Boí

The falles are prepared a few days in advance. In the Boí Valley, the falla is a resinous length of wood about 2 meters long. The falla is made out of pine wood, which is attached to an ash or hazel pole with wires and nails. On the day of the Falles, Sant John’s Eve, the fallaires go up to the beacon (at Clot d’Escuder, at 1,460 m.), where a pine and other trees have been set up to make a bonfire. After eating dinner, and when it is completely dark, the falles are lit. When the fallaires have begun to parade, the bonfire is lit. The falles are brought down to the village, forming a long snake of fire that is visible from the village. When they reach the square, the fallaires are received enthusiastically with music. The children, who have taken a shorter route, enter first. The fallaires parade around the village twice, and custom dictates that the last person to get married is the last to enter the village. The procession around the village, which is intense and highly emotional, ends with the falles being thrown on a field outside the village. The party continues with dancing until dawn.

More information : https://www.vallboi.cat/ca/falles
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Village Council : +34 973 69 40 00

To find out more
Riart, O. i Jordà S. (2012). “Catalogació de les falles al Pirineu. Descripció dels processos i elements fallaires”, Revista d’Etnologia de Catalunya, nº38, 162-173.
Riart, O. i Jordà, S. (2016). Les falles del Pirineu. L’Alta Ribagorça i el Pallars Sobirà. Lleida: Pagès editors.
Farré Sahún, X.; Ricart, S. (2016) Foc al faro. La fiesta de las fallas en el Pirineo. Zaragoza: Prames

Photos and videos

Boí Falles. The Fire Festival – Boí Valley
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dodU2Ufw4A

Documentary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GopGrlDalNE

Children’s falla. Boí, 2019. Photograph: Òscar Rodbag (Patronat de la Vall de Boí)

Bringing the falles down to the village. Boí, 2019. Photograph: Òscar Rodbag Patronat de la Vall de Boí)