In Lunel, a Pentecost Monday around the enclosures of the ancestral cattle fair

Behind this great animation, breeders from the region who come to exhibit their animals voluntarily for the pleasure of visitors.

Derrière cette grande animation, des éleveurs de la région qui viennent exposer leurs bêtes bénévolement pour le plaisir des visiteurs.

Le rendez-vous avec les animaux demeure un incontournable qui attire toujours une foule dense en plein centre-ville.

If the livestock fair, which was formerly held at the Pont de Vesse, had a primarily commercial purpose, the vocation of the one which has taken over, for several years, Avenue Victor-Hugo on the Monday of Pentecost is completely different.

Here, the animal exhibition certainly recalls the tradition of the Pescalune ancestors. But it also plays a role that is just as fun as it is educational. Particularly among the younger generations, often sober from having plunged their fingers into the soft hairs of farm animals.

Eighty animals expected

Some, this Monday, May 20, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., will even see a sheep or equine for the first time “in real life”. There will be around eighty of them, distributed in enclosures installed on either side of Avenue Victor-Hugo, almost in its entirety.

Eighty bleating and neighing with pleasure, happy to show off their beautiful curls of wool and their proud necklines. "It’s a unique moment that we come to experience as a family, assures Nathalie Luque, administrative assistant at the “ right of place” from Lunel town hall. We live in a territory where animals have their full place, all their importance. Without forgetting the tradition and its transmission that this livestock fair conveys."

Grand market and funfair

That's also Pentecost in Lunel: a huge open-air market – one of the most important and imposing in the region – which extends throughout the heart of the town from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Two hundred traders will unpack their stand on Place de la République, Allée Baroncelli, Quai Voltaire, Boulevards Diderot, Saint-Fructueux and Sainte-Claire, in order to exhibit a multitude of fashion products, clothing, shoes, accessories such as jewelry, hats, women's and men's underwear, but also gadgets, toys, delicacies, tableware, cooking utensils, bags and luggage…

N’throw more! There will be something for all tastes and for all budgets. That it will take
also loosen up to treat yourself to a good ride at the funfair which has taken place on the Roger-Damour esplanade since this Saturday, May 18 and which will continue beyond Pentecost, until Wednesday 22 May.

An open-air farm

In this immense open-air farm, goats, sheep, donkeys and draft, plowing and Camargue horses will rub shoulders for a few hours and will make their snouts and nostrils available to the small and large hands of visitors for a few caresses. Most “moms” will be accompanied by their kid, lamb, donkey and foal.

Tradition and terroir will also be present on the stands that will mark the livestock fair. Food products, honey, cold meats, cheese, olive oil-based products but also manual crafts and materials such as wooden and leather creations, cosmetic products, decorations… will complete this animation.

A mini-transhumance to follow from dawn

As well as the different food trucks which will offer various catering options that you can enjoy on chairs and tables provided by the municipality.

Enough to give strength to today's visitors. In particular those who have had the courage to get up at dawn to accompany the mini-transhumance of one of the sheep breeders, who will leave at 6:30 a.m. from a field in the ZAC Petite Camargue near the Ibis hotel. With his dozens of heads, he will join Avenue Victo-Hugo via Chemin du Mas-de-Blanc. To be continued… for good!

Lunel livestock fair on Pentecost Monday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., avenue Victor-Hugo. Please note, parking of vehicles on this road will be prohibited, under penalty of impoundment, from Sunday May 19 from 8 p.m. to Monday May 20 until 6 p.m. I subscribe to read more