Yesterday evening the Pégoulado d’Arles was held, a costumed parade with lanterns, to which folk groups from all over Provence as far as Nice were invited. The evening continued at the arena where a traditional dance show awaited the spectators.
The Pégoulado, a lantern parade, is traditionally held in Arles on the Friday before the Costume Festival. 2024 was no exception and this year’s Pégoulado did indeed take place last night on the Boulevard des Lices and at the arenas, where a free folk dance show was held.It is an old-fashioned, popular, torchlight parade, and it is normally carried out by people returning from the fields.“, explains Josiane Arnaud, president of the Festiv’Arles Maintenance et Tradition association which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. “There are traditional groups from Arles, but also from outside, from Nice to Orange.“
The people of Nice, recognizable by their red, white and black striped costume, embroidered with flowers for the ladies, the “bouquetières” (the gentlemen are called the “pêcheurs”), is represented by La Ciamada Nissarda, which is celebrating its 99th anniversary this year.It’s one of the oldest groups in Nice, maybe even in France!“
On the Marseille side, we come across very high headdresses, the frigates, worn here by Marine and Fanny. Nadine, from the Roudelet Felibren association at Château Gombert, explains: “The costume that the girls wear is a costume that was in vogue in Marseille around the port, in the old neighborhoods, under Charles X. Everything took off at that time, and I wonder if it wasn’t because of Zarafa, the giraffe who was given by a sultan to the king. She landed in the port of Marseille, and went up to Paris: I think there was a giraffe effect, since there is even a hairstyle that bears her name!“
Fanny and Marine, who wear the frigate, the headdress of the orange sellers of the port of Marseille • C. Graizzaro
Some of these folk groups will represent France internationally in the summer, thus spreading Provençal culture, its costumes, its music and its dances.
Final updates before the parade for the guardians • C. Graizzaro
We nibble, we touch up the costumes… the parade won’t be long now • C. Graizzaro
Her Majesty the Queen of Arles and her maids of honor for the first Pégoulade of the 25th reign • C. Graizzaro
It was still a little too light to light the lanterns • C. Graizzaro
