The small town of Beaucaire in South France is a pretty little place. It is located in the south-east corner of Provence, on the edge of the Camargue, one of the largest wetlands in Europe. The town sits on the Rhône river and there are plenty of parks and and walkways along the banks of the river. The town has a large medieval castle and plenty of impressive mansion houses that date back to the time that the town was inhabited by rich merchants.
Beaucaire is famous for its annual fair held since medieval times during the month of July. This six day Fair dates back to 1217 when the town was granted an annual trade fair by the Count of Toulouse. This was in memory of a famous victory against Simon de Montfort's forces who had tried to lay siege to the town. The fair was originally called the Foire de la Madeleine and was a huge commercial market that connected traders from across the Mediterranean to Merchants from Paris and Northern France. Today it is known as the Fêtes de la Madeleine and the events held during the festival are more about celebrating the local culture of the Camargue region, than the commercial market from which it arose.
The 2026 Beaucaire medieval fair will take place between 21-28 July 2026. The fair features a grand opening parade in traditional costumes, historical re-enactments, fireworks, bull running through the streets, a medieval market and live music.
The medieval town of Beaucaire, South France
Beaucaire, is located on the banks of the River Rhône in South France, on the border between the Gard department and the Bouches-du-Rhône department. The town is 20 mins east of Nimes, 15 mins north of Arles and 20 mins south of Avignon. The town has a population of around 15,000 people
Just on the other side of the river, there is the town of Tarascon (which is more modern and less interesting). Beaucaire dates back to the 700 BC. The town was later developed by the Romans and it sits on the Via Domitia, a famous Roman road that linked Rome to France and Spain. During the Middle Ages the town was frequently fought over by rival invaders (Visigoths and the Saracens), who looked to secure Beaucaire's strategic location controlling access to the Rhone from the Mediterranean sea.
There is an impressive medieval castle in Beaucaire and the size of it demonstrates how strategically important the town once was. The town has over 50 officially listed historic monuments, which is more than half the listed monuments in the whole of the Gard department. The centre of the town features narrow streets and impressive townhouses. The Place de la République, is the oldest square in Beaucaire, dating back to at least 1512.
The Port of Beaucaire was a former wharf area on the Canal Rhône à Sète canal. The canal was built in the 18th century and connected the Rhône river to the Mediterranean port town of Sète (close to Montpellier) and the Canal du Midi (which bisects the South of France from Sète to Toulouse). The Canal was an important commercial thoroughfare, transporting grain, textiles, wine and craft goods. Today, the port is ringed with many bars and restaurants and is a popular place for the locals to congregate at all times of the year.
The best time to visit Beaucaire is during summer period, when not only is there a large festival held celebrating the town's historic medieval fair, but also a weekly food & wine festival (Les vendredis de Beaucaire) with dancing and live music. The weekly festival is held on Friday evenings throughout July and August.
History of the Beaucaire Medieval fair
The first official fair was held in Beaucaire in 1217. Being awarded an annual fair was a big thing for a town. It permitted the town to sell and trade goods such as textiles, furs, spices and wines. The Beaucaire fair helped to connect traders from across the Mediterranean to Merchants from the North of France. As such, it acted as an important economic hub during the Middle Ages. The fairs also developed quite sophisticated methods of credit and bills of exchange.
The site of the fair in Beaucaire was further expanded after the end of the Hundred Years War in 1453 and the commercial remit of the Beaucaire fair was also enlarged. The King of France (Charles VII) issued a declaration to create the Foire de la Madeleine, a week-long commercial festival free of taxes that permitted the trade of goods from all over the Mediterranean region. Within a couple of hundred years, the annual fair in Beaucaire had become the largest commercial fair in the whole Mediterranean region. The economic historian, Graham Robb, has calculated that the total volume of trade conducted during the six days of the Beaucaire fair during the 17th century equalled the total volume of trade conducted by the city of Marseille in a single year. At its height this fair would attract upwards of 300,000 people and was famous throughout the South of France.
By the mid 18th Century, the fortunes earned by the merchants at the fair began to dwindle. Emperor Napoleon had imposed new taxes on the fair to help pay for his military campaigns. The arrival of the railways to the South of France also weakened the reliance on river trade.
Today, the Medieval fair encompasses a number of historical re-enactments, a large traditional market and plenty of festivities throughout the town. The famous black bulls from the nearby Camargue region are run through the streets. It always starts on 21 July and lasts at least six days
The Musee Auguste Jacquet in the town has an impressive display of the history of the Beaucaire Fair. Visit the town's website for more details on the history of the Medieval fair and the events taking place during the 6 days of the Fêtes de la Madeleine (Beaucaire website).
Beaucaire medieval festival France
Défilé de la Madeleine - opening procession Beaucaire Fair [Photo courtesy of www.beaucaire.fr]
The Beaucaire medieval fair (or Les fetes des Madeleine) formally kicks off on the 21 July with a grand procession called the Défilé de la Madeleine. The procession is organised by the Confrérie Sainte-Marie-Madeleine de Beaucaire (Brotherhood of Ste-Marie Madeleine), a local historical society which also organises fundraising events during the year in Beaucaire. Local legend has it, that after the death of Jesus, Mary Magdalene travelled across the Mediterranean with her brother Lazarus, her sister Martha and two companions, Maximin and Sarah (who became the Patron Sainte of the Roma/Gypsy community - see the Gypsy Fair Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer for more information). They landed in the village of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer on the Camargue coast and then travelled throughout the Camargue and Provence. She eventually ended up in a mountain cave, close to Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume. A huge Basilica in Saint-Maximin celebrates her life and is a major pilgrimage site.
The procession features over 700 participants and attracts crowds of over 20,000 spectators. The participants are dressed in traditional Provençal and Camarguais costumes. The procession starts at 21.00 on the Pont de Beaucaire-Tarascon (which straddles the Rhône river) and passes the Quai du Général de Gaulle (at the Port de Beaucaire), then along Boulevards Foch and Boulevard Joffre and finally arrives at the stadium in Beaucaire (Les Arènes). The procession is to honour Sainte-Marie de Madeleine, the patron Saint of Beaucaire. A statue of Sainte-Marie is carried at the head of the procession by members of the Confrérie Sainte-Marie-Madeleine de Beaucaire.
During the rest of the festival, there are various events held in the town. There is a large crafts fair held around the Port de Beaucaire, with a heavy emphasis on traditional leatherwork, glassblowing and pottery. The fair also features various historical re-enactments and displays of medieval cooking and craftwork.
A popular event during the festival is the Abrivado or bull-running. If you thought that the annual Bull-running event in Pamplone, Spain was sheer madness, then that is nothing compared to Beaucaire. Pamplone looks like a bovine health & safety event in comparison to what happens here. Apart from the occasional crash barrier, the bulls hurtle through the streets of Beaucaire at an alarming speed and the spectators are largely unprotected. It seems to be that the 'right of passage' of any self-respecting Beaucaire teenager, is to get as close to the bulls as possible.
During the week of the Beaucaire festival, a large fun fair is set up in the town and there are various children's entertainment, including fire-eaters and jugglers. There are also plenty of food trucks, bars and stalls selling various festival-themed paraphernalia.
The festival also features numerous live music events and DJ sets throughout the week (held at the large stage on Place Georges Clemnceau). The events usually last well into the early hours. There is a tradition of people spraying each other with paint and coloured dyes (but I don't think it is not anything connected with the Hindu Holi festival).
There are also a number of bull-fighting events held during the festival at Les Arenes. Before I start getting inundated with emails, I am not condoning bullfighting, I don't go to bullfights and I don't encourage others to go. It is simply not my thing. But also, it cannot be denied that it is a key element of this festival. Beaucaire is located on the edge of the Camargue and there is a long tradition of raising bulls and horses. And bullfighting is part of that tradition as well.
One of the highlights of the festival is the Course camarguaise. This is a traditional, bloodless bull-fighting sport popular in the Camargue region. The objective is for the participants (called raseteurs) to attempt to remove a red rosette (cocarde) or garlands (pompons) from the horn of the bull, without getting speared in the process. The bulls are specially reared for the event and no animals are killed. The winner of the event is the bull not the participant - the winning bull receives the Palme d'Or medal.
The Beaucaire festival closes on Monday 27 July 2026, with a a big celebratory meal is held at the Fer à Cheval, followed by an abrivado where bulls are driven through the streets accompanied by Camargue horsemen and women. In the afternoon, there is a procession of traditional Camrguais horse carriages accompanied by a parade of costumed participants. The festival finally ends at 21.00 with a giant fireworks display. The fireworks are let off from the castle and usually the best vantage point to see them is on the Pont de Beaucaire-Tarascon.
Festivals in Beaucaire
The town of Beaucaire holds a number of other festivals throughout the year.
American Bike show
On the 1st May each year, the town of Beaucaire resembles Mid-West America. The town stages an American Motorbike and Classical cars show which attracts around 25,000 people. The show has been running for 11 years now and features a display of hundreds of Harley Davidsons, Corvettes, American Jeeps, Goldwings, Chevy's and Dodge Chargers. This all-day event includes a procession of motorbikes throughout the streets, motorcycle stunt tricks and various stalls selling food and memorabilia, vintage clothing and biker gear.
At the end of the day, there is American-themed food and a free show opposite the town hall. The large bar (opposite the stage) does a roaring trade.
The 1st May is a public holiday in France and trust me everything across France shuts down. This traditional Workers' Day is taken very seriously (well taking the day off is taken very seriously). So you may as well take in a festival. The 2026 American Bike Show in Beaucaire will be held on Friday 1 May 2026.
Crafts fair
During October, there is an annual Salon des Métiers d'Art. This arts & crafts fair is held in the courtyard of the town hall and the local conservatory. The fair attracts artists and crafts men and women from across the South of France.
Mediterranean Horse Show
Every year on the first weekend of July, Beaucaire holds an annual Equestrian show (the Les Rencontres Équestres de Beaucaire). The show features hundreds of horses and riders from all over Europe. The event features dressage competitions, barrel racing, special equestrian shows featuring renowned riders, a procession through the town and children's events. The show also features craft stalls, food trucks and live music.
The 2026 Equestrian show in Beaucaire, will be held from Friday 2 July to Sunday 4 July 2026. More details can be obtained from the Beaucaire town website www.beaucaire.fr
Les vendredis de Beaucaire
Les vendredis de Beaucaire is a summer food & wine festival held every Friday evening during July and August. The event is held around the Port de Beaucaire and at locations throughout the town. The event kicks off around 19.00 with a craft market that runs along the banks of the Rhône à Sète canal. The bars and restaurants in Beaucaire put on various live musical events and DJs, as well as setting up outdoor bars and terraces. The atmosphere is usually pretty relaxed and it is family focused. The night culminates in a free show at around 21.30 on a big stage erected in front of the Town Hall (on Place Georges Clemenceau).
The show usually involves an 'orchestra'. - I don't have sufficient words to describe a French orchestra. It is not a classical music orchestra. It is more like a cruise ship band, with about 30 musicians, singers and dancers. There are lots of costume changes (each getting a bit more risqué as the night goes on). The band will play a collection of modern hits and traditional French songs. There is always a few Salsa numbers, where all the grandparents get up and show their moves. There will always - without fail - be a Celine Dion power-ballad, where you will witness grown men cry. The band will keep on playing until the early hours, usually around one or two o'clock in the morning. Anyway, you will have to go, to fully experience it. As I said, it is difficult to describe it fully.
On the first event of the summer (beginning of July), the festival holds the election of Miss Beaucaire. They take this annual event very seriously.
Beaucaire Book festival
During April each year, Beaucaire holds a book & literary festival, called the Lire en Lumière. The festival has been held since 2007 and it welcomes publishing houses, authors, second-hand booksellers and features a storytelling competition and workshops for children. The 2026 Beaucaire Book festival will be held on 5 and 6 April 2026, at the Salle du Casino in Beaucaire from 10.00 to 18.00 each day.
Getting to Beaucaire France
Beaucaire is situated 10 km north of the old Roman town of Arles and 15 km south of Avignon. To the south of the town is the Camargue wetlands region and to the east there is Provence. The neighbouring town of St Remy de Provence is often regarded as the spiritual centre of Provence. The nearest airports are located at Nimes (15 kms) and Montpellier (45 kms). Beaucaire can be reached along the D999 and D966 main roads.
The images of the various festivals in Beaucaire are courtesy of www.beaucaire.fr, the official website of the town.
Where to next . . . ?
If you are visiting the South of France this summer, then get the inside track on the best Places to see & visit in the South of France in 2026 (written by people who live in Southern France all year around). Read about the best restaurants to eat at, get local information on the best beaches to visit and discover the best tourist sites, markets and festivals to see during your stay.
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