Fete de la Transhumance

The ascent to the mountain pastures

Transhumance is the seasonal movement of flocks between winter pastures in the plains and summer pastures in the mountains. This age-old practice, inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list in 2023, finds one of its most spectacular celebrations in Saint-Remy-de-Provence. Every year since 1985, on Whit Monday, the town of the Alpilles hosts the Fete de la Transhumance, which brings together over 4,000 animals — sheep, lambs, rams, goats, and donkeys — in a parade that winds through the town's streets.

A grandiose pastoral spectacle

The transhumance procession offers a striking spectacle: shepherds in traditional Provençal costume, wearing black felt hats and cloaks, lead their flocks to the sound of bells, accompanied by skilled sheepdogs, hitched Provençal carts, and costumed folk groups. The passage of the flock through the narrow streets of Saint-Remy, with the chiming of bells, the smell of wool, and the pride of the breeders, recreates the atmosphere of past transhumances, when shepherds from Crau and Camargue moved their animals to the high pastures of the Alpes de Haute-Provence.

Popular festival and pastoral market

Around the parade, the Fete de la Transhumance features a true pastoral market with local producers presenting sheep cheeses, wool, honey, olive oil, and local products from the Alpilles. Shearing demonstrations, spinning workshops, and exhibitions on pastoral life complete the program. A giant aioli is traditionally served on the main avenue, bringing together locals and visitors in a moment of Provençal conviviality.

A unifying event

The Fete de la Transhumance of Saint-Remy-de-Provence attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year, making this day one of the most popular events in the Bouches-du-Rhône. Free and open to all, the festival is organized by the town of Saint-Remy-de-Provence in partnership with local breeders and shepherds, the Maison de la Transhumance, and local pastoral associations.