Relive the pégoulade which opened the Pentecost feria in Nîmes

Le crocodile arrive à hauteur de la Maison Carrée un peu après 21 h 40. Y. B.

Le public voit la vie en rose ! Midi Libre

The majorettes are very present this year with the Arenoisess and the Motivettes. Free Midday

Le char des salins avec les Alae Enclos Rey, Berlioz et M’ont Duplan. Midi Libre

Le crocodile de cette édition 2024. Midi Libre

Une communion du public. Midi Libre

Des flamants surgissent dans la nuit. Midi Libre

Le Tiki vogue sur Gambetta. Midi Libre

Les gardians jamais trop loin quand on évoque la Camargue. Midi Libre

Giant, harmless mosquito in sight! Free Midday

Vers 22 h 10, la tête de la Pegoulade arrive devant les arènes, terme du parcours. Y. B.

The famous pégoulade parade, this year on the theme of the Camargue, took place this Thursday, May 16 in the early evening on the boulevards of downtown Nîmes.

22 h 30. The pégoulade ended in front of the Musée de la Romanité in front of an almost record crowd.

21 h 30. The pégoulade is in full swing.

À la Pegoulade de la #feria de #Nîmes, grand défilé sur Gambetta. pic.twitter.com/VLkHjlRY9j

— Midi Libre (@Midilibre) May 16, 2024

The twelve pégoulade floats which open the Pentecost fair in Nîmes, this Thursday, May 16, evoke the Camargue, land of passion, celebration and tradition. 600 extras, including schoolchildren from 14 Nîmes public schools supervised by the Alaé, participate in this colorful and musical parade.

After preparing the participants and parking the sets on Avenue Carnot, the pégoulade takes place on the boulevards of the city center from 8 p.m. and 30 p.m. ;: departure from the bottom of Amiral Courbet, passages on Gambetta, Daudet, Victor Hugo before stopping in front of the Musée de la Romanité.

A huge crowd

A huge crowd awaits the tanks at Square de la Couronne and on Amiral-Courbet. The public even wanted to encourage the participants even before the departure on Avenue Carnot.

#Feria de #Nîmes : le crocodile entre en scène lors de la Pegoulade. pic.twitter.com/zrVkuYMQUl

— Midi Libre (@Midilibre) May 16, 2024

For Alain, from the Cartoon Show group in Uzès, it's a return to the feria twelve years later! "We offer festive feria music, funk, Latin with a sound system with eight musicians. We couldn't wait to be there!"

From schoolchildren to retirees

Same speech for the members of the CCAS (Communal Center for Social Action) of Nîmes, 24 in total, with their sailor top, fishing rod and confetti near the Camargue lighthouse float. "This is our first participation. We're going to have fun!" These retirees share the spotlight with the schoolchildren led by Alaé de Samuel-Paty and Paul-Langevin. Around twenty children have learned a choreography over the past two months.

For the schoolchildren of Enclos Rey, Mont Duplan and Berlioz, at the level of the char des salins, the gestures (movement of the hands to form the sun, the waves and a wink ;oeil à Cloclo) on the title by Claude François "Mediterranean" were learned in two weeks: "They went much faster than adults!", a&nbsp ;entrusted one of the Alaé supervisors.

"Olé !" chanted the audience

On the course, the public ignites with "Olé !" as the peñas pass, to Gipsy songs in front of the gypsy dancers or to festive standards and apprehend the grandeur of the crocodile which, for once, tumbles into the lead.

Spectators are particularly present in very large numbers near Carré d’art, boulevards Amiral Courbet and Victor Hugo. An artery where it is difficult to circulate between the Pégoulade security cordon and the casitas.

The head of the festive and colorful parade arrived at 10:10 p.m. at the end of its route in front of the Musée de la Romanité.