Published on 24 August 2022 Reading time: 3 min
As every year, during the second weekend of August, the Folk Festival of the village of Arêches takes place. Between 5000 and 7000 people gathered this Sunday August 14, 2022 to celebrate: costumes, floats, songs, traditional dances: the Savoy of yesteryear was in the spotlight!
The Arêches party… it's like Obélix, I fell into it when I was little and never came out”
Frédéric Blanc-Mappaz, co-president of the festival committee
Where does the Arêches festival come from?
He was the prefect of Savoy in 1960 which asked the municipalities to organize festivities on the occasion of the centenary of the attachment of Savoy to France. The special assistant of Arêches, Joseph Blanc-Gonnet answered the call and this is how the first party was organised, with a parade and a re-enactment of life in the past. This festival has continued thanks to the creation of the festival committee in 1963 by Joseph Vibert.
We represent all the trades of yesteryear, and we parade with the costumes of grandparents and great-grandparents, it's an opportunity to meet. We do it as a family because there are many of us, all on the same tank, we have a good time
Gabriel Joguet
Edition 2022, a village in celebration after 2 years of stoppage
More than 200 volunteers mobilized, 850 shares of polenta and diots sold, 250 tartiflette shares, 150 kg of fries, more than 4000 raffle tickets sold, a real success! Parades, processions, parades, life-size reconstructions of scenes from the life of yesteryear, traditional food, there was something for everyone.
This festival is very rich because there are many things to see, we relive the past while seeing the future, there are dances, brass bands, a folk group of which I am a member, it is the festival in the village
Janine Cornu, president of the folk group
The parade, traditional dances and songs
More than ten floats paraded this Sunday in the streets and on the village square. Music, songs and dances all day long thanks to the groups the Clickaine, the Citharins, the Berres or even the pastourelle du Val d'Arly.
Local gastronomy, Savoie and its traditions
Lumberjack polenta prepared over a wood fire with Savoy and Beaufort diots.
Confetti Battle
A battle of confetti took place to entertain young and old
Le ball
At 22 p.m., it was time for the ball with “The Song Family” group that set the stage on fire and made all the participants dance!
“1st Arêches party for me! I loved! I was impressed with the quality of the floats and costumes during the parade! The total involvement of all these young people in the country is very touching! The evening, between refreshments, polenta and ball, lived up to the reputation of the Beaufortains! It's clearly an unmissable party!”
Pascaline
