Fête du Cheval Percheron

The Percheron, pride of the region

Every August 15th, the Écomusée du Perche celebrates the Percheron horse, one of the most famous draft horse breeds in the world, born in this bocage region of Normandy. Over the decades, the Fête du Cheval Percheron has become a must-attend event for equine enthusiasts and defenders of living heritage.

Exceptional presentations

The day is dedicated to showcasing the Percheron in all its facets:

Presentations of horses and gaits

Stallions, mares, and foals are presented to the public in a parade that highlights the beauty, power, and elegance of this draft breed. Presenters detail the Percheron's morphological characteristics and qualities, offering a true outdoor hippology course.

Harness demonstrations

Harness work is one of the highlights of the festival. Whether in single, pair, or team, Percherons pull horse-drawn carriages in the museum's park, demonstrating their calm strength and docility. The harness carousels offer a majestic spectacle where the synchronization between drivers and horses reaches peaks of precision.

Traditional crafts and know-how

Blacksmith and wheelwright

Artisans practice their crafts live: the blacksmith shoes a horse before the public's eyes, while the wheelwright demonstrates the making and repair of cartwheels. These demonstrations of ancestral know-how recall the importance of the horse in the rural economy of the past.

Saddlery and harness making

Saddlers and harness makers exhibit their work and demonstrate the making of harnesses used for driving. Parades of horses in full harness allow admiration of the richness of the worked leathers and traditional ornaments.

A theme renewed each year

Each edition revolves around an original theme that enriches the presentations and opens the Percheron to the world and modernity. In 2024, the theme "Republican Percherons" welcomed the Garde républicaine, offering an exceptional show in the historic setting of the priory.

The Écomusée du Perche

The Écomusée du Perche, located in the Prieuré de Sainte-Gauburge (12th-17th century), is a remarkable heritage site that preserves and promotes the natural, cultural, and artisanal heritage of the Perche region. The Fête du Cheval Percheron is naturally part of the museum's mission to keep the traditions and know-how of the territory alive.