Foire a la Patouillette

An ancestral fair since the Middle Ages

The Foire a la Patouillette is a centuries-old tradition dating back to the Middle Ages. Every year, on the Saturday in November following Saint Catherine's Day, the town of Plancoet comes alive to the rhythm of this popular fair which brings together peddlers, market traders, and visitors from all over the region. Around 1920, the fair was held in the church square and in the fields of the current college. It was then an important moment for exchanges between farmers, with a livestock market that made it a highlight of the rural calendar.

The tripe competition, a gourmet tradition

Since the first competition organized in 1990, tripe has become the emblematic dish of the Patouillette. On this day, all the restaurants in Plancoet offer tripe on their menu, and a fierce competition pits the best local cooks against each other. This gourmet tradition has given a new culinary dimension to a fair already rich in meaning and history.

Entertainment and popular atmosphere

Today, the Foire a la Patouillette brings together about a hundred stallholders and peddlers in the streets of Plancoet, notably Rue du Pont and Rue de la Madeleine. The bumper cars of the Caron family find their usual spot near the college, while various entertainment — bagad performances, trial demonstrations, games — punctuate the day in a festive and warm atmosphere.