Festival of the Bear of Prats-de-Mollo

The Festival of the Bear of Prats-de-Mollo: a wild ritual in the heart of Vallespir

Every year in February, the fortified town of Prats-de-Mollo-la-Preste vibrates to the rhythm of its Festa de l'Os, one of the three Bear Festivals of Haut-Vallespir inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Heritage. This ancestral tradition, deeply rooted in Catalan culture, transforms the medieval alleys of the village into an open-air theatre where the symbolic combat between man and beast is played out.

Four bears in the streets

The peculiarity of the Festival of the Bear of Prats-de-Mollo lies in the presence of four 'bears', embodied by villagers covered in animal skins and their faces blackened with soot and grease. Released into the streets, they chase spectators – particularly young women – to blacken their faces with ashes and simulate their abduction, in a joyful tumult of chases through the village.

From capture to shaving

The hunters, led by the master of ceremonies, track the bears through the streets until their capture. The captured bear is then shaved in the public square, symbolically regaining its human form. This rite of passage marks the victory of civilization over savagery and announces the renewal of spring.

A living heritage

Stemming from the myth of Jean de l'Ours, a Pyrenean legend telling the story of a child born from the union of a woman and a bear, the festival of Prats-de-Mollo perpetuates a centuries-old cultural heritage. Since its inscription on the UNESCO list in 2022, it has attracted an increasing number of visitors eager to discover this unique tradition, while remaining deeply rooted in local life.