The Roya Valley and its villages are waiting for you right now! Road and rail access routes have been upgraded. The Col de Tende tunnel is open – find out more here . The Train des Merveilles railway line is back in service ! Plan your journey here . The Ventimiglia–Cuneo line (via Tende and Limone) is an alternative to travelling by car – see timetables here . Access to the Roya Valley

The Brigasque Ewe Festival in La Brigue

In La Brigue Soak up the traditions!

Come along to the Brigasque Ewe Festival on 18 October 2026, where traditional shepherding skills come to life in a warm and festive atmosphere! Every autumn, La Brigue celebrates this famous breed of sheep with a programme packed with things to discover (and tasty treats!): sheep parades, craft demonstrations and tastings of local produce. An unmissable event to immerse yourself in the heart of mountain heritage and savour the authenticity of the Roya Valley!

🎉 See you on 18 October 2026

🕐 Free entry
Free entertainment

On the programme:

This year, basketry takes centre stage. Festive, artisanal, rural and socially conscious, the now unmissable Brebis Brigasque festival brings together local producers and craftspeople. For one day only, enjoy a magnificent market and entertainment for all ages. Come and discover this craft, from traditional basketry to contemporary design, where the art of weaving objects is also the art of forging connections!

🐑 Transhumance of a flock of Brigasque ewes
Wickerwork market and activities.
Meet professional basket weavers, discover their functional and artistic creations, and try your hand at wicker weaving during workshops open to everyone. A chance to get creative and take home your own hand-woven souvenir.
Talk: ‘The origins of a craft that weaves connections’.
A talk with Hervé Brisoc, a basket weaver for over [number] years, on this ancestral craft that brings together people, regions and generations.
Markets brimming with local produce to sample: such as sheep’s cheese or honey
Music and exhibitions
Film, Workshop & Exhibition: ‘A Thread of Hope’ – a journey into the ancestral art of basketry.
Screening of a hand-drawn short film retracing the history of basket-weaving, accompanied by an exhibition of eight works created by contemporary basket-weavers. A poetic immersion in an art form that bridges tradition and creativity.
Botanical tours
Children’s activities
Music
Foodstalls

Mark your calendars!

Practical information:

How to get there: By car, by bus (line 25 ) from Menton coach station, or by train (Trenitalia) from Ventimiglia towards Cuneo, getting off at La Brigue.
Please consider using public transport or car-sharing as (free) parking spaces are limited.
To ensure you make the most of the day, the Sud Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region will be providing an enhanced bus service (two special direct return journeys between Nice, Breil and La Brigue at a discounted fare).
Information and advance booking recommended here
Bus stops are available at the entrance to the village.
Cash machine: the nearest one is in Breil-sur-Roya
Access to Notre Dame des Fontaines from 10.00 to 13.30; closes at 14.00.

To make the most of your day, please use public transport or carpool (car parks are limited)!

©
MAD JACQUES ALLIER 23
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ALEXANDRE LEROY

📚 A bit of history…

The Brigasque Sheep Festival was launched in 2009 with the aim of preserving this iconic breed of sheep from the Roya Valley…which was then on the verge of extinction. This annual event, held every autumn in La Brigue, has rapidly grown in popularity. It has even become a flagship event for locals and lovers of mountain heritage!

Originally created to showcase the Brigasque sheep and support local farmers, the festival now symbolises the revival of traditional skills, bringing together older generations and newcomers to rural life in a shared commitment to preserving the region’s cultural identity

Did you know?

You can expect to see more than 300 sheep and goats in the streets of the old village of La Brigue.

An event that attracts no fewer than 5,000 people!

🐑 The Brigasque ewe:

what is it?

The Brigasque ewe is a hardy breed, typical of the mountains of the Roya Valley. An excellent walker, it is perfectly adapted to steep terrain and harsh weather conditions! With its thick fleece and spotted coat, it is distinguished by its hardiness and its ability to produce high-quality milk, used to make local cheeses such as ‘sora’ and ‘toma’. Once threatened with extinction, the Brigasque ewe is now a living symbol of pastoral heritage, preserved thanks to the joint efforts of local farmers and enthusiasts.

😋 When a sheep makes all the difference

Brigasque sheep’s-milk cheeses are gastronomic treasures that reflect the ancestral expertise of the Roya Valley. Among them:

🧀 ‘Sora’: a local speciality, made from raw sheep’s milk, pressed and matured with care to develop rich and flavourful aromas.

🧀 ‘Toma’: often blended with goat’s milk, it offers a smoother texture and a delicately fruity flavour.

🧀 ‘Brus’: a local ricotta, which can be enjoyed fresh or after maturing, which gives it a more pronounced flavour. These cheeses, made from the Brigasque breed, are an authentic expression of the local terroir and mountain traditions.

🧶 Pop into Tende to discover the wool

The wool from Brigasque sheep is a precious legacy of the mountain traditions of the Roya Valley! Once essential for making warm clothing and mattresses, this coarse, thick and naturally insulating wool has long been used to make rugs and other handcrafted goods. Today, despite competition from synthetic materials, Brigasque wool is enjoying a revival thanks to local initiatives! The idea? To promote this sustainable and authentic material. Indeed, every fibre embodies the deep bond between people and the mountains… and serves as a reminder of the importance of preserving these age-old skills!

By the way, be sure to pop into La Fée Capeline in Tende, which is open all year round. It’s THE place to go to discover wool felting!