The iconic festival of the blueberry from the Hautes Chaumes du Forez
Every August 14th and 15th, the characterful village of Sauvain, perched at over 900 meters altitude in the Hautes Chaumes du Forez, celebrates the wild blueberries and bilberries, emblematic fruits of its mountains. Created in 1975 by the village youth club, then taken over by the Festival Committee in 1983, this popular festival attracts 2,000 to 3,000 visitors each year with a local producers' market, folk groups, a visit to the Fourme and Traditions Museum, and especially the tasting of the "sauvagnet" — a blueberry fritter whose name is a contraction of "Sauvain" and "beignet" (fritter), made by the village bakers only once a year, exclusively for this festival. Entrance: €5, free for children under 12 and from 4 PM.
Since 1975, the village of Sauvain, nestled in the heart of the Hautes Chaumes du Forez in the Loire region, has paid tribute to bilberries and blueberries, these small purple wild fruits that grow naturally on the high-altitude plateaus of the massif. Every August 14th and 15th, this characterful village — the birthplace of fourme de Montbrison — comes alive for a popular festival that has become one of the unmissable summer events in the Loire department.
The undisputed star of the festival is the sauvagnet, whose name is a contraction of "Sauvain" and "beignet" (fritter). It is a large, thick pancake tinged purple by the blueberries used in its preparation. The village bakers make this fritter only once a year, exclusively for the Fête des Airelles-Myrtilles, making it an absolutely unique specialty. Tasting a hot sauvagnet in the village streets is to savor a tradition that can be experienced nowhere else.
The history of this festivity dates back to 1975, when the village's youth club came up with the original idea of highlighting the bilberries and blueberries that grow on the high pastures of the Hautes Chaumes. While the initiative came from the young people of the time, it was the Festival Committee of Sauvain that took over the organization in 1983, structuring the event and giving it the scale it has today. Since 1998, the Museum of Fourme and Traditions (Maison Sauvagnarde) has been a partner of the festival, enriching the program with exhibitions and demonstrations of ancient know-how.
The festival begins on the evening of August 14th with a convivial meal and a free open-air cinema for all ages. August 15th, the main day, offers a dense program:
The lunch on August 15th, served in the countryside area, features blueberry dishes with a menu including beef shoulder in blueberry sauce, potatoes, fourme cheese, and blueberries for dessert.
The Hautes Chaumes du Forez, vast high-altitude plateaus (1,200 to 1,640 m) located on the border between the Loire and Puy-de-Dôme departments, are the natural habitat of wild blueberries and bilberries. These heather and blueberry moors, swept by the winds, are protected areas with remarkable natural heritage. However, climatic hazards — hail, late frosts, drought — regularly threaten the fresh blueberry harvest, reminding us of the fragility of this wild fruit and the importance of celebrating it.
51st edition of the Fête des Airelles-Myrtilles in Sauvain. Two days of festivities around the blueberry from the Hautes Chaumes du Forez: local producers' market, folk groups, visit to the Museum of Fourme and Traditions, sauvagnet tasting, shows, and open-air family activities.
The Fête des Airelles-Myrtilles returns for its 51st edition on Friday, August 14th, and Saturday, August 15th, 2026 in Sauvain, in the heart of the Hautes Chaumes du Forez. After a historic 50th edition that attracted between 2,000 and 3,000 visitors in 2025, the Sauvain Festival Committee is preparing a new festive program celebrating the blueberry, the emblematic fruit of the Forez mountains.
As every year, the festival will begin on the evening of August 14th with a convivial meal and open-air cinema. August 15th, the Assumption Day, will be dedicated to the main festivities:
The complete program will be announced in the summer of 2026 by the Sauvain Festival Committee.
By car: Sauvain is located 25 km northwest of Montbrison via the D496, in the Monts du Forez. From Saint-Étienne (approx. 1h15), take the direction of Montbrison then follow the signs for "Sauvain / Col de la Loge". From Lyon (approx. 1h45), take the A72 towards Saint-Étienne, exit Montbrison.
Parking: Free parking on the outskirts of the village.
The festival takes place in the village of Sauvain and on the countryside area, in the heart of the village.
Meals served in the countryside area at noon and in the evening on August 15th. Refreshment stands, sale of sauvagnets and blueberry products throughout the day. The lunch on August 15th offers a festive menu with beef shoulder in blueberry sauce — booking recommended.
Phone: 06 31 34 27 25
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