Les Tripettes de Barjols

Les Tripettes de Barjols: Seven Centuries of Popular Festival in Provence

Les Tripettes de Barjols are much more than just a festival: they are one of the oldest popular events in France, passed down from generation to generation for over six centuries. This exceptional festival, listed in the national inventory of France's Intangible Cultural Heritage, brings together the community of Barjols every four years in a celebration that is both religious and secular, baroque and authentic.

A History Rooted in the Middle Ages

The origin of the Tripettes dates back to the year 1350. According to tradition, the inhabitants of Barjols had requested the translation of the relics of Saint Marcelin—a bishop of Die martyred in 374—to protect their town from epidemics and calamities. The transfer of the relics was granted by the city of Die, and their arrival in Barjols was marked by a grand celebration that has continued ever since.

Legend has it that on that day, an ox had escaped and was recaptured in the church itself. The beast was sacrificed and roasted in the square, its offal—the tripettes—distributed to the people as a festive meal. This founding act is the origin of the festival's name and its central culinary ritual.

The Festival Program

The Tripettes take place over two days, in mid-January, every four years. The program mixes religious processions, traditional dances, music, and popular festivities in a unique atmosphere, far from any reconstructed folklore.

The Tripettes Dance

At the heart of the festivities, the Tripettes dance is an ancient Provençal farandole, danced in concentric circles by hundreds of participants in the streets of Barjols. Men and women of all ages mingle, wearing traditional costumes, to the sound of tambourines and galoubers (three-holed flutes) played by local musicians. The dance gradually invades all the squares and alleys of the village in a joyful and uninhibited communion.

Roasting the Ox

One of the most spectacular moments of the Tripettes is the roasting of a whole ox in the village square, in homage to the ox sacrificed during the original festival of 1350. This preparation lasts several hours and attracts hundreds of curious onlookers. The roasted meat is then shared and enjoyed by the participants, renewing the convivial gesture of their ancestors.

Bravades and Processions

The bravades are traditional Provençal armed parades, during which men in costume carry arquebuses and fire honor volleys in the streets. In Barjols, the bravades accompany the procession carrying the relics of Saint Marcelin, in an atmosphere blending religious fervor and popular pride.

The procession crosses the streets of Barjols—a city of fountains, with 23 fountains and washhouses—in a baroque and picturesque setting, to the sound of tambourines and Provençal songs.

Barjols, Capital of Tanners and Fountains

Barjols is a town steeped in history, known for its numerous fountains fed by local springs, which earned it the nickname "Provençal Tivoli." Its old tanneries, which long contributed to its prosperity, have forged a strong artisanal identity. The historic center, with its 16th-century private mansions, shaded squares, and mossy fountains, offers an exceptional setting for this extraordinary festival.

A Living Intangible Cultural Heritage

Les Tripettes de Barjols are not a show recreated for tourists: they are a living festival, carried by the local community that has jealously guarded it for seven centuries. The preparation of the festivities involves months of volunteer work, making costumes, rehearsing dances and music, and organizing the roasting. Each edition is an act of rare intergenerational cultural transmission.

In 2025, the 675th festivities brought together thousands of participants and spectators from all over the Var and Provence, as well as from all over France and abroad, on January 18 and 19, to witness this one-of-a-kind spectacle.