Chilli is the star spice of the Basque Country, so it needed a celebration! And so it has been since 1968. Every year, on the last weekend in October, the village of Espelette celebrates the end of the pepper harvest! For two days, this festive, cultural and gourmet event attracts over 20,000 visitors from all over France to discover Basque gastronomy and traditions. The perfect opportunity to spend a weekend at the campsite**** Biper Gorri in the Basque Country!
A red Basque weekend, a festival full of color and flavour!
Among the highlights of this not-to-be-missed autumn event in the Basque Country, Saturday will be dedicated to dancing and singing, with a show and a male choir concert, followed by a grand dinner concert with musical entertainment under the Espelette covered market.
On Sunday at 10am, you can attend a solemn Basque-language mass with the Espelette choir, before the traditional blessing of the chillies. The festivities continue with a parade of brotherhoods, an induction ceremony for new members, and the Prix Piment awards ceremony behind the château.
The day will also be punctuated by numerous activities in the streets of the village: Basque dance shows, bandas concerts, a parade with the makilari, free workshops for young and old, and bare-handed pelota games on the fronton!
If you’re a gourmet, the Espelette festival is also an opportunity to sample local specialities based around the famous pimento, France’s only AOC PDO spice!
At lunchtime, aperitif concerts liven up the village bars, followed by gourmet meals served in all the restaurants, featuring “Piment d’Espelette Specialities”. Enough to pique your curiosity and tantalize your taste buds!
If you’d like to buy some Espelette chilli peppers and bring back plenty of goodies from your camping trip, the large gastronomic fair will literally make you blush with pleasure! The fragrant, colorful stalls of local producers are brimming with gustatory treasures and traditional Basque produce!
Booking is still open: book your camping holiday now!
It’s not too late to Book your camping weekend in Espelette! We welcome you until November 3rd! We offer rentals of mobile homes, chalets and bungalows in a quiet, leafy setting just a few minutes from the heart of Espelette village.
There’s not a second to lose! Check out our accommodation availabilities and find out more about the Espelette Pimento Festival program!
