Pyrenean villages that hold fire festivals

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Pyrenean villages that hold fire festivals

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Although there are 63 villages on the UNESCO list, there are many more villages in which fire festivals are held. Some were not registered at the time of the application (especially on the Occitan side) and others do not appear because they are more recent. In fact, there are more and more villages celebrating the festivals every year. Here we refer to festivals which are not present on the interactive map, but which may be added in due course. We also encourage you to provide us with information on the attached form. The museum belongs to all of us, and particularly all the villages that celebrate fire festivals.

Falles à Durro, 2015. Photography : Rafael-López-Monné (Mairie de la Vall de Boí).

Fire festivals in Occitania

Thirty-two French villages were included on the UNESCO list, but in reality, more than 90 villages celebrate Saint John’s Eve with a brandon, mainly in La Barousse and Cominges. These celebrations existed before UNESCO recognized the festivals, so they are not new, simply a reflection that they were not on the original UNESCO application.

Here is a list of villages with the name in French and Occitan (Source: CIRDOC). The list is not exhaustive and serves only as an inventory.

Barousse (Haute-Pyrénées) :

Anla (Anlar)
Antichan (Antishan de Varossa)
Aveux (Avèus)
Bertren (Bertren)
Bramevaque (Brauvaca)
Cazarilh (Casarilh)
Créchets (Creishèths)
Esbareich (Esbarèish)
Ferrère (Harrèra)
Gembrie (Gembria)
Izaourt (Isaort)
Loures-Barousse (Loras de Varossa)
Mauléon-Barousse (Maulion de Varossa)
Nistos (Nistòs)
Ourde (Orda)
Sacoué (Sàcoe)
Sainte-Marie (Senta Maria de Varossa)
Saléchan (Saleishan)
Samuran (Samuran)
Sarp (Sarp)
Siradan (Siradan)
Sost (Sòst)
Troubat (Trobat)

Bigorre (Hautes-Pyrénées) :

Bagnères-de-Bigorre (Banheras de Bigòrra)
Cauterets (Cautarés)

Comminges (Haute-Garonne) :

Antichan-de-Frontignes (Antishan de Frontinhas)
Ardiège (Ardièja)
Arguenos (Arguenòs)
Argut-Dessous (Argut)
Arlos (Arlòs)
Artigue (Artiga)
Aspet (Aspèth)
Aventignan (Aventinhan)
Bagiry (Bagiri)
Bagnères-de-Luchon (Banhèras de Lushon)
Barbazan (Barbasan)

Benque-Dessus-Dessous (Benque)
Bezins-Garraux (Vedins e Garraus)
Binos (Binòs)
Bourg-d’Oueil (Borg de Guelh)
Boutx (Bots)
Cabanac-Cazaux (Cabanac e Casaus)
Castillon-de-Larboust (Castilhon de Larbost)
Caubous (Caubós), Cazarilh-Laspènes (Casarilh)
Cazaunous (Casaunaus)
Chaum (Shaum)
Cier-de-Luchon (Cièr de Luishon)
Cierp-Gaud (Cièrp e Gaud)
Cirès (Cirés)
Encausse-les-Thermes (Encausse)
Esténos (Estenòs)
Fos (Hòs)
Fougaron (Hogaron)
Fronsac (Fronsac)
Frontignan-de-Comminges (Frontinhan de Comenge)
Garin (Garin)
Gouaux-de-Luchon (Guaus)
Gourdan-Polignan (Gordan e Polinhan)
Guran (Guran)
Huos (Uòs)
Izaut-de-l’Hôtel (Aisaut)
Juzet-d’Izaut (Jusèth d’Aisaut)
Juzet-de-Luchon (Judèth de Luishon)
Labarthe-Rivière (Era Barta d’Arribèra)
Labroquère (Era Broquèra)
Lombrès (Lombrés)
Lourde (Lorda)
Luscan (Luscan)
Malvezie (Malavedia)
Marignac (Marinhac)
Mayrègne (Mairenha)
Milhas (Milhars)
Moncaup (Montcauv)
Montauban-de-Luchon (Montauban de Luishon)
Moustajon (Mostajon)
Ôo (Òu)
Ponlat-Taillebourg (Pontlat e Talhaborg)
Régades (Regadas)
Saccourvielle (Sacorvièla)

Saint-Aventin (Sent Avantin)
Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges (Sent Bertran de Comenge)
Saint-Mamet (Sent Mamet)
Saint-Martory (Sent Martòri)
Saint-Paul-d’Oueil (Sent Pau d’Oelh)
Saint-Pé-d’Ardet (Sent Pè d’Ardet)
Salles-et-Pratviel (Salas e Pratvielh)
Sauveterre-de-Comminges (Sauvatèrra de Comenge)
Seilhan (Selhan)
Sengouagnet (Senguanhet)
Valcabrère (Vathcrabèra)
Valentine (Valentina)

Eth-Har-a-Montauban-de-Luishon. Fotografia: Manel Carrera

Eth Har à Montauban-de-Luchon. Photography : Manel Carrera.

Fire festivals in Catalonia

Most of the villages that celebrate the festival in Catalonia were recognized by UNESCO. However, a few villages started to celebrate fire festivals after the list was submitted. Currently, we have evidence of fire festivals in 25 villages (17 on the UNESCO list). Here is a list of all these with their names in Catalan (Source: Chair of Education and Pyrenean Intangible Heritage, University of Lleida). The list serves only as an inventory.

Alt Urgell

Alàs

Alta Ribagorça

El Pont de Suert
Casós
Llesp
Barruera
Taüll
Boí
Erill la Vall
Durro
Vilaller
Senet
Gotarta

Berguedà

Bagà
Sant Julià de Cerdanyola

Pallars Sobirà

Alós d’Isil
Alins
Isil
València d’Àneu
Sort
Espot
La Guingueta d’Àneu

Pallars Jussà

La Pobla de Segur

Val d’Aran

Les
Artíes
Bausen

Fia Fai, Bagà, 2021. Photography : Xavier Roigé

Fire festivals in Aragon

There are 9 villages in Aragon known to celebrate fire festivals (and all on the UNESCO list). The list below has names in Spanish, Aragonese, and Catalan.

Ribagorça

Montanui (cast. Montanuy, arag. Montanui)
Aneto
Castanesa
Bonansa
Les Paüls o Laspaúls (cast. Las Paúles, arag. Las Pauls)
Villarrué
Suils (cat. Suïls, arag. Suils)
Saún (cast. Sahún)

Sobrab

San Chuan de Plan (cast. San Juan de Plan)

Falles à Sahún, Aragon. Photography : Mairie de Sahún

Fire festivals in Andorra

In 2017, Andorra fallaires groups came together to form a national falla board (Taula Nacional de Falles de les Valls d’Andorra), whose aim is to protect and promote the Falles. The board works together with the Department of Cultural Heritage in Andorra to promote the festival and enable it to survive. The festival is now celebrated in all the parishes of the Principality.

According to the Government of Andorra, falles are currently celebrated in seven towns or villages (3 of which are inscribed on the UNESCO list). Here is a list of these towns in Catalan :

Andorra la Vella
Sant Julià de Lòria
Escaldes-Engordany
Encamp
Ordino
La Massana
Canillo

Falles à Andorre-la-Vieille. Photogaphy : Fallaires d’Andorra.