Autrefois le Couserans

The largest festival of rural traditions in the Pyrenees

Created in the early 1990s, Autrefois le Couserans has become over the editions the largest festival of rural traditions in the Pyrenees and one of the major events in Ariege. Every year, on the first weekend of August, the town of Saint-Girons, historical capital of Couserans, transforms into a living museum of Pyrenean traditions. The event celebrates the memory of the rural world of yesteryear: old-fashioned harvesting, wood carving, blacksmithing, spinning, bread making, cow milking, and a thousand other skills that were part of daily life in the Pyrenean countryside a century ago.

A grandiose parade of 900 participants

The highlight of the show is undoubtedly the grand parade that winds through the streets of Saint-Girons for 2.8 kilometers. Nearly 900 participants in period costumes and 250 animals—oxen, horses, donkeys, sheep, goats, poultry—recreate scenes from rural life of the past: horse-drawn carts, hay wagons, grape harvests, wheat threshing, wedding processions, old-fashioned school. The parade, accompanied by bands and traditional music, is a moment of emotion and nostalgia shared by thousands of spectators massed along the route.

A rich and varied program

Beyond the parade, Autrefois le Couserans offers a festive program spread over several days. A Bal'Trad (traditional dance) kicks off the festivities on Thursday evening in the Place de Verdun. Friday features the official inauguration, exhibitions, and spectacular fireworks. Saturday hosts a giant flea market, the grand parade, equestrian shows, a "certificat d'études" dictation test, and DJ sets. Sunday offers a craft market, shows, and entertainment for the whole family. Each edition is themed, guiding the staging of the parade.

Saint-Girons, capital of Couserans

Saint-Girons, a sub-prefecture of Ariege, is the central town of Couserans, an ancient Pyrenean province renowned for its 18 valleys, its cheeses (including the famous Bethmale), its Castillonnais horses, and its exceptional natural heritage. The town, located at the confluence of the Salat and Lez rivers, offers a picturesque setting with its half-timbered houses, market halls, and old bridges. Autrefois le Couserans actively contributes to the promotion of the cultural and agricultural heritage of this authentic Pyrenean region.