Fête Votive de Clarensac
Traditional bullfighting festival in Clarensac, Gard
About Fête Votive de Clarensac
The Clarensac Festival is a traditional bullfighting festival that enlivens the village of Clarensac, in the Gard department, Occitanie region, every year. Organized jointly by the town hall and the Club Taurin L'Escapaïre, it is part of the tradition of the votive festivals of Petite Camargue with its abrivados, bandidos, and convivial activities. The commune actually hosts two major bullfighting events during the year: the Bullfighting Club Festival (or Spring Festival) in early June, and the August Votive Festival at the end of the month, around the last weekend of the month.
A bullfighting tradition in the heart of Gard
In Clarensac, a commune in Gard located at the gates of Petite Camargue and near Nîmes, bullfighting culture is deeply rooted in local life. The Clarensac Festival actually brings together two distinct festive moments during the year, both supported by the municipality and the Club Taurin L'Escapaïre, a cultural association that celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2025.
The Bullfighting Club Festival (June)
The first bullfighting event of the year in Clarensac, the Bullfighting Club Festival, also called the Spring Festival, traditionally takes place over three days, from Friday to Sunday, in early June. It marks the opening of the local bullfighting season and brings together the local manades around abrivados (spectacular arrival of bulls in the village), bandidos (return to the fields), encierros, convivial meals, and evenings animated by DJs or orchestras. It's an opportunity for Clarensac residents and visitors to gather around Camargue traditions.
The Votive Festival (August)
Longer in duration, the Clarensac Votive Festival traditionally takes place over four days around the last weekend of August. It offers a dense program: bullfighting events (abrivados, bandidos, Camargue races in the arenas), pétanque competitions, children's entertainment, dancing meals, balls, parades, and a votive mass. Local manades (Aubanel, Lafon, Saint-Antoine, etc.) generally take part.
A strong local presence
Beyond the events, the Clarensac Festival is a privileged moment of sharing and transmission, where young and old gather around the codes of the bouvine (bullfighting culture of Gard and Hérault). It contributes to the identity of the village and the influence of the Camargue tradition in the Nîmes hinterland.
Fête Votive de Clarensac — edition 2026
2026 edition of the Bullfighting Club Festival (Spring Festival) of Clarensac, from Friday, June 5 to Sunday, June 7, 2026. First bullfighting event of the year in Clarensac, organized by the town hall and the L'Escapaïre Bullfighting Club.
Bullfighting Club Festival of Clarensac — 2026 Edition
The Bullfighting Club Festival (or Spring Festival) of Clarensac takes place this year from Friday, June 5 to Sunday, June 7, 2026, over three days, in the heart of the Gard village. It is the first major bullfighting event of the season in Clarensac, jointly organized by the town hall and the L'Escapaïre Bullfighting Club.
A Camargue tradition
During these three days, the village lives to the rhythm of the abrivados (spectacular arrival of bulls in the village streets, escorted by mounted gardians) and the bandidos (return of the animals to the manades at the end of the event). The central streets are closed to traffic during the bull parades, and the public gathers behind the protective barriers to experience the Camargue tradition up close.
Activities and conviviality
Beyond the bullfighting events, this edition offers the traditional gatherings of a Gard village festival: convivial meals (lunches in the meadow, dinners under the plane trees), evenings animated by DJs or orchestras, children's activities, and moments of exchange around the invited manades. The detailed day-by-day program (precise abrivado times, participating manades, evenings) is distributed by the town hall and the L'Escapaïre Bullfighting Club in the weeks preceding the edition, via the official website clarensac.fr and the commune's Facebook page.
Practical information
Free access for most activities. Parking available around the village. For any additional information: Clarensac Town Hall at 04 30 06 53 21 or by email at [email protected].
Highlights Fête Votive de Clarensac 2026
- Three days of bullfighting entertainment in the heart of the village (June 5-7, 2026)
- Abrivados and bandidos with several invited Gard manades
- Meals and festive evenings organized by the L'Escapaïre Bullfighting Club
- Events with free access
- First major bullfighting event of the season in Clarensac, before the August votive festival
Prices Fête Votive de Clarensac 2026
Practical information — Fête Votive de Clarensac
Practical Information
Location
Village center of Clarensac, around the Place de la Mairie and the streets of the historic heart. Bullfighting events (abrivados, bandidos) generally pass through the main streets of the village.
Access
Clarensac (30870) is located approximately 15 km west of Nîmes. Access via the D40 from Nîmes or Sommières. Free parking on the outskirts of the village; plan to arrive in advance on days of bullfighting events, as the central roads are closed to traffic during parades.
Prices
Free access for most activities (abrivados, bandidos, balls). Some specific activities (meals, Camargue races in arenas) may be subject to a fee — consult the official program for each edition.
Contact
Mairie de Clarensac — 5 Place de la Mairie, 30870 Clarensac
Phone: 04 30 06 53 21
Email: [email protected]
Official website: clarensac.fr
Facebook: Mairie de Clarensac
Club Taurin L'Escapaïre — [email protected]
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Where does it take place — Fête Votive de Clarensac
Arène de Clarensac
5 Place de la Mairie, 30870 Clarensac, 30870 Clarensac