Fête du Piment d'Espelette, or Chili Pepper Festival 2024 in France

Hundreds of years ago, a Basque sailor who sailed alongside Christopher Columbus returned to his native town bearing dark-red chili peppers. This spice, now known as Piment d’Espelette, has since become a cornerstone of Basque cuisine. Each year, the Espelette Pepper Festival (Fête du Piment) commemorates this cultural and culinary heritage during the final weekend of October. The festival transforms the picturesque city with traditional music, lively Basque dances, and spirited sports competitions, highlighting the significance of the pepper in both flavor and tradition.

Programme

On Saturday, festivities kick off with Basque dances performed by Ezpela at the fronton at 3:30 pm, followed by a concert featuring the Ezpeletan Kantuz men's choir at 5 pm at Saint-Etienne church. Meanwhile, bands and musicians will entertain visitors throughout the village streets. In the evening, a popular dinner with entertainment will be served under the covered market halls, where attendees can also watch the Rugby World Cup Final.

Sunday begins with a solemn mass at 10 am accompanied by the Espelette choir and the Ezpeletarrak drum and bugle band, followed by the blessing of the peppers. At 11 am, a parade of brotherhoods will wind through the streets, showcasing local traditions. Bars and restaurants in the city will offer an aperitif meal at 12:30 pm, followed by a gala meal for the brotherhoods at 1 pm. In the afternoon, the Bandas Festival will feature performances by The Makilaris at 3:30 pm at the pediment. Throughout both days, visitors can also enjoy a gastronomic fair and purchase peppers and regional products at stalls set up throughout the village.

Tickets, Schedule & Parking

Shuttle services are available for €2 to €2.5 per trip, departing from several locations: Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle at Souraïde church, Cambo-les-Bains bus station, and Erreka farm in Itxassou, Larressorre. Operating hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. on Saturdays and from 8 am to 8 pm on Sundays. For those traveling by camper vans, a designated parking area is provided in the Errobi area in Itxassou.

Espelette Peppers

When the summer comes to an end, people harvest the peppers and hang them up on facades, windows, and balconies of houses to allow them to dry out. The harvest is at its peak for ten weeks between mid-August and late October, but the season continues well into November and until December 1st, when the first frosts come. The houses in Espelette are mostly white. As a result, the entire town turns into a perfect scenery for taking some pictures and videos.