Fête de la Moisson à l'Ancienne

Lorraine's Agricultural Heritage in the Spotlight

The Fête de la Moisson à l'Ancienne is a unique event that allows you to step back in time and relive the agricultural gestures and techniques of yesteryear. Organized in Gondrecourt-le-Château, in the south of the Meuse region, this festival brings together enthusiasts of vintage mechanics and traditional agriculture around live demonstrations and impressive collections.

Old-Fashioned Harvesting Demonstrations

The heart of the event consists of demonstrations of vintage mechanized harvesting. Visitors witness live scenes of early mechanized harvests, hand scything, old-fashioned grain threshing, and plowing with draft horses. These reenactments, carried out with carefully restored vintage equipment, offer a living testimony of agricultural life as it was practiced in the Lorraine countryside in the 19th and 20th centuries.

The Art of Harvesting

The volunteers of the association Les Amis de l'Ornain et Mécaniques d'Antan master the ancestral techniques of harvesting and threshing. Their commented demonstrations allow visitors to understand the evolution of agricultural practices, from entirely manual labor to the arrival of the first mechanical machines that revolutionized the rural world.

Exhibitions of Vintage Vehicles

The festival features vast exhibitions of old tractors, vintage trucks, old agricultural machinery, and collector cars. These machines, lovingly restored by passionate collectors, bear witness to technical evolution from the first steam engines to the diesel tractors of the 1960s. Each vehicle tells a story and evokes nostalgia for a bygone era.

Market and Activities

A local produce market allows visitors to discover the flavors of the Meuse region: honey, jams, cheeses, cured meats, and other specialties. Various activities punctuate the day, while a raffle with many prizes adds a fun touch to the event. On-site catering offers traditional meals by reservation as well as quick options.

A Unifying Event

Supported by a partnership between the association Les Amis de l'Ornain et Mécaniques d'Antan, the Town Hall of Gondrecourt-le-Château, and the Communauté de Communes les Portes de Meuse, this event unites local stakeholders around the promotion of rural heritage. It contributes to the influence of Gondrecourt-le-Château and the southern Meuse region as a destination for memory and heritage tourism.