The month of March is marked by the Easter Boeufs Gras festival, where the Aubrac meat sector in the village of Laguiole. For lovers of traditional, this festival will familiarize you with the sales of animals that traditionally take place at the fairground. Come and enjoy the folklore parade in the streets of the village, take part in a dinner dance around the theme of beef or attend the traditional auction sales and animal exhibitions.
The Easter Boeufs Gras Festival in Laguiole takes place every year in March, the third weekend before Easter. For two days, Aubrac breed animals are exhibited and sold. This event promotes the meat sector, breeders, buyers and butchers and allows an exchange between consumer and producer.
a tradition
In the past, fairs punctuated the life of the peasants, they took place on a fixed date and in each village. At these traditional fairs a whole ritual was taking place, account settlement transactions. Many fairs were created in the Middle Ages by powerful lords and were generally placed under the aegis of a saint (this is the case in Laguiole for the Saint-Matthieu fair). These names originally designated assemblies of a collective rejoicing nature and the transactions to which they gave rise. It was there feriae”. These ferias were a godsend for the municipal bodies which favored trade and the improvement of communication routes. There were even annoying rivalries between neighboring towns, it was a question of who would have the most fairs.
Concerning the progress of the transaction of the animals in itself, the ritual is always the same, one feels the animals near the tail to make sure if they are very fleshy and after discussion with the buyer the merchant turns around the he animal goes away, comes back and so on… We talk, we cut the pear in half and everyone makes concessions. The market is concluded by a vigorous tope-main, it is the “pache”. The purchaser pulls these scissors out of his pocket and marks the purchased animal with large notches made in the hair.
Today there are fewer fairs and markets in our villages, the Aubrac breed competitions are maintained and take place occasionally in the autumn. The Fatty Ox Festival at Easter represents the most important market with 200 animals exhibited and sold.
The event led by the Laguiole Expo association has become an essential moment for the meat sector where breeders and professionals of the Aubrac cattle breed meet to present the quality labels and sectors, “Free range Aubrac beef Aubrac Label Rouge breed","Fleur d'Aubrac PGI","Aubrac organic animals".
entertainment program
the Saturday
- Exhibition and sale of 200 Aubrac animals exhibited under a marquee. In the morning, judging of the animals. At 14 p.m., auction of the first prizes, followed by the opening to the public of the fairground (marquee) for the sale of animals between professional buyers and breeders. New Fairground (under marquee).
- In the evening and until the end of the night, the evening “Beef at the Counter” offers a large number of beef-based recipes to be enjoyed in an original way, leaning against counters, all to the sound of music from an orchestra. On the menu, 8 beef recipes accompanied by theAubrac aligot from Jeune Montagne and to finish in style, the dessert is prepared by the House Bras. Very popular event, it is advisable to book as soon as registration opens with theLaguiole Tourist Office.
on Sunday
- All day: animal exhibition under the marquee, Place du Nouveau Foirail.
- In the morning: parade of brotherhoods, folk group and bandas in the streets of the village decorated in the colors of the festival with laurels. Meet the folk group of Laguiole Lous Oyolos (children and adults) as well as the brotherhood of Taste Laguiole and the great spinners of Aligot. At noon blessing of the oxen. Speech and official visit.
- All day: Chocolate fair organized by the APE of the Saint-Matthieu school group at the gymnasium.
A lover of tradition and a warm atmosphere, this is an event not to be missed!
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