Camille Royer was elected on December 7, 2024 new Pastourelle de la Haute-Loire. A pastourelle is a young lady who represents, thanks to her traditional costume and her cultural, historical and geographic knowledge of her department, village and region.
During the election evening that takes place during the Night Arverne, a prestige demonstration of the Auvergne in Paris, they were five candidates: a pastourelle from Lozère, Cantal, Aveyron, Allier and La Haute-Loire. “The department is unfortunately very little represented,” regrets the girl. She was alone to introduce herself.
This election was organized by the Auvergne league of the Massif Central – an international confederation of associations from the Massif Central. Founded in 1886 by Louis Bonnet, its mission is to federate, defend and bring together the Auvergne de Paris and more broadly the from the Massif Central in Paris. The Auvergne and the Massif Central League has an active role in the development of the intangible heritage of the Massif Central and for this supports initiatives and actions around folk groups, music (Cabrette, Chromatic and Diatonic accordion, and the old) and dance (waltz, walking, mazurka, scottish drunk …), old trades and sport (the game of skittles at eight). It brings together nine departments (Allier, Aveyron, Cantal, Corrèze, Creuse, Haute-Loire, Lot, Lozère and Puy-de-Dôme), 18 folk groups and nearly 200 friendly and associations, in France and abroad.
For this 100th promotion, the election took place at the Baltard pavilion, next to Paris. François Gagnaire was a member of the jury, made up of around fifty people from the Massif Central and responsible for deciding the candidates to elect the pastourelle from the Auvergne league and the 2025 Massif Central. Samantha Bayol, Pastourelle du Cantal, won the title.
“My father plays the accordion, my brother too, my mother dance …”
“I have always bathed in the world of Auvergne folklore,” notes Camille Royer. My mother had obtained the title of Pastourelle 35 years ago for the Lozère! I am very attached to Haute-Loire, and I was very sad to leave it for my studies. I wanted to carry the values that I was instilled in and perpetuate them: my grandfather directed the folk group of Puy, Lous Petitious Delh Velay, my father plays the accordion, my brother too, my mother Dance, my parents met thanks to folklore… I love traditional music, I listen to it when I need to get out of Parisian madness! I find it great to be able to continue to perpetuate this tradition, ”said Camille Royer in the aftermath of his election. The young ponote continues her art history studies in Paris.
But what is a pastourelle doing during his election year? “My Pastourelat will last a year and consists in representing the Auvergne League of the Massif Central throughout the year in the country markets in summer, during religious masses or during banquets in Paris or Auvergne. And with a little luck, at the Agricultural Show! I especially wish to make the Haute-Loire known, because unfortunately many Parisians have never heard of this magnificent department while contributing to its image with the League ”, underlines the young Pastourelle.
-Camille Royer will be present at the Nasbinal Lozériens banquet on Sunday February 2 in Paris, on a country market in Aveyron this summer, at Mass celebrated at Notre Dame de Paris in November … The young ponote will start in learning From the drunk, the pastourelles never sulking a dance step during the friendly and events of the year.
Nathalie Courtial
