La Fête Votive de st. Eloi / de la Madeleine

When we’re in Provence during summer, in the Bouche du Rhône (the mouth of the Rhône River) to be precise, almost every day is a feast. In every village in the area there are grand feasts that, depending on the political color of the village, are called La Fête de St. Eloi or La Fête Votive de la Madeleine.

It’s a summer filled with processions in colorful traditional clothing and there’s a fair (think: sixty years ago), there are performances, village breakfasts and banquets, and lots more.

The feasts adhere to a strict set of rules and traditions. Every week it’s a different village’s turn to celebrate, and depending on how much money has been raised the festivities can become quite elaborate.