Summer traditions

Joutes Provencales

These are fights on sea waters. One protagonist is standing on each traditional boat holding a long pole. While his friends are rowing, he tries to push to the water his adversary.


Medieval festivals

We have lot of medieval villages. They are often perched atop a cliff in order to escape the Sarrazins who were raiding the coast.

Most of the villages have a medieval festival in summer where people dress as in the Middle-Age and re-enact the way they were living at that time. You have knights fighting with their swords, tournaments, archery, medieval songs and dances… and a huge meal with roast as in these old times.

Some of these festivals are particularly interesting such as in Eze.

Bravade
Our traditions date back to Middle-Age. At that time processions were done off the city walls and their security was not guaranteed. Therefore they were accompanied by soldiers.

This tradition is still alive, in some cases we do not know anymore what the initial celebration was but we still have soldiers parading dressed in XVIth, XVIIth or XVIIIth century attire. These parades are called Bravade. The most famous one is held in St Tropez.

You can also see people dressed as soldiers from the Napoleon period for celebrating the escape of the Emperor from Elbe Island where he was exiled (after abdicating in Fontainebleau castle) and its landing in St Juan les Pins. Hundreds of fans of this historical period come from all over the world dressed in the attire of one of the involved country (France, Austria, England, Prusse…). They raise military camps on the beach and live for several days as the soldiers used to do, then they re-enact the triumphal arrival of Napoleon. It was the start of the victorious & blood-free eagle flight to Paris. The adventure ended in Waterloo and Napoleon never came back from Ste Helen Island.

You can read more on the Napoleon road followed by the Emperor after landing on http://www.rivieraapt-villages-napoleonroad.blogspot.com/

Bastille Day
Our National Day is on July 14th for celebrating the taking off by poor people of Bastille fortress where the King used to imprison arbitrarily anybody; this victory symbolizes the newly acquired freedom.

On this occasion each village and town organizes balls and huge fireworks either on July 13th evening or 14th or both.