Fête de la Saint-Médard
The patronal festival of the village of Andryes in Puisaye: a friendly gathering around Saint Médard at the beginning of June
About Fête de la Saint-Médard d'Andryes
The Fête de la Saint-Médard in Andryes, a patronal rural festival in the heart of Puisaye
Each year around June 8th, the liturgical feast day of Saint Médard, the village of Andryes (89480) celebrates its patron saint during a popular festival that perpetuates a rural tradition deeply rooted in the local life of Puisaye-Forterre. Organized by the Comité des fêtes d'Andryes, this friendly event brings together village residents, families from the surrounding area, and visitors curious to discover the authenticity of the festive life of a rural village in the Yonne.
Saint Médard, patron of Andryes
Saint Médard, bishop of Noyon in the 6th century, is celebrated on June 8th in the Catholic liturgical calendar. He is famous in French folklore for the popular saying: "If it rains on Saint Médard's Day, it will rain forty days later." In Andryes, this saint is the patron of the parish and the commune, and his feast day is celebrated each year with a festive gathering that marks the beginning of summer in this small village of Puisaye.
An authentic rural festival
The Fête de la Saint-Médard is a typical example of these village patronal festivals that still punctuate the life of rural communes in the Yonne and Burgundy. Far from large festivals and city crowds, it brings together a few hundred people around a simple and friendly program: outdoor music, shared country meal, folk dances, games, and entertainment for children. The Festival Committee, an association under the law of 1901 founded in 1996, mobilizes its volunteers to organize this event, which is part of the village's intangible heritage.
Andryes, a village in Puisaye on the banks of the Yonne
Andryes is a small village of 440 inhabitants located in the department of Yonne (89480), in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, in the heart of the Puisaye-Forterre region. Nestled in a landscape of hedgerows, forests, and ponds characteristic of Puisaye, the village is crossed by the Nivernais canal, offering a natural setting of great serenity. The proximity of the forest and ponds of Puisaye makes Andryes a destination for nature and tranquility, ideal for lovers of hiking, fishing, and cycling tourism on the Nivernais canal greenway.
The tradition of patronal festivals in the Yonne
The Fête de la Saint-Médard in Andryes is part of the long tradition of rural patronal festivals in the Yonne. In this department, communes, even the smallest ones, proudly perpetuate their local festivals: the Fête de la Madeleine in Sainpuits, the Fête de la Saint-Pierre in Cravant, the Fête de la Saint-Jean in Joigny, and many others. These popular events constitute a precious social and cultural fabric, keeping alive the link between generations and preserving a strong local identity in the face of rural depopulation.
The Andryes Festival Committee, like many of its counterparts in the Yonne, invests enthusiastically in organizing this annual event. Volunteers, often village families, dedicate their time and energy to make the festival happen, thus perpetuating a tradition of solidarity and associative commitment that is the bedrock of village life in rural France.
Fête de la Saint-Médard d'Andryes — edition 2026
Join us on Saturday, June 6, 2026, from 5 PM at the locality Ferrière, in Andryes (89480), for the Fête de la Saint-Médard. This popular festival organized by the Comité des fêtes d'Andryes offers a walk, a convivial meal (rincé cochon, sausages, galettes), and a DJ animation. Free entry, catering on site.
Fête de la Saint-Médard 2026 in Andryes — A festive evening in Puisaye-Forterre
On Saturday, June 6, 2026, the Comité des fêtes d'Andryes is organizing its traditional Fête de la Saint-Médard at the locality Ferrière, in the commune of Andryes (89480). The event starts from 5 PM for a festive and convivial evening, free and open to all.
A simple and popular evening village festival
True to the spirit of rural patron saint festivals in the Yonne, the 2026 edition is organized around a condensed format over a single evening: a communal walk at 5 PM in the village surroundings, followed by an outdoor shared meal (the « rincé cochon », traditional rinsing at the end of cooking the pork, accompanied by sausages and galettes prepared by volunteers) then a DJ animation to extend the evening.
As every year, volunteers from the Comité des fêtes, an association founded in 1996 under the 1901 law, handle the organization, cooking, and service. President Cécile Léger, treasurer Isabelle Anton, and secretary Sophie Didon coordinate the event with a team of village volunteers.
Ferrière, emblematic locality of Andryes
The 2026 edition takes place at the locality Ferrière, in the commune of Andryes, a charming village in Puisaye-Forterre crossed by the canal du Nivernais. The setting is particularly suitable for an outdoor evening, in a landscape of hedgerows and forests characteristic of the Puisaye. Free access, parking on site.
Programme Fête de la Saint-Médard d'Andryes 2026
Saturday, June 6, 2026 — Ferrière, Andryes
- 5:00 PM — Communal walk starting from Ferrière
- Around 7:00 PM — « Rincé cochon » and outdoor meal (sausages, galettes, refreshment stand run by volunteers from the Comité des fêtes)
- Evening — DJ entertainment until late evening
Indicative program communicated via the jds.fr agenda. The precise details of the activities may change depending on the organization of the Comité des fêtes — inquire at 03 86 47 29 12 (president) or 06 12 58 31 84 (secretary) before the event.
Highlights Fête de la Saint-Médard d'Andryes 2026
- Rural patron saint festival at the locality Ferrière, in Andryes (89480)
- Communal walk at 5 PM followed by an outdoor meal
- « Rincé cochon », sausages and galettes prepared by volunteers
- DJ entertainment to extend the evening
- Free entry, organized by the Comité des fêtes d'Andryes
- Bucolic setting of Puisaye-Forterre, by the canal du Nivernais
Prices Fête de la Saint-Médard d'Andryes 2026
Practical information — Fête de la Saint-Médard d'Andryes
Practical Information
Location
The Fête de la Saint-Médard takes place in the village of Andryes (89480), in Puisaye-Forterre, in the Yonne department (89), Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region.
- Address: 2 Rue de la Mairie, 89480 Andryes
- GPS: 47.4617° N, 3.5017° E
Access
- By car: From Auxerre, take the D965 towards Clamecy, then turn off towards Andryes via departmental roads (approx. 30 km). From Clamecy (Nièvre), Andryes is about 10 km to the north. Free parking in the village.
- By bike: Andryes is accessible from the Nivernais canal greenway, a cycling route along the canal between Auxerre and Decize.
Dates
The festival takes place annually around June 8th, Saint Médard's Day. The precise dates vary depending on the calendar and the availability of the Festival Committee.
Prices
Admission to the festival is generally free. Food and drinks available on site (paid).
Contact
- Mairie d'Andryes
- Phone: 03 86 81 72 36
- Comité des fêtes d'Andryes (SIREN: 408 957 587)
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Where does it take place — Fête de la Saint-Médard d'Andryes
Village d'Andryes
Rue de la Mairie, 89480 Andryes