Sant Jordi - Festival of the Book and the Rose

Sant Jordi: The Catalan Festival of Books and Roses in Perpignan

Every year, around April 23rd, Saint George's Day (Sant Jordi in Catalan), Perpignan celebrates one of the most beautiful Catalan traditions: the Festival of the Book and the Rose. This day, of medieval origin, dictates that men offer a rose to women and women offer a book to men, a tradition revived since the 1920s.

An Open-Air Book Fair

For the occasion, the squares and streets of Perpignan's city center transform into a vast literary and floral space. The 2025 edition, organized in partnership with the Mediterranean Literature Center, Torcatis bookstore, and Pause Polar, featured several themed villages:

• Publishers and Authors Village at Quai Vauban
• Authors Village Place Jean Jaurès
• Booksellers and Calligraphy Workshop Village Place Arago
• Second-hand Booksellers Village Place Gambetta
• Flower Market Village Place de la République
• Youth Village Place Rigaud

A Celebration of Catalan Culture

Sant Jordi is more than just a book market. It is a Catalan identity celebration that recalls the deep ties between Perpignan and Catalonia. The legend of Sant Jordi, the knight who slayed the dragon to save the princess, is at the heart of this festival. From the dragon's wound, a rose was born, a symbol of victorious love.

A Unifying Event

Every year, Sant Jordi brings together thousands of Perpignan residents and visitors around reading, poetry, and Catalan tradition. Local and regional authors sign their works, while florists and artisans offer roses and handmade creations. The day is punctuated by public readings, children's workshops, and performances.