Fête des Ouches et des Plantes de Morogues
Festival of gardens and plants in the Cher
About Fête des Ouches
The Morogues Ouches and Plants Festival is a horticultural and cultural event organized annually on the first weekend of May in the grounds of Château de Maupas, in Morogues (Cher). Led by the Morogues Village des Ouches association in partnership with the Festival Committee, this festival has been celebrating "ouches" — these small Berry vegetable gardens — for over twenty years, highlighting gardens, plants, ecology, and local heritage through a plant fair, an exchange market, conferences, workshops, nature walks, and an "Ouchothèque" dedicated to small vegetable gardens.
The Berry « ouches » in the spotlight
For over twenty years, the Morogues Ouches and Plants Festival has been celebrating the « ouches », these small spaces dedicated to vegetable gardens that are an integral part of Berry's rural heritage. Organized annually on the first weekend of May in the grounds of Château de Maupas, in Morogues (Cher), halfway between Bourges and Sancerre, this event brings together gardening enthusiasts, botany lovers, families, and the curious in an exceptional heritage setting.
A rich and varied plant fair
The heart of the festival is a plant fair bringing together nurserymen and horticulturists who offer a wide selection of plants: perennials, shrubs, rare flowers, vegetable seedlings, aromatics, and seeds. Exhibitors advise visitors and share their horticultural expertise. A plant exchange market also allows amateur gardeners to swap cuttings, seedlings, and plants in a spirit of sharing and conviviality. The festival also hosts a flea market, crafts, and regional products, as well as an area dedicated to chickens and gardening equipment.
Conferences, workshops, and activities
Beyond its commercial aspect, the Ouches Festival offers a rich cultural and educational program. Conferences address current topics such as chemical-free gardening, permaculture, garden health, composting, beekeeping, the art of bonsai, or aphrodisiac plants. The League for the Protection of Birds is regularly present, and a herbal tea bar welcomes the public.
Creative workshops and games are offered to children and families on Sunday. Fun competitions like the "Flying or Crawling Insects" contest raise awareness among young audiences about biodiversity. The Ouchothèque, a space dedicated to small vegetable gardens, presents examples of layouts and cultivation adapted to small spaces.
Nature and heritage walks
The festival also offers nature outings accompanied by a professional guide: a botanical walk to discover local flora, a visit to the Morogues church and its flowered surroundings, a photographic tour of plants. These outings combine the discovery of nature with the enhancement of the village's architectural and landscape heritage.
A festival committed to ecology
Since its beginnings in 2003, the Ouches Festival has been part of an initiative to raise awareness of ecology and sustainable gardening. The themes addressed — chemical-free gardening, garden health, composting, biodiversity preservation — demonstrate this commitment to environmentally friendly gardening.
Fête des Ouches — edition 2026
The Fête des Ouches et des Plantes 2026 took place on Saturday, May 2 and Sunday, May 3, 2026 in the park of Château de Maupas, in Morogues (Cher). Nurserymen, horticulturists, a plant exchange, a flea market, crafts, conferences, children's workshops, guided nature outings, and the unmissable Ouchothèque animated this first weekend of May dedicated to gardens and Berrichon heritage.
2026 Edition — May 2 and 3 at Château de Maupas park
The Fête des Ouches et des Plantes 2026 took place on Saturday, May 2 (2 PM - 6 PM) and Sunday, May 3 (9 AM - 6 PM) in the park of Château de Maupas, in Morogues. Organized by the Morogues Village des Ouches association in partnership with the Morogues Festival Committee, this edition continued over twenty years of celebrating gardens and Berrichon horticultural heritage in an exceptional heritage setting.
A plant fair at the foot of the castle
The plant fair brought together nurserymen and horticulturists offering perennial plants, shrubs, rare flowers, and vegetable seedlings. The plant exchange encouraged sharing among amateur gardeners. Visitors could also browse the stands of flea market items, crafts, and regional products, and discover an area dedicated to chickens and gardening equipment.
Conferences, workshops and walks
The program offered conferences on ecological gardening, permaculture, composting, beekeeping, the art of bonsai, and aphrodisiac plants, notably with the presence of the League for the Protection of Birds. A herbal tea bar welcomed the public. On Sunday, children's workshops, games, and nature outings accompanied by a professional guide (botanical walk, visit to the Morogues church and its flowery surroundings) punctuated the day. Refreshments and catering were available on Sunday.
The Ouchothèque, the festival's signature
As every year, the Ouchothèque — an area dedicated to small Berrichon vegetable gardens — presented examples of layout and cultivation adapted to small spaces, true to the event's vocation: to transmit the culture of «ouches» and raise awareness of environmentally friendly gardening.
Programme Fête des Ouches 2026
Saturday, May 2, 2026 (2:00 PM – 6:00 PM)
- Opening of the plant fair: nurserymen and horticulturists
- Plant exchange
- Flea market, crafts and regional products
- Chicken area and gardening equipment
- Herbal tea bar
- League for the Protection of Birds (LPO) stand
- Ouchothèque (small Berrichon vegetable gardens area)
- Thematic conferences (ecological gardening, permaculture, composting, beekeeping, bonsai…)
Sunday, May 3, 2026 (9:00 AM – 6:00 PM)
- Continuation of the plant fair and plant exchange
- Nature outings accompanied by a professional guide (botanical walk)
- Visit to the Morogues church and its flowery surroundings
- Creative workshops and games for children
- Thematic conferences
- Refreshments and catering on site
Note: the detailed hour-by-hour conference program was not published online; official sources indicate an alternating thematic program over the two days.
Highlights Fête des Ouches 2026
- Over twenty years of celebrating gardens and Berrichon heritage
- Heritage setting of Château de Maupas park
- Plant fair, plant exchange and Ouchothèque dedicated to small vegetable gardens
- Guided nature outings and visit to Morogues church on Sunday
- Entry for only €1.50
Prices Fête des Ouches 2026
Practical information — Fête des Ouches
Location
The festival takes place in the grounds of Château de Maupas, in Morogues (18220), in Cher, Centre-Val de Loire region, halfway between Bourges and Sancerre.
Usual Dates and Times
The Ouches Festival takes place annually on the first weekend of May (Saturday and Sunday).
- Saturday: 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM
- Sunday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Admission Fee
Entry: €1.50 per person. Visit to Château de Maupas extra: €9.50.
Activities
- Plant fair (nurserymen, horticulturists)
- Plant exchange market
- Flea market, crafts, and regional products
- Thematic conferences (ecological gardening, permaculture, composting, beekeeping, bonsai…)
- Creative workshops and games for children (Sunday)
- Nature and heritage walks with a professional guide
- Ouchothèque (space dedicated to small vegetable gardens)
- Herbal tea bar, refreshment stand, and catering (Sunday)
Access
Morogues is located approximately 30 km northeast of Bourges, accessible via D976 then D955. Parking available near Château de Maupas.
Contacts
Morogues Village des Ouches Association
E-mail: [email protected]
Official website: morogues-village-des-ouches.webnode.fr
Morogues Festival Committee (co-organizer)
Mairie de Morogues – 13 Grande Rue, 18220 Morogues – Tel. 02 48 64 41 94
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Where does it take place — Fête des Ouches
Parc du Château de Maupas
Parc du Château de Maupas, 18220 Morogues, 18220 Morogues