Foire aux Andouilles du Val-d'Ajol

The Foire aux Andouilles: a bicentennial gastronomic heritage

It was by a royal ordinance from Louis-Philippe in 1831 that the Val-d'Ajol fair was officially set for the third Monday in February. Originally an important livestock market, it allowed farmers from the Combeauté valley to stock up on andouille sausages smoked in the hearths of Vosges farms. A prefectural decree in 1966 gave it its current name, thus consecrating the fame of this exceptional product.

The Andouille du Val-d'Ajol, protected know-how

Composed of 60% lean pork and 40% chitterlings, the Andouille du Val-d'Ajol is smoked for four to six hours over beechwood. A trademark registered with the INPI for over forty years, it is produced exclusively within the municipal territory by four approved artisan butchers. Annual production exceeds 200 tons of andouilles and gandoyaux. Each authentic piece bears a distinctive ring guaranteeing its origin, a mark of quality recognized by the Sites Remarquables du Goût (Remarkable Sites of Taste) label.

The Confrérie des Taste-Andouilles et Gandoyaux

A true guardian of traditions, the Confrérie des Taste-Andouilles et Gandoyaux du Val-d'Ajol brings together nearly 4,000 members in 17 countries, from Japan to Canada, via Morocco, Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Each year, during the solemn chapter, new candidates are inducted in a colorful ceremony preceded by a parade through the village streets.

Three days of popular festivities

The weekend opens on Saturday with the Brotherhoods' Day: a flea market in the village squares, a gourmet market under a marquee in Place du Sô, and an induction chapter in front of the town hall. Sunday is dedicated to the carnival parade starting from the train station, accompanied by a regional book fair, a car show, and the competition for the best andouille pie. Monday, the historical day of the fair, hosts the grand street market throughout the village, punctuated by the awarding of the Brotherhood's literary prize.

A major event for the Vosges region

Attracting several thousand visitors each year, the Foire aux Andouilles has become an essential tourist driver for the Combeauté valley and the entire southern Vosges region. Supported by hundreds of volunteers, it contributes to the renown of Lorraine's gastronomic heritage far beyond regional borders.