{"id":9139,"date":"2025-06-02T14:16:19","date_gmt":"2025-06-02T12:16:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tourisme-volvestre.fr\/le-papogay\/"},"modified":"2025-09-03T11:23:51","modified_gmt":"2025-09-03T09:23:51","slug":"le-papogay","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.tourisme-volvestre.fr\/en\/le-papogay\/","title":{"rendered":"Le Papogay"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Traditional festivals<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Every first weekend in May, the traditional Papopay festival takes place in Rieux-Volvestre. Three days of festivities combining a funfair, shows, traditional parades and the famous Papogay shooting competition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Learn more<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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the royal procession in Rieux-Volvestre @OTIduVolvestre<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Archery procession @OTIduVolvestre<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Royal procession @OTIduVolvestre<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The arrows of archers @OTIduVolvestre<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

Legend of Papogay<\/h2>\n\n

Papogay means \u2018parrot\u2019 in Occitan. This traditional festival has its origins in the ancient legend of Papopay. It was the first Sunday in May, and Satan had transformed himself into a parrot, into Papogay. It is said that he haunted the region and wanted to seduce the princess, the daughter of the city’s lord. Fearing that his daughter would be bewitched, the lord ordered the inhabitants to chase him away, promising them his treasure and the princess. Armed with tools and bows, the villagers rushed to chase him through the village and the countryside. It was then that a young shepherd named Tantiro<\/em> pierced the evil bird and won the tender heart of the young princess and the title of King of Rieux.

Since, the tradition of Papogay has been passed down from generation to generation, involving many of the village’s men (circa 100). The Compagnie des Archers continues Papogay shooting for over 400 years. <\/p>\n\n

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Shooting at Papogay @MathieuCalviac<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Shooting at Papogay <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Every year, the game consists of knocking down a 4.5kg wooden bird fixed to the top of a pole. The archer touching the bird is proclaimed King of Papogay and reigns over Rieux-Volvestre for the whole year. More specifically, there are three titles up for grabs: the kinglet, the king of the middle class, and the king of Papogay. Every year, children, teenagers, and adults attempt to knock down the Papogay.

According to the titles, the masts are not the same size: the kinglet (14 metres), the king of the middle (25 metres) and the king of Papogay (45 metres).<\/p>\n\n\n\n