Carnaval Biarnès

The Carnaval Biarnès: a living Pyrenean tradition

The Carnaval Biarnès, created in 1985, is the largest winter festival in Aquitaine and one of the five most important carnivals in mainland France. It is part of the ancestral tradition of Pyrenean carnivals, revived after the extinction of a float carnival in the 1950s.

Sent Pançard, King of the Carnival

The central figure of the Carnaval Biarnès is Sent Pançard, a portly giant who embodies all the ills and flaws of the past year. Each year, he makes a triumphant entry into Pau after crossing various historic towns in Béarn. Accompanied by his wife Carronha (or Quaresma), the bears, the fesilhèrs (gendarme-like figures), the jutges (judges), and the palhassas, Sent Pançard is judged in a burlesque trial before being condemned to the stake, symbolizing the transition from winter to spring.

Four Days of Festivities

The carnival takes place over four days, usually in February, with a rich and varied program: the Nuèit de l'Ors (Night of the Bears), costumed parades through the streets of Pau, concerts, popular balls, street performances, and activities for children. The Carnav'escòlas brings together children from Pau's schools for a carnival dedicated to a young audience in the Beaumont park.

A Carnival Rooted in Occitan Culture

The Carnaval Biarnès celebrates Béarnese and Occitan culture through language, music, dance, and traditions. It is driven by a dynamic association that works year-round to prepare the event, with the support of the Communauté d'Agglomération Pau Béarn Pyrénées, the Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine, the Département des Pyrénées-Atlantiques, and the Casino de Pau.

A Popular and Unifying Event

Each year, the Carnaval Biarnès brings together tens of thousands of participants and spectators in the streets of Pau. The event is free and open to all, making this carnival a moment of sharing and conviviality where all generations come together to celebrate the end of winter.