The clique

The Sainte-Maxime Pipe and Drum Band provides musical accompaniment for traditional festivals and comprises more than 60 musicians. Pipes and drums are closely associated with Provence. Frédéric Mistral and his poet and writer friends, members of the Félibrige, made them symbols at the end of the 19th century.

A brief history of La Clique

1898 – The Imperial Flame from Fréjus takes part
1991 – Gilbert Gazagne brought in drummers from all over the Gulf
1992 – With the help of drummers Rolland Sanchez, Michel Rocol and Gilles Patelli, Patrick Niel and Olivier Castelly founded the Clique
1993 & 1994 – ‘Lei Magnoti’ bring over ‘La Miougrano’, a group of fifes and drummers from Fréjus
1994 – La Clique performs at its first Patron Saint’s Day festival. That year, the group consists of 4 fifes, 3 drummers and 3 buglers.
1995 – Reinforcements arrive from Saint-Tropez and across the Var region.

The fife

This small wooden instrument belongs to the family of transverse flutes. It is made from the wood of fruit trees such as the olive, almond and arbutus, as well as from Provence cane. The fifre has six finger holes and is usually in the key of E flat, D or B flat.

A brief history of La Clique

The fife

Explore our traditions