JIM123

My wife and I will be staying in St. Remy de Provence on May 28, 2012. I'm getting conflicting information from the Internet on this event (Fetes de laTranshumance). One Site says it will be in June and others say it will be Pentecost Monday.
Can anyone confirm the date?
Is this an event that is a reasonable event to watch?
I believe Pentecost Monday is a French national holiday, so l assume most of France will be shut down, or is this just something local? Would a trip to Orange & Chateaneuf de Pape be advisable on this day?
Any advice would be helpful

Thanks

StCirq

According to this: http://www.avignon-et-provence.com/t.../#.T53DTVKrGSo

it's Pentecost Monday, June 13.

cigalechanta

The streets will be jammed, so go early to be in front.

JIM123

StCirq. This is part of my problem.. Pentecost Monday is May 28. Yet the site you show calls out June13. Other sites show May 28.

Too many conflicting dates, so I'm trying to confirm as I plan my trip. If it is May 28, I will get out early to get the view.

StCirq

Interesting. I would have thought that site was reliable.

So I just went into French Google and looked up jours fériés 2012, and a gazillion sites came up saying May 28 is the correct date, including this one:

http://www.encyclopedie-gratuite.fr/...-pentecote.php

JIM123

So regardless of whether the fetes is May or June, will France essentially be shut down or is this merely a 'bank' holiday, as it is in Canada, where only the government bureaucrats get the day off and the rest of us have to work?

kevin_widrow

Jim -

I can confirm the 28th is Pentecost Monday. It's a jours fériés in France meaning an official holiday. All major corporations, banks, and of of course, government. The rest of us (people in the tourism business, for example) will be up and running and in full activity. It makes for a very busy weekend in Provence.

Concerning the Transhumance in St. Remy - personally I'd give it a big miss. We went a number of years ago and it got boring in a hurry watching a bunch of sheep paraded around the town 3 times. Didn't even think the costumes were that well done, at least compared to other Provencal festivals I've been to. Unless you are really into stinky bovine and masses of crowds, I'd opt to get out of dodge and head somewhere more peaceful that day !!

- Kevin

JIM123

Thanks Kevin. Maybe just a drive to Orange & Avignon would make for a good day. Since we are staying in St. Remy, we could spend the morning and then hit the road before lunch.

kevin_widrow

Jim -

Sounds like a fine plan.

- Kevin