Chés Wèpes, the Picard festival of the Picardy Coast

The Picard festival of the Picardy Coast

Born in 2000 from the will of the association Union Tertous, a fervent defender of Picard heritage, the festival Chés Wèpes has become over the years the unmissable event for Picard culture on the Somme coast. Its name, from Picard, designates both the wasp and, in popular language, a mischievous and lively rascal – quite a program for this whimsical and surprising festival.

A traveling and popular festival

Every summer, from June to August, Chés Wèpes takes over village squares, farmyards, chapels, and roadsides between Saint-Valery-sur-Somme, Cayeux-sur-Mer, Le Crotoy, and the towns of the Picardy Coast. The festival is by nature itinerant: it moves from one place to another, bringing Picard culture to where people live, in an approach of proximity and sharing.

Tales, songs, and traditional games

The program happily blends oral arts and popular imagination. Storytellers in the Picard language tell savory and colorful stories, while singers perform the traditional Picard repertoire with modern arrangements. Theater troupes perform plays written in Picard, mixing humor and emotion. Traditional Picard games – frog game, tug-of-war, javelin – invite young and old to reconnect with the amusements of yesteryear.

Heritage and nature walks allow visitors to discover the built and natural heritage of the Picardy Coast while listening to anecdotes in Picard. Exhibitions, public readings, and workshops complete the program, making each day a joyful immersion in regional culture.

Free and open to all

True to its popular vocation, the Chés Wèpes festival is entirely free. All activities, shows, and walks are accessible without reservation or ticket, in a spirit of conviviality and sharing that is the hallmark of Picard culture. The festival is supported by the Hauts-de-France Region, the Somme Department, and the Agence pour la langue picarde.