The shepherds’ festival in Istres is a tribute to Provençal tradition, to transhumance and to the land of La Crau. It takes place every year in November in Istres. Become over the years, an unmissable event, the feast of the shepherds attracts every year thousands of people, lovers of the Provençal tradition and its costumes. A way to reconnect with the tradition of a recent past and to offer the public images of yesteryear and all the richness of Provençal culture.
This year’s theme is transmission. It is the capacity and the desire to be the transmitter of knowledge, of a tradition, of a story. If the tree is still standing, it is because everyone has felt that the roots, rich in knowledge of the past, should not be touched.
To defend the language is to defend all of Provençal culture since it comes from language and writings. To read is to have access to all the values of the past. Folklore is only a support for regional culture Jean MILLE (Istres magazine December 1990)
The highlights of the 2022 edition:
Friday, November 18 at 8 p.m.
Concert of the Corsican group fiuminale
at the Church of Our Lady of Beauvoir.
Fiuminale is a duo formed by Maxime Merlandi and Jean-Philippe Guissani. After 20 years with the Barbara Furtuna ensemble and hundreds of concerts given around the world, the two artists meet to share and transmit the songs that have marked their journey (and which have themselves been transmitted to them over time). Through these traditional songs, sacred or creations, they tell us in music a friendship of more than forty years without ever falling into nostalgia.
Sunday November 20, from 10 a.m.
pastoral day all day on the Deven estate, with sheep, goats, horse-drawn carriage rides, association stands, fairground games, herdsmen, … Refreshments and catering…
Popular Shepherds’ Walk: 12km hike between natural heritage and built heritage.
Saturday November 26 at 12 p.m.
Meal-Show of the Shepherds at the Halle Polyvalente. Traditional meal with entertainment for folk groups.
Sunday November 27
– Provencal mass at 9:30 a.m. at the Sulauze estate pronounced by Father Eric Jacoulet. Procession on the estate to the Sainte Madeleine chapel with the guardians, drummers and folk groups.
– Great Parade of Transhumance at 2 p.m. in the city center (Free)
With more than 3,000 Christian Trouillard animals from the Domaine de la Massuguière (sheep, goats from Rove and donkeys from Provence), it is without a doubt the most impressive and important herd that crosses a town. A veritable river of sheep accompanied by the shepherds of La Crau, the Carreto ramado (flower cart) of St Rémy de Provence, donkeys and herdsmen from all over the region, folk groups, as well as numerous carriages.
–
Gerard Fraissenet
– Closing show at 4:15 p.m. at the Halle Polyvalente
Animation of the show by the groups participating in the parade.
Full festival program in November here
and here