Flottage Festival

Clamecy, historical cradle of wood rafting

From the 16th to the 19th century, Clamecy was the capital of wood rafting in France. Logs cut in the forests of the Morvan were transported by rafting on the Yonne and its tributaries to the town, where they were assembled into "timber rafts" by the rafters before being taken to Paris to supply the capital with firewood. This activity has profoundly marked Clamecy's identity, shaping its economy, architecture, and popular culture.

A festival to revive the tradition

The Flottage Festival, whose first edition was held in September 2022, aims to revive this exceptional heritage while projecting it into the present. Under the motto "Wood, water, and men", the festival blends tradition and modernity, memory and creation, by offering a rich and varied program over three days.

The heart of the festival lies in the rafting demonstrations: assembly of timber rafts and launching on the Yonne, in the purest tradition of Clamecy rafters. The nautical jousts, heirs of the rafters' tournament, add a sporting and festive spectacle to the event.

A program between heritage and festivities

Around these highlights, the festival unfolds a multidisciplinary program: conferences on the history of rafting and river ecology, exhibitions retracing the epic of the rafters, guided tours of the Espace Flottage and Clamecy's heritage, an eco-village dedicated to environmental issues related to forests and water.

The festive aspect is not left out with concerts, street performances, parades, a carousel, workshops for children, and a local producers' market showcasing Nivernais gastronomy. The parade of boats and timber rafts on the Yonne is an unforgettable spectacle.

International recognition

In September 2022, Clamecy received the label of International City of Wood Rafting awarded by the International Association of Rafting and Log Drivers (IATR), recognizing the town as a global center for the memory of rafting. The Flottage Festival contributes to maintaining and passing on this living heritage to new generations.