French animal rights group challenges planned bullfight near Bordeaux
Lack of continuity argued as the case for legal exception
The bullfight is due to take place on June 20 (image for illustrative purposes only)
OSCAR GONZALEZ FUENTES/Shutterstock.
The Alliance Anticorrida association has filed two appeals against a bullfight scheduled to take place in a town in south-west France.
The event is due to take place during La Rosière festival on June 20, in the town of La Brède (Gironde).
The association has lodged the matter with the Bordeaux administrative court, stating that “the organisation of a bullfight must be considered deliberate mistreatment of animals,” according to a statement published on its website.
The appeals have been filed with reference to Article 521-1 of the French Penal Code, which states that injuring animals is prohibited, except in the case of bulls where an “uninterrupted local tradition” can be invoked. The association argues that 2025 saw no bullfight take place in La Brède, thereby interrupting continuity.
For his part, Mayor Michel Dufranc stated that “La Brède has never given up being a bullfighting town. In 2025, we took a break for economic reasons, as it was a difficult year. But we had three bullfighting-related spectacles,” as reported by Le Figaro.
The Alliance Anticorrida further states that a poll was conducted in 2025 to determine the local roots of the tradition, with 18% of Gironde residents in favour of killing the bull, and 82% against.
The results are cited by the association as proof that the tradition is no longer deeply rooted, and that an exemption cannot be applied.
Mr Dufranc said: “I don’t want to get drawn into pointless controversies. The bullfighting tradition is best understood within the context of a demographic region where bullfights are regularly organised and attended by a significant number of people.”
The matter will be decided by the court on May 12.
