Feria de Pentecôte
The great bullfighting and festive feria of Nîmes, Pentecost weekend (Gard)
About Feria de Pentecôte
The Feria de Pentecôte is one of the largest popular gatherings in France: over a million people invade Nîmes every year, from Thursday to Pentecost Monday, to celebrate bullfighting culture, festivity, conviviality and Southern traditions. Corridas, novilladas, Camargue races, abrivados, pégoulade, giant paella, bodegas and flamenco concerts enliven the city and the Roman Arenas for five days and five nights.
Created in 1952 in its modern form (the first "official" feria dates back to 1952, with the 55th edition being celebrated in 2026), the Feria de Pentecôte is organised by the City of Nîmes, with the bullfighting delegation entrusted to the company Casas & Co. for the Arenas' programming.
The Feria de Pentecôte in Nîmes, the bullfighting and festive event of the South
Every year, on Pentecost weekend, Nîmes becomes for five days the capital of Southern festivity. The Feria de Pentecôte gathers over a million visitors from all over France, Spain and beyond to live a unique experience combining bullfighting, Camargue traditions, gastronomy, music and conviviality.
A feria in the heart of the Roman city
The Nîmes Arenas, a 1st century Roman amphitheatre among the best preserved in the world, host the bullfighting shows: corridas on foot, corridas de rejón (on horseback), novilladas and Camargue races. All around, the city centre transforms: the Place du Marché, the Esplanade Charles-de-Gaulle, the Jardins de la Fontaine, the Boulevard Victor-Hugo, the Avenue Feuchères and the Place des Arènes become open-air festive spaces.
A rich and varied program
Beyond the arenas, the feria offers a multitude of free activities: the Pégoulade (grand inaugural parade on Thursday evening), the abrivados and bandidos (bull releases supervised by Camargue gardians), the national paella competition on Avenue Feuchères, the craft market on the Esplanade, the Sevillian village with its daily flamenco concerts, the Feri'Ados for teenagers at the Jardins de la Fontaine, not forgetting the jousts on the Canal de la Fontaine and the Rocío procession on Monday morning.
The bodegas, soul of the feria
Over 300 bodegas — associative, professional or ephemeral — open their doors during the feria. These temporary bars, set up indoors or outdoors, are at the heart of the Nîmes spirit: people drink, eat, and dance to the rhythm of the peñas and bandas that roam the city day and night.
A heritage institution
Although the modern feria was born in 1952, Nîmes maintains a centuries-old bullfighting tradition. Corridas are recognised as intangible cultural heritage by defenders of bullfighting. The feria annually attracts the greatest Spanish and French matadors — Morante de la Puebla, Sébastien Castella, Daniel Luque, Talavante, Léa Vicens — as well as the best ganaderías from Spain and France.
Feria de Pentecôte — edition 2026
The 55th edition of the Feria de Pentecôte takes place from Thursday, May 21 to Monday, May 25, 2026, in Nîmes, with an opening day for children on Wednesday, May 20, at the Arenas. Five days and five nights of celebration, bullfighting, and Camargue traditions with an exceptional program: 6 corridas, 2 novilladas, 1 corrida de rejón, and 1 Camargue race in the Roman Arenas, plus hundreds of free events throughout the city. Official poster signed by architect Rudy Ricciotti.
Feria de Pentecôte 2026 — The 55th edition
From Thursday, May 21 to Monday, May 25, 2026, Nîmes lives to the rhythm of its biggest festival of the year. More than a million people are expected in the city's streets to celebrate bullfighting, Southern traditions, and conviviality.
The official 2026 poster signed by Rudy Ricciotti
For this 55th edition, the City of Nîmes entrusted the creation of the official poster to architect Rudy Ricciotti, a major figure in contemporary French architecture. An exhibition dedicated to him will be held at the Carré d'Art-Bibliothèque throughout the feria.
The exhibition at the Musée des Cultures taurines
The Musée des Cultures taurines presents the exhibition « Camargue, terre d'eaux », opening on Wednesday, May 20, at 6:00 PM. Extended hours throughout the feria.
New for 2026
This edition highlights young talents of French bullfighting with the « Corrida hommage au toreo français » on Sunday morning, bringing together six French matadors — Marc Serrano, Adriano, Tibo Garcia, El Rafi, Maxime Solera, and Solal. An unprecedented presentation of the El Freixo ranch on Saturday evening and the unique French appearance of maestro Morante de la Puebla in 2026 are among the bullfighting highlights.
Programme Feria de Pentecôte 2026
Wednesday, May 20, 2026 — Children's Day
- 9:30 AM — Children's Feria · Arènes de Nîmes (official opening of the feria)
- 6:00 PM — Opening of the exhibition « Camargue, terre d'eaux » · Musée des Cultures taurines
Thursday, May 21, 2026 — Opening
- 10 AM-7 PM — Rudy Ricciotti Exhibition · Carré d'Art-Bibliothèque
- 10 AM-10 PM — Artisan Market · Esplanade Charles-de-Gaulle
- 11:00 AM — Homage to the pioneers · Puits Couchoux
- 6:00 PM — Camargue Race — Jean Lafont Trophy · Arènes
Cattle: Saumade, Lautier, Paulin, Cuillé · Raseteurs: Cadenas, Katif, Zekraoui, Marignan Lopez, Leal, T. Charrade, Ayme - 8:30 PM — Pégoulade « BD en fête » · Tour des Boulevards (grand inaugural parade)
Friday, May 22, 2026
- 11:00 AM — Novillada without picadors · Arènes
Cattle: Lisares (Arles) · Novilleros: Rémy Asensio, Manuel Real "Realito", winner Bolsin Bellegarde - 6:00 PM — Corrida · Arènes
Cattle: Virgen Maria · Matadors: Miguel Ángel Perera, Paco Ureña, Aarón Palacio - 8:00 PM — Abrivado · Avenue Jean-Jaurès
- 9:00 PM — Flamenco Concerts · Village sévillan
Saturday, May 23, 2026
- 11:00 AM — Novillada — Cape d'Or · Arènes
Cattle: Talavante · Novilleros: Emiliano Osornio, Victor, Clovis - 11 AM-2 PM — National Paella Competition · Avenue Feuchères (4th consecutive year)
- 2 PM-6 PM — Feri'Ados: youth activities · Jardins de la Fontaine
- 6:00 PM — Corrida · Arènes
Cattle: El Freixo (unprecedented presentation) · Matadors: Morante de la Puebla, Alejandro Talavante, Marco Pérez - 8:00 PM — Abrivado
Sunday, May 24, 2026
- 11:00 AM — Corrida tribute to French bullfighting · Arènes
Cattle: Robert Margé · Matadors: Marc Serrano, Adriano, Tibo Garcia, El Rafi, Maxime Solera, Solal - 1:00 PM — Abrivado
- 6:00 PM — Corrida · Arènes
Cattle: Santiago Domecq · Matadors: Sébastien Castella, Daniel Luque, Emilio de Justo
Monday, May 25, 2026 — Closing
- 10:00 AM — Rocío Parade
- 10:30 AM-12:30 PM — Jousts · Canal de la Fontaine
- 11:30 AM — Corrida de rejón · Arènes
Cattle: Fermín Bohórquez · Rejoneadores: Léa Vicens, Guillermo Hermoso de Mendoza, Duarte Fernandez - 5:30 PM — Corrida — Mano a Mano · Arènes
Cattle: Pedraza de Yeltes · Matadors: Borja Jiménez, Clemente
Throughout the feria: artisan market (Esplanade Charles-de-Gaulle, 10 AM-10 PM), Sevillian village with flamenco concerts (6 PM-1 AM), bodegas throughout the city center, Ricciotti exhibition at Carré d'Art, « Camargue, terre d'eaux » exhibition at Musée des Cultures taurines.
Highlights Feria de Pentecôte 2026
- 9 bullfighting shows in the Arenas: 6 corridas, 2 novilladas, 1 corrida de rejón, and 1 Camargue race
- Unique French appearance in 2026 of maestro Morante de la Puebla (Saturday evening)
- Corrida tribute to French bullfighting bringing together 6 French matadors (Sunday morning)
- Official poster signed by architect Rudy Ricciotti, with an exhibition at Carré d'Art
- National paella competition on Avenue Feuchères (4th edition)
- Over a million visitors expected in the streets
- Free public transport on Saturday, May 23, and Sunday, May 24
Prices Feria de Pentecôte 2026
Practical information — Feria de Pentecôte
Practical Information
Location
Nîmes Arenas (Boulevard des Arènes, 30000 Nîmes) and historic city centre: Esplanade Charles-de-Gaulle, Place du Marché, Boulevard Victor-Hugo, Avenue Feuchères, Jardins de la Fontaine.
Access
Nîmes is served by Nîmes-Centre SNCF train station (10 min walk from the Arenas) with TGV from Paris (approx. 3h), Lyon, Marseille and Montpellier. By car, take the A9 (Nîmes-Centre or Nîmes-Ouest exit). Nîmes-Garons Airport is 10 km away. During the feria, free shuttles serve the park-and-ride facilities and urban public transport (Tango) is free on Saturday and Sunday.
Prices
All activities outside the arenas are free (pégoulade, abrivados, paella, craft market, flamenco concerts, associative bodegas). Bullfighting shows in the arenas are paid: prices from 25 € (high shade) to over 220 € (barrera shade). Online ticketing on arenesdenimes.com or at the counters (4 rue de la Violette, Nîmes).
Contact
Feria special number: 04 66 76 73 88. Arenas Ticket Office: 04 66 02 80 86. Nîmes Tourist Office: 6 boulevard des Arènes — nimes-tourisme.com.
Festival Hours
Establishment closing times: Thursday 2am, Friday-Sunday 3am, Monday 1am.
Festival-goer photos
No photo yet. Share yours!
Share your photos
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
Vous avez repéré une erreur ou une information manquante ?
Aidez-nous à garder cette fiche à jour. Toute proposition est relue par notre équipe avant publication.
Festival-goer reviews
No rating yet — be the first!
No review yet. Be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community
Where does it take place — Feria de Pentecôte
Arènes de Nîmes et centre-ville
Arènes de Nîmes, Boulevard des Arènes, 30000 Nîmes, 30000 Nîmes