For such a quiet region of France, the Gers has an abundance of festivals and fêtes throughout the spring, summer and autumn. Guides are available with the full list, but these are some of the major festivals:

 

Feria de Pentecôte in Vic-Fezensac

This is the big celebration in May (the Whitsun weekend) which focuses on bullfighting, giving a surprisingly Spanish feel to our local town. In fact many towns in this area of France have bullfighting, but Vic's is the oldest in France, having taken place for most of the last century. If you want to experience the atmosphere of the Feria without the blood-spilling, there's an evening of Course Landaise which is a Gascon adaptation of the ancient Minoan bull-leaping, using cows instead of bulls (still possessing very sharp horns!). The spectacle is totally non-violent and all the cows return to their ranches, coming back to the arènes each year a little more cunning. For more indormation on the Feria see Vic's tourism office website: www.vic-fezensac.com.

 

Country Festival in Mirande

A country music festival might sound a bit incongruous in this part of provincial France, but in this deep south it's becoming more and more popular, it's now the biggest country music festival in Europe with 160 000 visitors in 2004. The festival runs for five days in July, with over 60 concerts; line-dancing contests and classes; bike, car and truck shows; 200 Western stands; and 20 restaurants. Mirande is only 20/30 minutes from Pécoyne. See the website www.country-musique.com which has an English version, and information on reservations etc which are cheaper before the 30th of June.

 

Tempo Latino in Vic-Fezensac

The Tempo Latino, second of Vic's big festivals, also has a very Spanish atmosphere based as it is on Latin music. The festival runs for four days, usually at the end of July, with concerts taking place each night in the bullring, as well as music on the street, where you can watch or participate in the salsa dancing, and many restaurants and stalls. The concerts usually attract prominent figures from the world of Latin music, from the USA and South America as well as from France and Spain, and from a wide range of genres. See the website www.tempo-latino.com for more information.

 

Marciac Jazz Festival

The Marciac Jazz festival's reputation goes before it, having grown from a small town fête into an event that attracts international stars and many thousands of visitors each year. During the first two weeks of August the beautiful arcaded town square is transformed into a concert stage surrounded by restaurants and stands, whilst the big concerts take place in a huge tent nearby. There is always a huge range of performers from every aspect of Jazz as well as neighbouring musical spheres. The website is www.jazzinmarciac.com.

 

Being only 15 minutes from Vic-Fezensac and 30 minutes from Mirande, Pécoyne is a perfect base to visit their festivals. Marciac is slightly further, but the jazz festival being as popular as it is, you might find anywhere closer booked up well in advance.