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Vaucluse - Local celebrations - Summertime, France

Vaucluse Tourism

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TRADITIONAL CELEBRATIONS
Night of the Little Saint John
23 June in Valréas
Little Saint John is a young child dressed in a
sheepskin, borne in a special procession from Notre
Dame church to Château de Simiane where he is
empowered and then blesses the Valreas inhabitants.
Little Saint John then watches over the city for the
entire year. This historical reconstitution with 400
costumed participants celebrates a ritual that has
taken place since 1054.
Tourism Office
T./F. 33 (0)4 90 35 04 71
valreas.tourisme@free.fr
www.ot-valreas.info

Old-Fashioned Fishing
3rd Sunday in July in L’Isle sur la Sorgue
Fishermen row into the water on their flat-bottomed
rowboats called “nego chin”, and demonstrate the oldfashioned
fishing techniques long used in Isle sur la
Sorgue. Old fishing instruments are brought out for the
occasion, such as the 7-prong trident, the spider net, the
skillfully tossed lead-weighted nets, the trout pot, the
minnow trap… and other now-prohibited tools of the
trade. Dressed in gray or black velvet trousers, brown or
gray vests, white shirts and felt hats, the Pescaire start
their fishing demonstration at 10 o’clock in the morning.
The procession and blessing of the fish by the village
priest end this picturesque event.
Tourism Office
T. 33 (0)4 90 38 04 78
contact@ot-islesurlasorgue.fr
www.ot-islesurlasorgue.fr

CELEBRATIONS INVOLVING THE FRUITS OF THE
GOOD EARTH
Vacqueyras Wine Festival
July
Provencal traditions and music, tasting of the
vintages from the Rhone Valley, discussions with the
winemakers, followed by a grand country meal for
over 1000 participants, each year…
Tourism Office
T. 33 (0)4 90 12 39 02 - F. 33 (0)4 90 65 83 28
tourisme.vacqueyras@wanadoo.fr
Comité de la Fête des vins
T. 33 (0)4 90 65 86 72
fetedesvins-vacqueyras@wanadoo.fr

Wine Festival
2nd Saturday in July in Visan
The village of Visan pays homage to Saint Vincent,
patron saint of winemakers. The procession of the
Confraternity wends its way to Notre Dame des
Vignes chapel, bearing vine stock bedecked with
ribbons and vine shoots. Traditional music written
for the event accompanies the procession. The vine
stock is blessed during the Mass in Provencal. The
confraternity then proceeds with inductions of new
members. During the afternoon, the “marot” (wall
remaining from the old chateau) is demolished with
a sledge hammer to “release” the 15,000 numbered
magnum bottles which have aged for the past year in
the chateau cellars. Buy a tasting glass as you enter
the cellar to take part in the tastings. In the evening,
the vine stock is burned in a bonfire, and Provencal
dancers dance the eponymous farandole.
T. 33 (0)4 90 28 50 80
cave@coteaux-de-visan.fr
www.coteaux-de-visan.fr

Véraison Celebration
August in Châteauneuf du Pape
During the period known as the véraison, when
grapes begin to ripen and change color, the village of
Châteauneuf du Pape goes back in time to the
pontifical days. Pope Clément VI returns for the
weekend and takes charge of the village built into
the hillside and surrounded by a sea of vineyards.
Medieval celebrations abound and wine flows from
the village fountains. On Friday evening, a lively
medieval banquet. Saturday’s events go until
midnight and on Sunday, historical procession and
great medieval shows until 10:30 pm. In Châteauneuf
du Pape at the time of the véraison, it’s nearly
impossible to believe you’re in the 21st century!
Tourism Office
T. 33 (0)4 90 83 71 08 - F. 33 (0)4 90 83 50 34

Sweet Wine Night
August in Rasteau
The village of Rasteau celebrates its local sweet wine
all night long. Buy your tasting glass to get free
tastings at many stands on the village square. Local
products and crafts, musical groups play all night
long, to the glory of the local “nectar”.
Town Hall
T. 33 (0)4 90 46 10 47

Garlic Festival
August in Piolenc
Gastronomy is indebted to garlic, which has its own
confraternity and 2 days of festive events in the town of
Piolenc, the regional capital of garlic. Garlic market,
flea market, horses, traditional music and dancing,
street theater, a parade with floats on the subject of
garlic, induction of new members, and of course,
gastronomic meals are all part of this delicious festival.
Town Hall
T. 33 (0)4 90 29 63 66

Celebrating Lavender
15 August in Sault
The village of Sault prepares a colorful day of
lavender-related festivities. A lavender-cutting
contest takes place at the Defends hippodrome,
followed by Provencal music and dance groups and
horse and buggy races. Parades, horse shows, a
Provencal concert and many other events mark the
day, including the regional products market. At
noon, a fun country meal featuring local products
gathers everyone under the shade of the oak trees.
Tourism Office
T. 33 (0)4 90 64 01 21
info@saultenprovence.com
www.saultenprovence.com

Melon Festival
July in Cavaillon
For 3 whole days, the big square in Cavaillon goes
back in time to the 19th century marketplace, in
honor of the famous Cavaillon melon. Festive
banquets, tastings, book fairs, art fairs and other
festivities feature the famous melon, cousin to the
pumpkin and the squash, in every possible way.
Parades with flower-bedecked floats, farmers’
market in period costume, and a “roussaitaio” (wild
horses in the streets herded by the “gardians” or local
cowboys). The Confraternity of the Knights of the
Order of the Melon, the Confraternity for
maintaining Provencal Traditions, and the
Confraternity of Muscat de Beaumes de Venise all
induct new members.
Tourism Office
T. 33 (0)4 90 71 32 01
o.t.cavaillon@wanadoo.fr
www.cavaillon-luberon.com

Floating Market
August in L’Isle sur la Sorgue
In years past, the fishermen in Isle sur la Sorgue
came down from their fishing huts located upstream
of the village on Sundays to sell their wares from
their characteristic flat-bottomed rowboats known as
“nego chin”. On this special Sunday morning in
August, the floating market revives this tradition.
Some thirty boats, decorated and piloted by
fishermen and townspeople in costume, dock at the
banks of the Sorgue and propose their local products
to market-goers.
Tourism Office
T. 33 (0)4 90 38 04 78
islesurlasorgue@oti-delasorgue.fr
www.oti-delasorgue.fr

Lamb Fair
August in Saint Christol
This long-standing lamb fair has been going on for
nearly 50 years. Shepherds do sheep-shearing
demonstrations, and show their sheep-herding dogs’
talents. There are hundreds of lambs, many stands
featuring crafts and local products. A festive country
meal crowns this rural celebration.
Town Hall
T. 33 (0)4 90 75 01 05

The Harvest Proclamation Celebration
September in Avignon
The tradition of opening the grape harvest goes back
to the Middle Ages. In Avignon, this event marks the
beginning of the harvest of the Côtes du Rhône wine
grapes. All the Rhone Valley confraternities take part,
parading in the streets of the papal city, up to the steps
of the Palace of the Popes, where many vintners’
stands offer wines for tasting. At dusk, the Cotes du
Rhone carillon peals, announcing the opening of the
harvest, and the papal vines, planted at the top of the
hill overlooking the Rhone, are harvested.
Tourism Office
T. 33 (0)4 32 74 32 74 - F. 33 (0)4 90 82 95 03
ban-des-vendanges@wanadoo.fr
www.banvendanges.com

Celebrating Draft Animals and Transhumance
September in Villelaure
Starting at 9:30 in the morning, 800 head of sheep,
goats and donkeys arrive in this little village in the
southern Luberon. Wagon masters parade their
wagons and carts to the sound of the fife and drum.
A giant paella is served under the shade of the plane
trees. Afterwards, demonstrations of draft animals in
the regional final of tilling contests. Donkey cart
races, games and dancing. An old-fashioned potato
harvest takes place at the end of the day.