Foire aux Côtelettes - Fête de la Saint Michel

Foire aux Côtelettes: the shepherds' festival in Luz-Saint-Sauveur

Every end of September, Luz-Saint-Sauveur hosts one of the oldest and most popular pastoral festivals in the Pyrenees: the Foire aux Côtelettes, also known as the Fête de la Saint Michel. This event, whose origins date back to 1371, celebrates the return of the flocks from the summer pastures and the end of the transhumance season.

A living centuries-old tradition

Originally, the fair was the time when shepherds came back down to the village to sell their sheep. The treaty of the Duke of Anjou of 1371 established this annual fair on September 1st, but as the flocks did not descend from the summer pastures until the end of the month, the date was quickly set for Saint Michael's Day (September 29th).

Three days of popular celebration

Today, the Foire aux Côtelettes has become a major three-day popular festival: transhumance in the streets of Luz, parades of bandas, béret tossing, donkey races, sheep competitions, demonstrations of sheepdogs and shearing, entertainment in the bistros and under a marquee.

AOP Barèges-Gavarnie lamb in the spotlight

It is an opportunity to taste the famous AOP Barèges-Gavarnie lamb, a symbol of still-living mountain agriculture. The giant grills, the local producers' market, and the festive meals highlight this exceptional product and the pastoral know-how of the Pays Toy.