Carcassonne: Fête de la Saint-Nicolas’ Torchlight Parade 2013

| Alan

DELAYED POST, I am catching up our blog after our blogging hiatus while recovering from walking the Camino de Santiago.

December 8, 2013

To celebrate Carcassonne’s Fête de la Saint-Nicolas (Feast day of Saint Nicholas) there is the Marche aux Flambeaux (Torch Parade), an amazing parade from the medieval city of la Cité de Carcassonne across the Pont Vieux (Old Bridge) through Gambetta Square’s Christmas Market, the Bastide (the traditional town)  to reach Place Carnot (the town square and marketplace).

Lead by Saint Nicholas, marchers in traditional medieval costumes, families, bands, and visitors all with flaming torches happily walk the route talking, laughing, and singing along the way.  It is a wonderful start to the Christmas season in Carcassonne and one of the first events in the month-long La Magie de Noël (The Magic of Christmas) Festival.

We had a wonderful time joining in with the marchers, although Sami, the min-pin, was far less impressed with the volume of the music, especially the marching band’s drummers.

Tracy and Sami on the Pont Vieux (Old Bridge) waiting for the Marche aux Flambeaux (Torch March) to arrive. La Cité de Carcassonne in the background.
Tracy and Sami on the Pont Vieux (Old Bridge) waiting for the Marche aux Flambeaux (Torch March) to arrive. La Cité de Carcassonne in the background.
Alan and Sami on the Pont Vieux (Old Bridge) waiting for the Marche aux Flambeaux (Torch March) to arrive. La Cité de Carcassonne in the background.
Alan and Sami on the Pont Vieux (Old Bridge) waiting for the Marche aux Flambeaux (Torch March) to arrive. La Cité de Carcassonne in the background.

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