When the rice begins to turn golden in the Camargue paddies, Arles enters feria mode. The Féria du Riz is the city's other great feria, more intimate than the Easter one, more rooted in the land, more Camargue in spirit. Three days of corridas, bandas and bodegas in the wake of the rice harvest, between mid-September and the autumn equinox.
2026 Programme
The Féria du Riz 2026 runs from Friday 11 to Sunday 13 September, centred on the Roman arena of Arles. The programme follows the classic pattern of Provençal ferias:
- Friday 11 September: official opening, pégoulade (parade in traditional costume through the streets), first bodegas in the evening
- Saturday 12 September: corridas in the arena in the afternoon (two temporadas announced), bandas and drinks on the squares, free concerts late into the night
- Sunday 13 September: Camargue-style cockade race in the morning programme, closing novillada, rice harvesters' parade through the historic centre
What sets the Féria du Riz apart
Unlike the Easter Feria (more international, more aficionada), the September edition keeps a family, terroir feel. Rice is honoured everywhere: tastings of paella and Camargue risotto, local rice growers present, tribute to the rice-growing culture that has sustained the Camargue since the 16th century. It's also the last feria of the bullfighting season, there's something both melancholic and joyful about these three days.
Getting to Arles from Marseille
Traffic and parking information is communicated by the organisers and the town hall before the event: check it before you set off. MR Taxi drops you as close as possible and picks you up at the exit, from all towns in the region, at the guaranteed maximum price announced at booking. If the place is hard to reach, I will give you an easily accessible meeting point.
It is advisable to book at least 24 hours ahead, but even at the last minute I adapt and find a solution. Estimate your trip on the Private transport page or contact us.
