Dance to the Music...
Fêtes latino-mexicaines de Barcelonnette © Manu Molle
For more than 20 years, the Vallée de l'Ubaye has celebrated its links with Mexico. Traditionally around the 15th August, Barcelonnette puts on its mexican costume and its streets resound with latin rhythms and music, infusing the town with a festive atmosphere.
Since 2002, the Mexican festivals have opened with the rhythms of South America and Cuba. In addition to the wonderful musical tempo and convivial ambiance, Barcelonnette is full of colour from the stunning costumes worn by the musicians and dancers.
The festival takes over the town for ten days with a full programme of performances and concerts, a grand parade and processions, plus salsa and tango classes. A feast for the senses..
Information:
Office de Tourisme de Barcelonnette
Tel: +33 (0)4 92 81 04 71
Visit Website
Where to stay...
Maison d'Hôtes Les Méans
04340 Méolans Revel
+33(0)4 92 81 03 91
www.les-means.com
Unwind in peaceful surroundings and comfortable accommodation with mountain and valley views. Breakfasts are a feast of local and home-made produce served in a stone-vaulted dining room.
Residence Le Hameau
de Pra Roustan
04400 Pra Loup
Hameau de Pra Roustan pictured in winter
This complex of apartments and individual chalets is situated in Pra Loup 1500 with extensive views of the valley and surrounding peaks. All the accommodation is well-equipped and we found it to be quiet, very spacious and nicely furnished. On-site facilities include a heated swimming pool and spa. It's a short drive into the centre of Pra Loup and 15 minutes into Barcelonnette for a wider choice of shops, markets and restaurants.
Maison d'Hôtes Les Zélés
Hameau de Maljasset
04530 St-Paul s/Ubaye
+33(0)4 92 84 37 64
www.leszeles.com
If you really want to get away from it all, enjoy hiking, cycling and wildlife, this is the place.
Picnic baskets are available, and dinner features dishes prepared from fresh local produce.
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Summer Home
Summer Activities
Latino-Mexican Festival, Barcelonnette
Mexican Festival: August 2012
The brothers Arnaud emigrated from the Vallee de l'Ubaye and built a successful retail and manufacturing empire in Mexico. Many followed and made their fortune, returning to their homeland to build the so-called Mexican Villas. To celebrate their links with Mexico, the people from Ubaye hold an annual latino-mexican festival.
For more than 20 years, the Vallée d l’Ubaye has celebrated its links with Mexico. Traditionally around the middle of August, Barcelonnette puts on its Mexican costume, and its streets resound with Latino music and rhythms.
Since 2002, the ‘Mexican festival’ has opened its doors to the rhythms of South America and Cuba. Barcelonnette takes on another identity as the musical tempo and the colourful costumes create a unique ambiance and spirit. Full of joy and conviviality, the Latino-Mexican festivals completely take over the town for 10 days. This year the Mexican, Cuban, and Argentinian groups will follow one another in the streets and squares of the town. In the programme is a grand parade, processions, free salsa classes, poetry, concerts....a true spectacle for the eyes as well as the ears.
An awfully big adventure…the history
The people of the high valleys, who endured long periods of isolation each winter, were able to survive by providing the timber, wool, animal hides and silk needed by the people in the plains below. In an effort to improve things the men would leave the valleys each year, as soon as the passes reopened, to find work in the towns and cities, returning with their earnings at the first signs of winter snows. During their long absences the women would remain to work the land and weave the wool and hemp. Thus was born the tradition of seasonal migration in the mountain villages.
Many of these early travellers became colporteurs, “ The pioneers of emigration were the Arnaud brothers, who established a business in Mexico in 1818…”selling their wools and silks to shop owners in Provence, Dauphiné and Piedmont, until the arrival of the grand department stores (who shipped in their own supplies from elsewhere) during the 19th Century. The men were thus forced to travel ever further afield, learning new languages and regional dialects in order to conduct their business. Their patience and determination would finally be rewarded with the opening up of new world opportunities in Louisiana and Mexico, which prompted the ultimate economic migration…
The Arnaud Brothers
The Arnaud brothers (who pioneered the emigration) arrived in Mexico in 1818, and within fity years owned numerous shops, a network of sales representatives in every country and outlets in Europe. Their success attracted friends and family from Ubaye to cross the Atlantic and join their compatriots.
Little by little, the new entrepreneurs became industrialists rather than shopkeepers, and controlled the textile industry in Mexico. They also built up a solid financial structure and established numerous banking institutions, even putting their signature at the foot of bank notes.
The ‘Barcelonnettes’
All the emigrants remained deeply attached to their valley of origin. Called ‘the Barcelonnettes’ in Mexico, they were however, ‘the Americans’ or ‘Mexicans’ to those who had stayed in Ubaye. Those who had achieved success returned to live in France, to Paris or the Côte d'Azur. They also built some superb homes in Ubaye – the Mexican villas. They invested in public buildings such as founding the Barcelonnette Bank, developing public transport, the Town Hall, public squares and the reconstruction of the church. There are many contemporary reminders of what the ‘Mexicans’ brought to Barcelonnette.
© Roger Moss
For more information about the Vallée de l'Ubaye, Barcelonnette and the Latino-Mexican Festival this summer, visit www.ubaye.com
Tourism Services
Vallée de l’Ubaye
0033(0)4 92 81 03 68
www.ubaye.com
E-mail: info@ubaye.com
You can download .PDF leaflets from the site, including a Cycling Guide with a varied selection of routes.
Tourist Office Barcelonnette
Place Frédéric Mistral
04400 Barcelonnette
Tel. +33 (0)4 92 81 04 71
Fax : +33 (0)4 92 81 22 67
info@barcelonnette.com
www.barcelonnette.com
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