Festival Art et Courage

Art et Courage: the showcase of the Landes race

The Festival Art et Courage is the unmissable event of the course landaise, this unique bullfighting tradition in the southwest of France. Organized by the Fédération Française de Course Landaise (FFCL) since 1990, it is the largest showcase of this ancestral art that combines skill, agility, and bravery against Landes cows.

Pomarez, cradle and capital of the Landes race

The festival was born in the Pomarez arenas, a town in the Landes region that legitimately claims the title of 'Capital of the Landes Race'. Its covered arenas, nicknamed 'La Mecque', are renowned for the quality of their ground, which offers a particularly high-level and spectacular show. The composition of the arena allows the 'écarteurs' and 'sauteurs' to perform figures of remarkable elegance and daring.

The art of the Landes race

The Landes race is a centuries-old Gascon bullfighting art in which men and women confront tethered Landes cows. The 'écarteurs' dodge the animal's charge with lateral movements of striking grace, while the 'sauteurs' perform acrobatic jumps over the cow running at full speed. The name of the festival, 'Art et Courage', pays homage to these two essential qualities of the 'coursayres'.

A festival that has traveled

Given the growing success of the festival, the event had to leave Pomarez from 2010 to move to larger arenas in Dax and Mont-de-Marsan to accommodate the ever-increasing number of aficionados. After an interruption due to the pandemic, the festival returned to its cradle in Pomarez in 2023, regaining the authenticity and intimacy of its origins.

The best 'écarteurs' and 'sauteurs' gathered

Each edition brings together the best 'écarteurs' and 'sauteurs' of the moment, from the most prestigious ganaderias (breeding farms) of Landes cows. The competitions highlight the talent of the 'coursayres' against cows known for their liveliness and character. The festival is also an opportunity to celebrate the great figures of the Landes race and to pass on this tradition to new generations.