Le Puy-en-Velay. King of the Bird: what not to miss during this 40th edition
Only a few days left before you can take your suit and breeches out of the wardrobe and enjoy the city of Le Puy during the Renaissance.
The 40th edition of the International Festival of Renaissance Arts, known as Roi de l'Oiseau to those in the know, will begin on Wednesday, September 17 with the traditional opening parade.
It will start at the foot of the Puy-en-Velay Cathedral at 7:15 p.m., heading to the Lice du Breuil. And off we go for five days of celebration.
This year, François I is in the spotlight . This is a highlight not to be missed. On Saturday at 4 p.m., His Majesty will arrive through the Porte Pannessac, with his procession, to reach the covered market square after receiving the keys to the city.
The reconstruction depicts a scene that took place on July 18, 1533, when the sovereign was only twenty years old. A tapestry from 1537 bears witness to this historic moment for the city of Le Puy.
As in this one, a Turkish delegation will be present as well as "a surprise from the Far East." On this occasion, all camps will come to present the King with a gift.
And humor should be on the agenda. If you can't make it, be at the Place du Marché-Couvert the day before, Friday at 6 p.m., to witness the interview between Francis I and Henry VIII of England.
Another special feature of this 40th edition: La justa del gost , a Top Chef-style cooking competition, which will be held Saturday from 11 a.m. in the Henri-Vinay garden. To change from the classic contests, here is a culinary one that must bring together twelve volunteers from the camps to make six teams of two.
These will be put to the test in the creation of a Renaissance dish, by a jury composed of chefs and members of the Chapter association. The best cooks will win a golden spoon and an inn sign.
Along the cobblestone streets, seventeen companies and twenty or so musical groups will offer nearly 250 free activities. Among them, we suggest The Bird and the King by the Bofadon theater, a revival of the play performed during the very first edition of The King of the Bird (Friday at 7:30 p.m. in the courtyard of the Departmental Council and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in the Place de la Halle).
The Awakening of the Wyvern by the Clair-Obscur company will also be worth a visit. A four-meter creature manipulated by "three tamers of the absurd" (Saturday at 3 p.m., 5 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. and Sunday at 10:30 a.m. at Place Saint-Georges).
Local history enthusiasts (or not) will love Jean-Pierre Armand, who freely reinterprets the chronicles of Etienne de Médicis, a bourgeois from Le Puy, based on all kinds of catastrophes, kings and camels (Saturday at 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. and Sunday at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m., at the Chapelle Saint-Anne). During all the festivals, a medieval fresco will be created in the Place du Marché-Couvert.
There's a wide range of music to feast your ears on. For those who missed the Chaise-Dieu or Monastier-sur-Gazeille festivals, the Fraternelle de cornemuses will be there.
It lives up to its name with 25 bagpipes (Friday at 9:30 p.m. at Place du Marché-Couvert and at 11:30 p.m. at Place Saint-Georges, Saturday at 5 p.m. at the Renaissance market, at 6:30 p.m. at Place du Marché-Couvert and at 9:30 p.m. at Place Saint-Georges.
For a lively atmosphere, head to the Bal du Jardin Henri-Vinay on Thursday at 9 p.m. for an evening with Daridel.
This content is blocked because you have not accepted cookies and other trackers.
By clicking on "I accept" , cookies and other trackers will be placed and you will be able to view the contents ( more information ).
By clicking on "I accept all cookies" , you authorize the deposit of cookies and other tracers for the storage of your data on our sites and applications for the purposes of personalization and advertising targeting.
You can withdraw your consent at any time by consulting our data protection policy . Manage my choices
Of course, there are still the unmissable highlights such as the Bird Shooting, the balls, the children's festival, the Vellave wrestling, the Mostra or the shows of the Lice du Breuil like Dragon Time by the Elixir company, the equestrian jousting... Watch out for Sunday's unmissable event: the closing parade is brought forward by an hour. The procession will set off at 3 p.m. from the steps of the Cathedral.
The program can be found at the Renaissance market and at the Puy-en-Velay Tourist Office for 4 euros.
Where to park?
When there's entertainment, it's already difficult to park in the city center of Le Puy, so during the Roi de l'Oiseau festival... it's hell. To help you avoid this, we've put together a handy little guide.
700 spaces are available in six park-and-ride lots (free in the evenings and on weekends): those at the train station, Bertrand de Doue, Montredon, Henri Dunant, Estroulhas and Quincieux. A shuttle bus will run every 20 minutes from 7 a.m. to 7:20 p.m. for each lot.
Other Tudip lines will be completely free for costumed guests throughout the holiday season. Special shuttles will be free for everyone starting Friday evening and throughout the weekend.
This will allow you to park in neighboring towns since buses will run every 30 minutes from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. and on Sundays from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The luckiest among you might find spaces in the paid car parks of Puy-en-Velay or in those of the CCI and the DDT, which will be open for the occasion from 6 p.m. on Friday.
Le Progres
