The best parties Midi-Pyrénées

L'Isle-Jourdain gets festive in July! Organized by the Comité des Fêtes, the festivities are as varied as they are festive: funfair, merry-go-rounds, numerous food stalls and refreshment stands in local colors, pétanque and fishing competitions, traditional dances with live bands on the Esplanade des Pyrénées square... You can also enjoy the fireworks display at the Grand Lac to round off the festivities! All in all, it's a great way to enjoy the festival with family and friends.

Don't miss the olive festival in Bize-Minervois! During a whole day, it is the occasion to learn the secrets of the olive tree, from the culture of the tree to the benefits of the olive oil. On the program: demonstration of pruning and grafting of olive trees, conference on the cultivation and maintenance of the olive tree, great aioli competition, aperitif, lunch... The afternoon is devoted to occitan animations and the gourmet market. The day ends in beauty with the burning of the river, fireworks and concert.

In October, Anduzepaystribute to the symbolic tree of the Cévennes with two popular events: the chestnut festival and the soup festival. The village is transformed into a huge market of arts and crafts, local produce and flavours (roasted chestnuts, honey, wine, charcuterie, cheeses...). There's also a soup competition and tastings. Without doubt, this is a popular festival with the flavour and traditions of the Gard!

This huge market, set at the foot of an impressive pyramid of reinette apples and sweet onions, features a wide range of local produce from the Gard region. Gourmets will love the giant onion soup or sweet onion fritters with chestnut flour, or the "special fair" menu in the town's restaurants. You'll also find Camargue bulls, olives, Bouzigues oysters, pélardons, chestnuts, mushrooms, Vézénobres figs, Uzès black truffles..

For more than 30 years, the lucques, which is an AOC olive, is honored in Saint-Jean-de-la-Blaquière and Clermont-l'Hérault the last weekend of September. The producers gather around the olive to celebrate this moment of sharing by tastings. Strolls with stories, a market of local producers, the discovery of organic cosmetics based on olive oil, animations for children, and a 100% local meal around the Lucques, animate the streets of the villages. A beautiful program honoring the land and the Lucques in particular!

This event is held in the gardens of the town hall: local producers and craftsmen from all over the department are present. Producers of olive oil, tapenades, olives, honeys, jams, wines, fruit juices, as well as an oil bar and tastings. Activities for children, a country lunch with a band for the atmosphere, etc.. For the past 17 years, this event has honored local products and has been a growing success.

A firm favorite with Castrais residents, the Saint-Jean festival is built around the traditional bell-ringing of the Notre-Dame-de-la-Platé carillon, traditional instruments and music, and Occitan dances and songs. The farmers' market will be accompanied by music from the craba, the large bagpipes of the Montagne Noire, and the graile, the oboe of the Monts de Lacaune and Sidobre. Join in the great Occitan ball, with its farandoles and branles, interrupted at nightfall by the traditional bonfire around which the crowd dances to the sound of the Bufarèls!

Saint-Chély-d'Apcher holds its traditional annual festival at the beginning of August, in a friendly, family atmosphere. Join us at the Foirail for the funfair, and in the streets of the town for the many events on offer: concerts, inflatable games, giant table soccer, producers' "musette" dinner and traditional ball, vintage car exhibitions, soapbox raid, street parade, fireworks display... A sensational weekend!

The Festa Major, or "great festival" in Catalan, is a very popular festival in the towns and villages of the Pyrénées Orientales. In Banuyls, you'll find a host of festive events: a creators' market, a smugglers' sardinade, a grand ball, sardanas, free rowing lessons, parades, a horse-drawn carriage race and the Carnival night cavalcade, a masked ball and a concert... Five days for a wonderful immersion in Catalan culture, which we invite you to enjoy with friends or family!

Auvillar celebrates its patron saint on Trinity Sunday. The town comes alive, and winegrowers gather with musicians and folk groups. After the planting of the Mai, a gourmet meal awaits you at the Halle, followed by the procession of the Arbudets with music, and a grand ball. The next day, you'll wake up to the sound of cannon fire, as village children sell flowers and older children enjoy the farmers' market. The festivities continue with mass, bandas, processions, traditional dances and a convivial meal.

Every June for the past 30 years, the village of Anglars has been transformed into a living museum as part of its fête votive. over the course of an afternoon, 350 extras dress up in costumes to bring back to life old trades, everyday scenes, typical characters and village life, in a show that's sure to be enjoyed by all. The free Anglars festival attracts around 7,000 people, including over 5,000 for the Sunday show. Other weekend events include a concert by a local band, an aperitif with bandas, a traditional lunch, fireworks and a bal musette.

As part of the "Mardis de l'Été" (Summer Tuesdays), Floc de Gascogne, the South-West's must-have aperitif, is the star of a day of cocktail events (initiation and tasting) to discover the drink. Later in the day, enjoy a guided tour of the Cathedral and a free organ concert by Les Vespérales. Finally, in the evening, the traditional gourmet market featuring local producers awaits you! Fill your plate with gourmet products and enjoy a tasting of local wines and Armagnac, to the sound of the bandas!

The Fête du Pois Chiche is a cultural event symbolic of the very contemporary vivacity of totem poles in Occitania, and now a must for lovers of music and live entertainment. The Kollectif du Pois Chiche Masqué invites you to join in the fun with their wackiest activities: brass bands, concerts, street art, traditional balls, crazy and poetic theater and street shows, exhibitions at the Musée International du Pois Chiche... from Occitan music to rock'n'roll, the collective has a wacky weekend in store for you!

August 16 is the annual celebration of Montpellier's patron saint, Saint Roch, in the city of his birth. Montpellier organizes the Fêtes de la Saint Roch, an event open to all, welcoming not only thousands of pilgrims, but also visitors and tourists from all over the world. On the program for these festive days: a tour dedicated to Saint Roch with Tourist Office guides, an international symposium, processions and liturgical events, festive street entertainment and concerts.

On the Côte Vermeille, Banyuls celebrates Catalan culture in July. The festival kicks off with a parade of musical groups accompanied by the impressive Capgrossos Torroellencs, a 400-year-old tradition from Torroella-de-Montgri. Enjoy this joyous cavalcade to the sound of the gralla along the route. Don't miss the sardanes that liven up the streets, the many concerts and the seaside Catalan market. The festivities end with a grand fireworks display. A family event that celebrates Catalan traditions!

Originally a religious festival in praise of Carmaux's patron saint, La Saint Privat has been a key summer event in Carmaux for over 100 years. Popular and open to all, numerous events are organized for the enjoyment of Carmausines, Carmausins and visitors alike: Bodéga, cavalcade and nocturne, pétanque competition, fireworks display, concerts and rides, garage sales, cycle race... Join us for 4 days in August to celebrate in the Tarn style, with family and friends!

The origins of this great traditional festival lie in the celebrations surrounding the arrival of the relics of the town's patron saint in 1701. Today, the Saint-Vincent festivities in Collioure have become the highlight of Collioure life. Over the course of 5 days, locals and visitors alike gather to enjoy a wide range of entertainment: sea processions in Catalan boats, water games, concerts and bandas, balls, sardanas, street arts... not forgetting the grandiose fireworks display launched over the bay!

This traditional festival, organized by the association of Quercy saffron producers, combines flowers and gastronomy. Les Safraniers du Quercy welcome you to learn all about the cultivation of this small violet flower, from planting to harvesting, from pruning to gastronomy. You'll be able to taste saffron in its many uses: aperitifs, savoury and sweet products. It's also an opportunity to visit the saffron farms and fill your basket with local saffron products! A gourmet outing for the whole family!

In the Tarn region of France, the village of Serviès is celebrating in June. For two days, residents and visitors from neighboring towns are invited to join in the festivities: a basketball tournament open to all, traditional meals, children's games, an aperitif concert, a gathering of vintage cars and motorcycles for enthusiasts, a pétanque competition and open-air concerts. An event that the Comité des Fêtes organizes to bring generations together in a warm, shared atmosphere.

A festive and convivial program awaits you at the Lisle-sur-Tarn festivities at the end of July! The town's streets will be alive with entertainment for young and old alike: funfair, country meals, traditional dances and concerts, fishing and pétanque competitions, children's games... A summer rendezvous not to be missed, culminating in a grand pyrotechnic show fired from the banks over Lac Bellevue. Remarkable!

From 16 to 22 July 2009: The department's artistic and culinary riches are honoured by this event.

Oô, well known to cruciverbists, welcomes the best of Haute-Garonne's local produce in a convivial atmosphere. For the past 28 years, this unique event has been held every summer, to the delight of gourmets. Some forty producers come together to showcase their produce and local specialities. It's a meeting place for gourmands, gourmets and a variety of skills in the service of the local culinary heritage.

At the end of July, the "Fête des Charcutiers-Salaisonniers" brings Lacaune to life! Numerous events punctuate the day, starting in the morning with the cooking of the famous hams on the spit, before the traditional cutting of the pig (also called "Masèl") and the parade of brotherhoods from all over France. We celebrate Saint Anthony, patron saint of pork butchers, we visit the House of pork butchery and specialized local companies including Oberti, participate in the fair of local products and pork butchery ... A very greedy discovery.

Sauveterre-de-Rouergue celebrates the products of the season: chestnuts and sweet cider. "La castagna", or chestnuts in Occitan, used to be part of the well-established ritual of family gatherings. So, for over 50 years, on the last Sunday in October, in the pretty setting of the Place des Arcades, you can enjoy roasted chestnuts at this annual gathering, while admiring the movements of a folk dance group. It's a great way to combine the pleasures of the eye and the taste buds! A tasty moment to share with the whole family!

If you want to experience a traditional festival, come to Festiv'Marnhac in Labastide-Marnhac! The festivities kick off early with the "aubades", a tradition in which young villagers who have reached the age of 18 are accompanied by an accordionist as they go from door to door singing in their honor, in return for a drink and a donation to the Comité des fêtes. August finally sees the start of the entertainment: funfair, pétanque competition, aperitif-concerts... A time for tradition and sharing!

On a 740,000-year-old islet formed by a lava flow, a building stands just a stone's throw from the Agatha coast. In 1586, Viscount de Joyeuse seized the island and built the first fort: Fort de Brescou. The town of Agde is celebrating this remarkable edifice that watches over its coastline with a magnificent fireworks display on the fort's ramparts. See you all in August to admire the spectacle from the Old Port or the Richelieu and Rochelongue beaches!

Each season, pilgrims are invited to meditate on a particular theme. The season will also be punctuated by the French National Pilgrimage around August 15, as well as those of the Order of Malta and the Rosary, and by national gatherings of the faithful from all over the world. To find out more, consult the calendar and program published each year, and don't forget the torchlight procession that takes place every evening throughout the period.

For all you gourmands out there, get ready to lick your lips! The Pyrenean Cheese and Honey Festival takes place in August, with a host of events organized around these local products to delight young and old alike. A festive evening with bandas and traditional groups, a market selling cheese, honey and local and artisanal Pyrenean products, a workshop for making farmhouse cheese and wooden objects, tastings... A delicious rendezvous!

COCU? The Organizing Committee of the Unified Carnival! It is this colourful association that organises the Toulouse Carnival. On the initiative of several student and cultural associations, the arrival of spring is celebrated as it should be. It all starts with a descent of the Avenue de la Colonne in a soapbox. Music, refreshments and workshops, the atmosphere is guaranteed. Then there is a treasure hunt followed by a neighbourhood party on Place de l'Extrapade, which lasts several days, with small gifts from the shopkeepers! Finally comes the parade, which starts with the handing over of the keys of the city by the Mayor and ends with music after, of course, the cremation of Mr. Carnaval.

The legend is that, on the day of Ascension of the year 719, a donkey woke up the Gignacois by its brazments while the Sarrasins were ready to invade the village. The donkey would have allowed the invasion to be postponed. Therefore, he became the totemic animal of Gignac. Every year, this picturesque event is celebrated on Ascension Day. From the day before 7:00 p. m., the donkey represented with a large armature covered with a blue dress, surmounted by a head whose jaws are noisy, is strolled in the streets surrounded by costume dancers.

"Força, Equilibri, Valor i Seny", in French: "Strength, balance, courage and wisdom", this is the motto of these men who build human towers with harmonious geometry. The Castellers, from the Catalan word "castell" (castle), are human tower builders with complex structures and different heights (some can reach the equivalent of a 5-storey building) that follow a precise code. Listed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since 16 November 2010, this tradition, which is certainly the most meaningful in Catalan culture, dates back to the 15th century. It is a breathtaking participatory show combining strength, agility and flexibility that most often takes place in a public square. Beyond a simple festive event, it is a philosophy of life, a demonstration of cooperation, teamwork, solidarity, self-sacrifice, concentration, courage, physical and mental strength where men, women and children, whatever their age, social origin and physical characteristics are essential to the building's elevation, each one having to trust the other before being in turn a pillar.

On Sant Jordi (Saint George's Day), Catalans celebrate love and books. On that day, men offer a rose to their sweetheart, and in return, women offer a book to their chosen one. It's a kind of Catalan-style Valentine's Day... plus culture. The story of St. George defeating the dragon is common to many countries, it is the symbol of the victory of Good over Evil. In 1995, UNESCO declared 23 April as "World Book and Copyright Day", giving Sant Jordi its full meaning, namely the victory of knowledge and understanding over obscurantism, with the red rose symbolizing the blood of the dragon.

If you like the family and joyful atmosphere of the fair, enjoy a traditional Toulouse meeting in May: the Capitouls festival. It is particularly well suited for outings with young children. Historically established as a Compans-Caffarelli district, it moved to its new quarters in 2018, near the Grand Rond. Despite its small size, all the attractions expected from such a celebration are there: colourful rides and angling for the youngest, bumper cars for the tumultuous teenagers, cotton candy, love apples and other sweets for the gourmands. A pretty little party that tastes nostalgic.

Purely Toulousian, the origins of the festival date back to Gallo-Roman times! Initially a festival dedicated to the dead, the fénétra, also spelled férétra, underwent several evolutions in both practice and symbolism, before becoming what it is today: a popular festival celebrating traditions. It begins with a parade, known as the passo carriero, to the Capitol, and continues for several days with song and dance performances. The costumes are superb and the atmosphere festive. A beautiful moment of jubilation and sharing.

In October, the walnuts fall from their pericarp, and a few can be tasted along the way. When the harvest is finally over, the Noix du Périgord celebrate in Thégra! The village organizes events and tastings under the autumn sun. On the program: bandas in the streets, horse-drawn carriage rides and merry-go-rounds for the kids, and all day entertainment for young and old, including workshops on making oil at the walnut oil mill, making apple juice and baking bread in a wood-fired oven. Not to be missed!

Since 2009, gastronomes have had a new meeting, the Nuit de la Fricassée, organised by the association Les Fins gourmets des Marronniers, which aims to give this local dish its full place. The "Nuit de la Fricassée" brings together, from 6 p.m., all the specialities of Limoux, gourmet and folklore. Blanquette, chardonnay, pébradous, fricassee and beans, local cheese and honey, Limos, nougat, red wine and brandy are on the menu for an evening of bandas. Of course, the Basilian brotherhood of the "Capitouls" gets in tune and enthroned a few personalities before a carnival band, sharpens the curiosity of the guests who then dance until late at night.

Toulouse, the French whiskey capital? That's the idea launched by the Hopscoth Pub & Brewerly, a pub that your fox would warmly recommend. In September 2020, it will therefore organize the third edition of the Toulouse Whisky Festival. A few figures to give you an idea of the scale of the event: 900 ^{m2 of} exhibition space, 70 producers and nearly 300 references on offer for tasting! Shop, masterclasses, catering, entertainment and, of course, a bar serving homemade Hopscoth beer await you to share the best of Scottish tradition. Please note that booking is essential and it is wise to make your reservation as soon as possible.

Commonly known as the "feu de la St Jean", this festival takes place at the end of June, and the 25 or so villages of the Barousse region are faithful to it. Brandons are tree trunks that have been prepared using the same technique for decades. An inter-generational event, it brings together men who prepare for the event weeks in advance according to a precise ritual. Sometimes decorated with flowers, these trees are blessed before being burned, and the flames last until they fall. It's an opportunity for the public to share in the dancing and singing during this magnificent festive moment!

The Fête des pêcheurs et de la mer is one of Agde's major traditional festivities. In honor of Saint Pierre, patron saint of fishermen, it takes place in Agde and Grau d'Adge over two days. Mass on Saturday, followed by a parade through the streets, a ceremony in tribute to the men of the sea, blessing of the boats and a concert in the evening. On Sunday, mass at Agde's Saint-Sever church, followed by an outing to pay tribute to fallen sailors. Great moments of conviviality!

It's in mid-August, when it's perfectly gorged with sunshine, that the Lectoure melon is celebrated! A local product par excellence, this gourmet jewel deserves a tribute from the town. On the program: melon tasting during the market and election of the best producer. In the evening, the confrérie opens the festivities, and the bandas liven up the aperitif. On the menu: melon, of course, but also delicious Gascon specialities. A DJ enlivens the evening, which attracts a large number of summer visitors and Gersois faithful to this summer rendezvous.