Foire Sainte-Croix de Lessay

Foire Sainte-Croix de Lessay: a thousand years of Norman tradition

Founded around 1056 by the Benedictine monks of the Abbey Sainte-Trinité de Lessay, the Foire Sainte-Croix is the oldest fair in Normandy and one of the oldest in France. Located on the great heath of Lessay, this millennial fair has endured through the centuries without interruption, receiving its official confirmation from Louis XIV in 1671. Every year, on the second weekend of September, it attracts over 350,000 visitors over 32 hectares.

A major agricultural and commercial fair

More than 1,500 exhibitors take over the heath of Lessay for three days. The fair is organized into several sectors: agricultural machinery, livestock with presentations of cattle, horses, and sheep, nautical, housing and renewable energy, crafts, wines, and regional products. Livestock competitions and demonstrations of know-how punctuate the three days of the event.

The Allée des Rôtisseurs, emblem of the fair

The most emblematic attraction of the Foire de Lessay is undoubtedly the Allée des Rôtisseurs, a space dedicated to tasting local specialties prepared on-site. Andouilles de Vire, boudins, tripes, salt marsh lamb, and Norman cider are featured, perpetuating the gastronomic tradition of this fair where Norman terroir reigns supreme.

A living heritage

Part of the cultural heritage of Normandy, the Foire Sainte-Croix de Lessay is more than just a market. It is a meeting place and a place of conviviality where farmers, merchants, artisans, and visitors from all over France come together. The fair is held near the magnificent Romanesque Abbey of Lessay, whose foundation is intimately linked to that of the fair.