Transhumance Festival

Transhumance, a living tradition in Ardèche

Every year in June, the Transhumance Festival takes over the Domaine de Rochemure, headquarters of the Maison du Parc naturel régional des Monts d'Ardèche in Jaujac. Since its first edition in 2016, this unmissable event celebrates the pastoral tradition of moving herds to the summer pastures of the Tanargue massif.

Family entertainment and meetings with breeders

Throughout the day, from 10 am to 6 pm, the festival offers family entertainment: wooden games, carriage rides, and a mini-farm to interact with animals. Sheepdog demonstrations in action with goose and sheep herds showcase the daily work of shepherds. Sheep shearing demonstrations reveal the precise and ancestral gestures of this practice.

A market of Ardèche producers

The producers' and artisans' market brings together the region's know-how: honey, chestnut products, blueberries, cheeses, cured meats, seasonal fruits, juices, ice cream, jewelry, leather goods, and artisanal knives. A grand meal organized by the breeders themselves features lamb (biassou) accompanied by Ardèche products, for a convivial outdoor gastronomic experience.

The grand departure towards the Tanargue summer pastures

The highlight of the day occurs around 4 pm, when the flock departs for the Tanargue summer pastures, accompanied by the shepherds. This colorful pastoral procession is a true living spectacle that reconnects visitors with nature and the slow passage of time. Walkers are invited to accompany the flock at the sheep's pace, in a unique moment of sharing between humans and animals amidst the Ardèche landscapes.