Fêtes de Mauléon
Patronal festival of Mauléon-Licharre in the heart of Soule
About 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.
Fêtes de Mauléon — edition 2026
The Fêtes de Mauléon 2026 will take place from Thursday, July 9th to Sunday, July 12th, for four days of patron saint festivities in the heart of the Souletine capital. On the program: committee evening, bandas in the streets, Basque pelota and pétanque tournaments, Souletine dances, festival market and popular meals, before the musical closing on Sunday with the Xiberoots group. Details of the schedule and program will be revealed by the Comité des Fêtes closer to the event.
Fêtes de Mauléon — July 9th to 12th, 2026
The Fêtes de Mauléon return from Thursday, July 9th to Sunday, July 12th, 2026 for four days of festivities in the heart of Mauléon-Licharre, capital of Soule. Organized by the Comité des Fêtes and the town's café owners, these patron saint festivities blend Basque traditions and friendly entertainment in the town center and around the Jaï Alaï.
The Four-Day Schedule
The festivities open on Thursday, July 9th with the festival committee's evening and an introduction to pelota at the fronton. Friday, July 10th marks the official opening: trophy presentation, sangria, entertainment by the La Mauléonnaise brass band and Urrats Berriak dancers, then the bandas parade through the streets. Saturday, July 11th offers a festival market, free entertainment, a pétanque competition at the Jaï Alaï, and the bare-hand pelota finals. Sunday, July 12th concludes the festivities with concerts, including the Xiberoots group, ambassador of contemporary Souletine music.
The detailed program and precise schedule will be communicated by the Comité des Fêtes closer to the event.
Programme Fêtes de Mauléon 2026
Thursday, July 9th, 2026
- Festival committee evening
- Introduction to Basque pelota at the fronton
Friday, July 10th, 2026
- Official opening of the festivities and trophy presentation to local athletes
- Sangria animated by the La Mauléonnaise brass band and Urrats Berriak dancers
- Bandas parade through the streets
- Committee meal (by reservation)
Saturday, July 11th, 2026
- Festival market
- Free entertainment for all
- Pétanque competition at the Jaï Alaï
- Bare-hand pelota finals
Sunday, July 12th, 2026
- Closing concerts, including Xiberoots (contemporary Souletine music)
- Popular dances
Precise schedule communicated by the Comité des Fêtes closer to the event.
Prices Fêtes de Mauléon 2026
Practical information — Fêtes de Mauléon
Practical Information
Access
The festivities take place in the town center of Mauléon-Licharre (64130), particularly at the Public Garden, the Jaï Alaï, and in the town's streets.
- By car: Mauléon-Licharre is accessible via the D918 from Oloron-Sainte-Marie (40 min) or via the D933 from Saint-Palais (25 min). Free parking on the outskirts of the town center.
- By bus: Bus lines from the Txik Txak network from Bayonne and the main towns of the Basque Country.
Schedules
Festivities begin in the late afternoon on Thursday and continue from Friday to Sunday with events starting in the morning. Musical evenings generally begin around 7-8 PM.
Prices
Access to street festivities is free. The committee meal is paid (approximately €20). Some concerts may be ticketed.
Contact
- Comité des Fêtes de Mauléon
- Phone: 05 59 28 02 37
- Website: www.mauleon-licharre.fr
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Where does it take place — Fêtes de Mauléon
Centre-ville de Mauléon-Licharre