| In France, the word was used to call bull race contests. | | | | roman amphitheatre was the major argument for |
| These events have been held in Gascon cities for | | | | Nimes to become the next organising city. Free racing |
| about 40 years now. The ferias of Nimes are held | | | | would take place on Saturdays and 2 bullfights on |
| during the long week end of Pentecost and grape | | | | Sundays. The first feria in Nimes took place from the |
| harvests. Several ferias in France are very famous, in | | | | 30th of May to the 2nd of June 1952. Since 1955, the |
| Beziers, Istres, Saint-Martin de Crau or Ales for | | | | city council has been organising the event. |
| example. For many years, huge gatherings are taking | | | | It attracts until Whitsun more than 1 million spectators |
| place with more than 1 million people from all over | | | | during 5 to 6 days. The whole town is involved in this |
| France and the world. | | | | big popular event, with bullfights taking place in the |
| Beziers' ferias | | | | arenas as climax. |
| Beziers is a French city located in the Herault | | | | A feria can be broken down into several steps: |
| department, in the Languedoc-Roussillon, one of the | | | | - The opening parade with floats, brass bands and |
| sunniest regions in France. It is the 2nd biggest town in | | | | fireworks, which takes place on the Thursday before |
| the department and the 4th in the region. Beziers is an | | | | Whitsun |
| ancient town, with a 2700-year-old history. | | | | - Bullfights, called corridas, twice a day at 11 am and 5 |
| During the two first weeks in August, the city of | | | | pm |
| Beziers offers great ferias with many activities | | | | - Folk balls around open air bars until 4 am |
| including fireworks, street shows and entertainments, | | | | - Pre dinner drinks |
| bullfights, and bull races. Beziers hosts a wine fair at | | | | - Concerts on "Maison Carree" square and in the park |
| the same time as the Feria. | | | | "Jardins de la Fontaine" |
| Nimes' ferias | | | | - Bull releases in the centre of the town |
| Nimes' feria is a popular event, based on bullfighting, | | | | Bullfights, on this occasion, have been officially held |
| held every year in Nimes. | | | | since 1853, with or without killing the bulls in Roman |
| Toulouse is the city where the first arrangements, | | | | arenas. Pentecost's feria is the first event in Europe, |
| which would later create Nimes' feria, are imagined. In | | | | with a number of visitors reaching 1.2 million. |
| 1951, the law was passed, allowing officially bull races in | | | | Located in the very heart of Languedoc Roussillon, |
| the cities of bullfighting tradition. It came as a precision | | | | these two cities have always been very popular with |
| to a French regulation about cruelty towards animals. | | | | people looking for a perfect holiday house in a sunny |
| To celebrate this victory, many cities in the south of | | | | area or to retire to. |
| France wished to host the Ferias. The fame of Nimes' | | | | |