Envoyer à un ami

Imprimer

Ajouter à mon dossier

Carnivals

Every year, the "Carnaval" festivities bring their own brand of excitement to a number of towns in Wallonia. Each celebration has its own folklore, costumes and music. Carnaval, which falls just before Lent, is a time of great colour and excitement.
The Gilles of Binche dance to the rhythm of drums, chasing winter away with the sound of their clogs and 'apertintailles' (belts with bells on). On the afternoon of Shrove Tuesday, they don their famous ostrich feather hats for a procession during which they offer oranges to the public. This carnival has recently been recognized by UNESCO as a masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of mankind.

The Rhine carnivals in the eastern cantons of Belgium are also held during the three feast days. Prince Carnival takes possession of the keys to the city and opens the festivities.
In Malmédy, during the "Cwarmé" festival "haguètes", "long-nés" and other quaint characters tease the many visitors, while the "Blancs-Moussis" in Stavelot and the "Chinels" in Fosses-la-Ville celebrate the Laetare, the fourth Sunday of Lent.

The giants

These gargantuan figures, mythical characters whose origins bespeak a blend of history, religion and folklore, can be seen parading through several towns in Wallonia. The most famous giants are undoubtedly Mr and Mrs Goliath, who dance at the Ducasse (fair) in Ath at the end of August.

Bonfires

Just about everywhere in Wallonia, bonfires are lit to celebrate the passing of winter. According to popular credence, they purify, fertilize and protect the city. Many of these fires burn the "Bonhomme hiver" ("winter man") to celebrate the return of life. The most well-known festival takes place in Bouge (Namur), where seven bonfires light up the whole valley.

Marches of the Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse

Originally, the marches of the Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse were religious processions with an armed escort. These marches are generally occasions to don and exhibit the costumes of the Napoleonic armies. You can see them for yourself in Thuin, Walcourt, Fosses-la-Ville, Ham-sur-Heure and many other Walloon villages. And at Whitsuntide, the Tour Sainte Rolande in Gerpinnes wends its way through villages and hamlets on a 35-kilometre itinerary!

Mons Ducasse

The procession of the Car d'Or (or 'Golden Coach') and the 'Lumeçon' combat take place every year in Mons on Trinity Sunday (in the month of June). Amid a general popular tumult, the Car d'Or, which carries the reliquary of Sainte Waudru, must be pushed up the steep slope of the famous Rampe Sainte Waudru. This is followed by the combat on the town's Grand'Place in which Saint George slays the dragon, while helpers (Chinchins), leaf-men and devils add to the general revelry!

Echasseurs and Molons

The stiltwalkers called the "Echasseurs" and the "Molons" are important features of Namur folklore. The Echasseurs, who can be either "Mélans" or "Avresses", fight each other on stilts, while the "Molons", who ride atop a large carriage, strike up local folk songs, including the town's official song, "Li Bia Bouquet".

Wallonia Festivals

Every year in September, the Wallonia Festival gets under way with a series of concerts, games and events of all kinds. This is the most important event in Namur's calendar, and similar festivities are organized in Charleroi and Liège, each year drawing thousands of people of all ages.

15 August in Outremeuse

On 15 August, the district of Outremeuse in Liège celebrates the local folklore. What was initially a religious festival (the Assumption of the Virgin Mary) has been intermingled with popular festivities. You can meet the legendary Tchantchès and Nanesse and savour the favourite beverage of the Liégeois, pékèt.