Best sites in Languedoc
Narbonne: Semaine Bavaroise
Narbonne's version of the Munich Oktoberfest. Plenty of beer and entertainment.
September festivals - Languedoc
Pavalas: Feria d'Automne
From 29 September to 1 October, Pavalas is home to a Camaguaise-style festival, featuring traditional horsemanship as well as the obligatory tauromachie.
Nimes: Feria des Vendanges
This is the last of the three great ferias in Nimes. This one celebrates the wine harvest. It includes a tauromachie, parades, open-air concerts and a grand market
Le Grau/Port Camargue
This fete is a major event on the Camargue calendar. This fete includes bull-running through the streets, camarguaises horsemanship and water-jousting, together with lots of street parties and general mayhem. The fete is held on the second week in September
October festivals - Languedoc
Montpellier: Festival du Cinema Mediterraneen
This festival feturing feature-length films and short works, culminates in a symposium and award ceremony.
Aigues-Mortes
Town walls, Aigues-Mortes
Beziers: Les Primeurs d'Oc
This is the premier wine festival in Languedoc. It features wine contests and awards, together with music, dance and theatre.
December festivals - Languedoc
Pezenas: Occitan Christmas
This festival features plenty of traditional Christmas festivities and customs from the Languedoc region.
Carcassonne: Marche au Gras
On 17 December, Carcassonne is home to a lively Christmas market featuring lots of regional produce and handicrafts.
March festivals - Languedoc
Pezenas: Le Poulain
This festival at the start of Lent in late February or early March features a parade led by the local totem-animal from Pezenas: Le Poulain. This is a mock horse, constructed of a cloth head draped over a wooden frame. It is pushed through the streets in a grand procession. The history dates back to 1226 when a foal was born to the favourite mare of King Louis VIII. The festival kicks off a three-day Mardi-Gras festival in the town.
Nimes: feria de Primavera
Held four weeks before Easter, this is the first feria of the season in Nimes. Nimes knows how to do street festivals and it is definitely worth the trip to see it in action. This street festival also features music and a tauromachie
April festivals - Languedoc
Sommiers: Medieval festival
Sommiers is a beautiful little town. On the first weekend in April, the town is taken up with a street festival featuring costumed merchants and performers, markets and music.
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