About Transhumance Festival

The Transhumance Festival in Saint-Lary-Soulan celebrates each year in June the ancestral ascent of flocks to the high-altitude summer pastures. Two transhumances open to the public are organized: the ascent to the Soulan pastures and the ascent to the Rioumajou valley. This pastoral tradition, deeply rooted in Pyrenean culture, brings together breeders, residents, and visitors for a unique moment of sharing, marked by the blessing of the flocks, convivial aperitifs, and rustic meals.

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An Ancestral Pastoral Tradition

The Transhumance Festival in Saint-Lary-Soulan perpetuates a thousand-year-old Pyrenean tradition: the ascent of sheep and cattle flocks to the high-altitude summer pastures at the beginning of summer. This significant moment in Pyrenean pastoral life is shared each year with the public, who can accompany the shepherds and their animals on their climb to the mountain pastures.

Two Transhumances, Two Routes

Two distinct events mark this tradition:

The Soulan Transhumance: early morning departure from the Vignec roundabout (route du Pla d'Adet), ascent to the village of Soulan at 1250 m altitude, followed by the blessing of the flocks and a complimentary aperitif
The Sailhan-Rioumajou Transhumance: departure from the village of Sailhan, arrival in the Rioumajou valley, followed by a friendly drink

An Event Linked to Ecotourism

The Transhumance Festival is part of the Saint-Lary Ecotourism Festival, which also offers farm visits, sheep shearing demonstrations, cheese tastings, and discoveries of the Aure valley's pastoral heritage.