Fall Fairs and Markets
The gradual return of the herds to the valleys and plains marks the arrival of fall and the first frosts of winter. It is also the time when mountain villages come alive with seasonal fairs and markets.
These gatherings, some of which date back centuries, have been a highlight of life in the high Alpine valleys for decades. The stalls are filled with colors, delicacies, and the scents of the region, celebrating the end of the summer grazing season and the transition to winter. From Buëch to Queyras, via Champsaur-Valgaudemar, Gapençais, and Briançonnais, each fall fair offers a vibrant immersion in Alpine traditions and an opportunity to share moments centered around the products so cherished by the people of the Hautes-Alpes.
What can you find at the fall markets in the Hautes-Alpes?
Fall casts a golden light over the high-Alpine valleys. At seasonal markets and local festivals, you let yourself be carried from stall to stall, strolling at your own pace, where every step becomes a little temptation. Crisp apples and long-storage pears , picked along the Durance River, speak to the charm of the valley’s orchards. A little further on, the comforting warmth of the Champsaur’s “tourtons” and “oreilles d’âne” invites you to take a break, like a nod to family traditions passed down from generation to generation.
The market stalls, for their part, reveal a whole world of flavors shaped by the mountains: Tomme du Champsaur cheeses patiently aged in the alpine pastures, Bleu du Queyras cheeses born in the pure, high-altitude air, and local cured meats and salted meats dried in the mountain breeze. And to round out this gourmet stroll, a few roasted chestnuts and a jar of larch honey simply capture the richness and authenticity of our mountains.
The 2026 Agenda
- September 9,
Turkey Fair in Lagrand - September 12 and 13
: Génépi Organic Fair in Embrun - September 19,
Saint-Mathieu Agricultural Fair in Château-Ville-Vieille - September 19,
: Pumpkin Fair in L’Épine - September 26 and 27
: Farmers’ Gathering in Saint-Léger-les-Mélèzes - September 27
La Folie Bergère / Lamb Fair in Ceillac - October 3,
: Tardon Fair in Champoléon - October 4,
La Chapelle Fair and goat meat dinner in La Chapelle-en-Valgaudemar - October 17–19,
Saint-Luc Fair in Guillestre - October 24,
Vintage Fruit Market in Orpierre - November 20–22
: Alpine Gems in La Bâtie-Neuve
