Festival of Giants of Villefranche-de-Conflent

The Festival of Giants: A Catalan Tradition in the Heart of a Vauban City

Every year at Easter, the fortified city of Villefranche-de-Conflent comes alive to the rhythm of the Festival of Giants (Festa dels Gegants). This spectacular Catalan tradition features majestic, multi-meter-high figures parading through the medieval alleys of this UNESCO city, carried or guided by their geganters.

Life-Sized Historical Figures

The giants of Villefranche-de-Conflent embody historical figures linked to the city's founding. The most iconic are Count Guillem-Ramon de Cerdagne and his wife Sancia of Barcelona, who founded the city in 1090. Groups of giants from all over France and Catalonia join the parade, creating a colorful and imposing procession in the medieval streets.

Traditional Catalan Music

The parade is enlivened by grallers, musicians playing traditional Catalan instruments: the gralla (Catalan oboe), the flaviol (small flute), the tambourine, and the sac de gemecs (Catalan bagpipe). These ancestral sounds accompany the giants in their processions and contribute to the festive and solemn atmosphere of the event.

A Festive Program for Easter

The Easter weekend offers a rich program: musical Easter egg hunts on Saturday morning and afternoon, giant parades on Sunday morning and afternoon, and on Monday an Aplec (Catalan pilgrimage) to Notre-Dame de Vie with a mass and choir concert. The festival also features events throughout the year, such as the Castanyade in November and the Giants' Christmas Escape in December.