Summer tour: Midi Libre welcomes you this Friday, August 30 in Pézenas

La Tournée de l’été Midi Libre se pose à Pézenas ce vendredi avec de nombreuses animations à la clé. G.I

This year again, the Midi Libre Summer Tour is coming to meet you throughout the summer season. New stopover of this fifth edition, this Friday, in Pézenas.

The Midi Libre Summer Tour will set up shop, this Friday, August 30 (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.), in Pézenas (Hérault). Meetings, activities and games will be on the program of this new stage in the presence of our partner Pasino La Grande-Motte. Come in large numbers!

1 : Activities for young and old 

As in previous editions of the Summer Tour, the Midi Libre stand in Pézenas this Friday, August 30, will offer games and activities for young and old. Children will be able to take part in a treasure hunt, where they will have to find clues to complete a course and win many gifts. A one-armed bandit, the famous game of chance found in casinos, will also be on hand to keep the most playful players busy and happy. Enough to promise lots of laughs and a great time together!

2 : Good local products

This city of 8,000 inhabitants has a heritage as rich as its gastronomy. Two emblematic specialties are inseparable from the cuisine of Pézenas and are passed down from generation to generation. The small pâté de Pézenas, this sweet and sour product that became essential in the 18th century in the shape of a spool, stuffed with lamb meat. Then, the berlingot, these colorful sweets that are said to have arrived much earlier in the 12th century. Delights to come and taste on the Place de la République throughout the morning.

3: Local actors speak out

In addition to the activities for young and old, several speakers will come to present their activities: Émilie Robert, president of the ACAI (Association of Traders, Craftsmen and Industrialists of Pézenas); Jonathan, treasurer of the Association of Creators and Manufacturers of Piscénois; Francis Médina, vice-president of the Friends of Pézenas; and Gérard Mascot of the Illustre Théâtre. Members of the Association of Traders of Rue Conti will also be there, as will David Flipo, from Maison Aubert, a maker of artisanal lemonades. Mélissa Iché, from Maison Alary, will come to introduce the essential small pâtés of Pézenas, while Maison Boudet will present another local specialty, the berlingots of Pézenas. The Summer Tour will end the morning with Nathalie Cassinis, president of the Association of Antique Dealers and Brocanteurs.

4: A true cultural center

Renowned as a former meeting place for men of letters and theatre enthusiasts, Pézenas has maintained a deep connection with dramatic art, which is now manifested through an active programme at the Illustre Théâtre, listed as a Historic Monument since 1995. But the town is not limited to theatre and attaches particular importance to other forms of artistic expression such as cinema, street performances, festivals and exhibitions.

JMMAR20200705 Midi Libre – JEAN MICHEL MART

The mayor's interview

Armand Rivière: "Pézenas, a charming and distinctive city"

Comment the summer season took place ?

Like everywhere else, I think. That is to say, the start of the season was a bit sluggish, it woke up in August, but I don't know if that will compensate for the month of July. Habits are changing, particularly because of the climate. The late season is more and more attractive, it's less hot, it's calmer. Last year, until All Saints' Day, we had a lot of people, the weather was nice, even if it's not a very good sign for the planet, but visitors come more and more at that time and we will certainly experience the same thing this year.

How would you describe your territory??

Pézenas is a charming and distinctive city that brings people together. Here, we love hospitality, sharing and solidarity. We proudly maintain our Languedoc Occitan culture with a strong intangible heritage, which we pass on orally and through creation. Throughout the year we organize a number of events, whether around our totemic animal the foal, or Saint-Jean.

What are your priorities for the future??

We will continue to put respect for the environment at the heart of our projects. We want to highlight the ecological transition. For example, we have delivered a green schoolyard; developed Verdun Avenue; created a peripheral parking lot so that everyone can move around on foot in the heart of the city and set up water recovery systems.

The essentials

Open-air museum

As one of the first protected areas in France, the town is a real open-air museum. This town of art and history with its pretty medieval streets is ideal for strolling and dreaming, where one of the greatest French playwrights began his career, Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, alias Molière. He even left a souvenir there, still visible, the barber's chair Gély where he sat to observe passers-by, a source of inspiration for his plays. A visit that will undoubtedly be full of riches with also the Vulliod Saint-Germain museum, a former hotel, the protected and renovated historic center, the craft shops and the churches, among others.

Ideas and more ideas

On Monday, September 23, the fourth edition of the “Pézenas des idées” festival will begin, produced in partnership with the famous digital news journal Médiapart. An entire week dedicated to discussions on the issues that shape society: global warming, agriculture, politics and armed conflicts. All this in the company of various speakers such as actors, authors, journalists and directors. Debates initiated by documentaries, films, round tables, portraits, conferences and plays.

Wine-growing lands

Located about twenty kilometers from Cap d'Agde, this charming town, labeled “Grands Sites Occitanie”, close to the Mediterranean, nestles in the heart of the countryside, surrounded by vegetation. Anchored in a rich wine-growing tradition that has lasted for centuries, Pézenas is also renowned for its red wines. The Languedoc Pézenas appellation, recognized since 2007, is part of one of the 38 AOP (Protected Designation of Origin) of Languedoc and highlights three main grape varieties: Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah, which are easy to find. The town includes 10 cooperatives and 46 private cellars.