Here, in Landes Chalosse, as everywhere in the Landes, each village has its own festival- 331 festivals per year at the last count! The most famous are of course the férias of Mont-de-Marsan and Dax although Saint-Sever in June and Hagetmau in August also attract thousands of people parading in the streets for the pleasure of the fiesta.

In the Landes, regardless of the size of the town or village, whether the holidays last a couple of days or more, the organizing committee can't help calling the weekend to come the "big one!" Bright posters evoke the traditional fishing competitions, petanque, meals and dances at the bodegas and bars... with the thread of local music running through everything.

Musical bandas, meals in the bodegas and the "Course Landaise" are the essential elements of the "heste," yet another word for party in the Gascon language!

What to expect at a Course Landaise

First of all, don't be surprised to find the Course Landaise bull run in the program of all village festivals - it's the traditional Landes sport. Enthusiasts from around the region gather in the arena to watch the show.

At high points such as the Course on August 15th in Pomarez, the bull runs at the Dax and Mont de Marsan férias in July and August, you'll find a great gathering of folks, where the specialists - jumpers and runners, clad in white with a spangled "bolero," confront the Landes breed of cattle to the rhythm of bandas and musical harmonies.

To discover this extraordinary Gascon sport and immerse yourself in its atmosphere, you should go to Chalosse, Tursan, Armagnac, or the valley of the Adour although the North of the Béarn region and in Bigorre have something like eighty local arenas, all preserving their charm.

This spectacle of the South-west is an unmissable sight in June, during the Festival of the Course Landaise, known as the "Art and Courage" festival, which takes place in the arenas of Mont de Marsan and is organized by the Fédération Française de la Course Landaise.

All Tourist Offices in the Landes Chalosse have full timetables to help you find the next event..

The festival is at the heart of life in the Landes. Popular with all generations... but rather than just talking about it, we'd like to invite you to experience it for yourself!

A short festival dictionary

  • Banda: group of musicians marching with brass and drums, bringing good humour wherever they go
  • Bodega: a bar and eatery, generally held by a local society and set up under a marquee
  • Peña: a convivial place for a drink to the sound of music.
  • Festayre or Hestayre: a person participating in the festival
  • Cinta: a red scarf to be tied around the hips

 

Festival attire: worn by everyone in a spirit of sharing and equality

  • White trousers and white tee-shirt, pretty soon covered in mud
  • Red scarf: tied around the neck
  • Cinta and red beret: for the purists
  • Trainers: practical for dancing until dawn

Some festival goers dress in the colours of their city, as is the case of Mont-de-Marsan, where blue is the order of the day! We accept all colours, of course!

Come as you are - the most important thing is to enjoy the party!