The relics
of Saint Valentine lay in Roquemaure since 1868. Every
year, the weekend nearest February 14th, the town recreates
the arrival of Saint Valentine’s relics and celebrates
the love and romanticism this mythical Saint now symbolises.
Roquemaure turns into the town of love legends, returning to its 19th century
aspect with more than 800 traditionally costumed people, horses and carriages,
store fronts decorated in 19th century fashion, an old post office selling souvenir
postcards (valentine cards), a fountain of Lovers, a market with over 60 ancient
trades, a bandstand and wooden merry-go-rounds. For the occasion, the streets
are given the names of the most famous lovers in French literature.
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To the
sound of oboes, bagpipes, drums, and shepherd’s pipes,
folkloric dance groups animate the town, along with jugglers
and acrobats.
Lovers can hum the prettiest love songs played by the barrel organs in the streets
of the ancient town.
The relics are symbolically paraded on Sunday morning so that Saint Valentine
blesses Roquemaure again.
This completely free romantic festival was created in 1988. It attracts
more than 20,000 people every year to Roquemaure, making it one of the most crowded
festivals in the Gard region, near Avignon and Orange.
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