The Peach & Apricot festival in the small town of Saint-Gilles-du-Gard in South France, may not sound anything to write home about, but trust me, it is a big event. The annual Feria de la Peche et de l'Abricot takes place in late August each year and takes over the whole of the town for 3 days long. The festival brings a real carnival atmosphere to the historic old town on the edge of the Camargue.
The 2026 Peach and Apricot festival will be held in Saint-Gilles-du-Gard on 20-23 August 2026. This year will be the 30th year of the festival. The Feria de la Pêche et de l'Abricot is the biggest festival of the year in Saint-Gilles-du-Gard.
But this is not just a food festival. The event celebrates the traditions of the Camarguais - dancing, horsemanship and the famous black bulls of the Camargue. There is also lots of food and drink consumed, street processions, a large stage for music and dancing and plenty of visitors. The event features the talented horsemen and women of the Camargue, galloping through the streets on the iconic white Camargue horses and also bull running through the town to the river bank.
Saint-Gilles-du-Gard is a small town in South France, which sits on the edge of the Camargue, one of the largest wild wetlands in Europe. It is home to 400 species of birds including over 50,000 pink flamingos. The Camargue region is located in the south-western corner of Provence on the border with the old Languedoc region in Southern France. The town has a population of around 14,000 people and it is located 20km south of Nimes and 1 hour east of Montpellier. For centuries, St Gilles has been known for its vast orchards, located on the fertile plain in between the Camargue and Nimes. In particular, the town is famous for its production of Peaches, Almonds and Apricots - hence the name of the festival.
It also has to be said that an important aspect of this festival in South France, is a large corridor or bull-fighting. I don't like bullfighting and I have never been to a bullfight or ever would. But if you have ever been to the Camargue, then you basically realise that it is made of 3 things: there are pink flamingos, white horses and black bulls.
Add to this you have the local Camarguais, the farmers and ranchers who rear the bulls and ride the white horses. Bullfighting is an intrinsic part of their culture and tradition.
I regularly get abuse from Animal Rights activists who somehow claim by reviewing local festivals in the South of France which feature bullfighting, I am somehow a supporter of bullfighting. The reality is, that 80% of this festival doesn't have anything to do with bullfighting and most of the people attending don't go to the bullfights. The Peach & Apricot festival attracts over 30,000 people over the 3 days. Are these people also secret bull-fighting supporters? Of course they are not. They are just there for the crack.
But on the Friday evening of the festival, over 10,000 people cram into the arena in Saint-Gilles and watch the bullfight. So do we ignore these people as if they don't exist? Or do we acknowledge that bullfighting takes place at the festival, but you don't have to go and watch it?
St Gilles du Gard: gateway to the Camargue France
Sitting on the edge of the Petite Camargue, South of France, the old town of Saint-Gilles is a pleasant place to wander around. St Gilles - or Saint-Gilles-du-Gard as it is officially known - is a lovely old town with some beautiful narrow windy streets. Through the centre of St-Gilles runs the Rhone-Sete Canal. The canal-side is now a busy place full of restaurants, shops and boat hire kiosks.
The town also features a wonderful 12th Century Abbey Church, now a UNESCO World Heritage monument. One of St-Gilles' famous sons was Pope Clement IV who was born in the town and the site of his former home is now a museum. St-Gilles is located midway between Nimes and Arles, France.
St Gilles Feria de la Peche et de l'Abricot
The Feria de la Peche et de l'Abricot (Peach & Apricot Festival) usually kicks off on the Wednesday evening with a grand reception for the bull fighters. During the day on Thursday, the main events are centred around the children of the town. On Thursday evenings, there is a procession of the bulls and matadors to the central bull fighting arena.
Friday is when the main events really take shape, with a grand procession and local 'Gypsy' band playing in main square.
On Saturday, you can see a display of Camargue horsemanship, as the famous white horses of the Camargue are ridden through the streets at full speed in a tight pack formation. Saturday and Sunday is when the main bull fighting events take place. For more information on this South France festival and also Saint-Gilles itself, please visit the Saint-Gilles festival website.
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Contact us by Email if you have any particular questions you would like to ask about visiting the South of France. If you liked the article then please share it with others using the Instagram and Facebook buttons. I wish you a wonderful stay in the South of France.
If you are looking for a good place for a winter break, then visiting Nice, France in December...
The old University town of Aix-en-Provence is a wonderful place to spend time in. Perhaps the most...
