Fêtes de Mauléon

The patron saint festivals of the Souletine capital

The Fêtes de Mauléon are the unmissable festive event in Mauléon-Licharre, the capital of Soule, the easternmost and smallest of the provinces of the Northern Basque Country. Every year in mid-July, the town comes alive for four days of festivities that blend ancestral traditions and contemporary entertainment, bringing together residents from across the Saison valley and passing visitors in a warm and friendly atmosphere.

A rich and varied program

The festivities traditionally begin on Thursday evening with a committee evening, a convivial moment that officially launches the celebrations. Friday marks the official opening of the festivals with the presentation of trophies to local athletes, followed by a complimentary sangria animated by the brass band La Mauléonnaise and the dancers of Urrats Berriak. The bandas then parade through the streets of the town, creating a typically Basque festive atmosphere. Saturday offers a festival market with «Les Prix en Fête», free entertainment for all, pétanque competitions at the Jaï Alaï, and bare-hand pelota finals. Sunday concludes the festivities with concerts, including the group Xiberoots, ambassador of contemporary Souletine music.

A tradition rooted in Souletine culture

The Fêtes de Mauléon are part of the long tradition of Basque patron saint festivals, these moments of community gathering that have punctuated village life for centuries. In Mauléon-Licharre, these festivities hold particular importance as the capital of Soule, a territory with unique cultural traditions — pastoral, masquerades, Souletine dances. The Festival Committee, composed of passionate volunteers, works throughout the year to offer a program that honors these traditions while making them accessible to all audiences.

Conviviality and gastronomy on the agenda

Popular meals are one of the highlights of the Fêtes de Mauléon. The committee meal on Friday evening, animated by orchestras like Podium Fuego, brings together several hundred guests in a festive atmosphere. Throughout the weekend, the town's bars and restaurants offer tapas, pintxos, and Souletine specialties, while local craft beers flow freely. Evenings extend late into the night with popular dances and concerts that make the heart of the medieval city of Mauléon vibrate.