The bust of the Saint accessible to all in Sainte-Maxime

Seven days before the Patronal Festival, formerly the Votive Festival, the family of the Bravadeurs and that of the Lei Magnoti folk group met at the tourist office.

At the invitation of the chief magistrate, Vincent Morisse, they attended the presentation of the miniature bust of Saint Maxime, now on sale at the tourist office.

"This project has been in our minds for many years in order to perpetuate our traditions with the people of Maxime but also with tourists," underlines Véronique Lenoir, deputy for tourism.

A 22cm bust

The 22cm bust is encased in a box, a case on which the Square Tower and the church bell tower have been drawn. Drawings made by Marjorie Bietti, great-granddaughter of the former Cépoun, Ludovic Bietti, and granddaughter of the current Cépoun Marcel Bietti.

Since yesterday, 300 copies have been offered for sale at the tourist office, at a price of 49 euros. "I should point out that the finishing of each bust of the Saint was done entirely by hand," explains the director of the tourist office, Florian Raoux.

The mayor emphasized that "the people of Maxime have wanted to have a bust of our Saint in their homes for a very long time. I am impressed by the result and the craftsmanship carried out by those who made them."

The maintainers of traditions conquered

The president of the Bravadeurs, Michel Lanzada, said he was "very happy with this wonderful initiative and I am also surprised to see many young Bravadeurs already buying the bust of the Saint." Father Stéphane Rède also found it "an excellent idea."

Alongside the bust, a new booklet was presented, entitled "Provençal Fervor" which can be obtained free of charge from the office.

The booklet highlights ancestral customs, traditional festivals and their participants, as well as the city's emblematic monuments.

Four pages are dedicated to the Patronal Festival, scheduled for Wednesday 14 and Thursday 15 May. "We are taking the opportunity to put on sale a poster of the Saint as well as a garland of pennants, 5 metres long, in the colours of the town," adds Florian Raoux.

Also as part of the Patronal Festival, an exhibition is on display, again at the tourist office, until May 25. Explanatory panels as well as photos of those who have marked the history of this traditional festival, such as Mireille de Germond, can be discovered during this vast exhibition.