Fete des Tripettes, Barjols

The ‘Fete des Tripettes’, or the Feast of St Marcel, in Barjols is a celebration of something that may or may not have actually happened, but who cares? It's an excellent excuse for this lovely village to throw a party and for its citizens to get together and do what the French are so good at: namely, celebrating by eating, drinking and sharing happy times together.

During the Fete des Tripettes, a bullock is paraded through the streets to celebrate the lifting of a siege long ago and the chance for the starving inhabitants to eat meat again. The ‘Danse des Tripettes’ takes place in front of the church to the music of ancient instruments such as pipes and drums, and muskets sound a fanfare. The Fete des Tripettes is one of the most picturesque and traditional of the many festivals in Provence and well worth seeing. 2016 marks the 666th anniversary of this particular fete.