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The Frog Fair

In Vittel, we celebrate the reinette... And not only

A tribute to the frog… Cooked or not

Every year in Vittel, between April and May, the Foire aux Grenouilles is held. Over a weekend, brotherhoods, frog lovers and French cuisine gather in the streets of Vittel, which is decked out in green in tribute to the little batrachian. There’s also a funfair and trade fair for children… and their parents.

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A weekend dedicated to green

We’ve come to Vittel for one thing and one thing only: the Foire aux Grenouilles, held every spring… and it’s this weekend. Armed with our legs, we wander between food stalls, funfair and trade fair. This event is also an opportunity to pay tribute to the little batrachians, and especially to the reinette.

In the town, there’s even a brotherhood: the Taste-Cuisses de Grenouille brotherhood. In fact, it’s the brotherhood that organizes the event, over the weekend.

The Frog Fair

Three facts

The Foire aux Grenouilles has existed since 1972. In 2022, the fair celebrated its 50th anniversary.

The Foire aux Grenouilles takes place every spring. It’s a not-to-be-missed event, attracting thousands of visitors to the spa town.

The father of the Foire aux Grenouilles is none other than René Hoffstetter, a restaurateur and prominent member of the Confrérie des Tastes Cuisses de Grenouille.

Frogs… So well revered

The Foire aux Grenouilles is an opportunity not only to taste the famous frog legs, but also to meet the members of the Confrérie. Among the crowd, we can’t miss them: they’re all dressed in green and gold. They stroll like a sacred procession through the downtown streets. But there’s nothing very religious about it, as the members of the brotherhood are quite approachable, and indeed miss no opportunity to share their knowledge with the young and old alike.

 

 

Tasting time

After a morning of wandering, it’s time to settle down for a breather. Good smells guide our steps under a large tent. There, they’re busy serving the emblematic dish of the Foire aux Grenouilles: frog legs.

Under the watchful eye of members of the Confrérie, volunteers cut, shell and cook them. Everyone tries their hand at it, young and old alike. And there’s a frog’s leg for every taste and every sauce! They melt in your mouth… You hardly have to chew to swallow them.

We continue our exploration of the stands at the Foire aux Grenouilles, in the sunshine and fine Vosges weather. We come across young and old alike, here to taste the frogs or enjoy the fairground stalls. After making our rounds and taking part in a few activities and games, we leave the weekend’s event behind to explore the Parc Thermal.

Take a stroll in the Parc Thermal

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