Midsummer festivities

St. John's Day is celebrated all over France, particularly in the southern regions. Everyone has heard of the famous celebration that takes place every summer in Saint-Jean-de-Luz and is traditionally accompanied by a huge bonfire... Well, in Provence, the customs are similar. 

Of pagan origin, this commemoration first glorified the harvest. Then, when the Christian religion arrived, this event became the occasion to celebrate the summer solstice. A way of bringing to the fore one of the most emblematic elements of our destination: the sun and its light.

St. John's Day, whose full name is St. John the Baptist, is therefore a religious event. But since Provence is attached to its customs and cultural heritage, the entire region celebrates this special date with fervor every year. 

Back home, the villages of La Cadière d'Azur and Signes host the festivities. Inhabitants dress up in their popular Provencal costumes, folkloric entertainment takes over the village streets, a torchlight procession is held in the heart of the town center, and a huge bonfire marks the climax of the celebrations. A tradition that returns every year on June 24.

• In short: come and celebrate the start of summer with Midsummer's Day!
• Dates: June 24.
• Location: in the Var villages of La Cadière d'Azur and Signes.
• Program: folk entertainment, torchlight procession and bonfire.

For Cadière d'Azur :

• Directions: This commune is located to the east of the Provence Sud Sainte Baume destination, next to the towns of Saint-Cyr-sur-mer and Le Castellet. Click here to get the location on Google Maps.
• Contact: Maison du Tourisme, 04 94 90 12 56 or contact@tourisme-lacadieredazur.fr.

For Signes : 

• Directions: This village lies in the heart of the Sainte-Baume, near Riboux and Le Beausset. Click here for Google Maps location.
• Contact: the town's multimedia library (tourist information point), 04 94 98 87 80 or mediatheque@signes.fr.