“I do things seriously but I don’t take myself seriously”
Henry IV had the fate that we know. King of Navarre and King of France, he was assassinated in Paris at the age of 57. His Béarnais double André Berrotte is doing well, 30 years older. Coming from a family of horse breeders and shepherds exiled to the country of cowboys, this “Béarnais cap e tot” grandfather is planning to get back on horseback to host the second King’s Day in the castle district next summer .
“With the nose you have! »
Delighted in holding high the panache of Good King Henry, André Berrotte has been sporting graying hair and beard for years. His sovereign smile comes naturally to him when he puts on thigh-high boots and a ceremonial costume with embroidery, lace, ribbons and jewelry. “I do things seriously but I don’t take myself seriously,” he laughs.
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Despite the age difference between the man and the king who we know represented in the form of a statue, painting or even scientific reconstruction, the resemblance remains striking. “For my friends, with whom I carried out the first historical reconstructions, it was obvious that I had to take on this role. With the nose you have, they told me, it’s yours! Even if I always think that any good Béarnais with a beard and mustache quickly looks like Henry IV! »
But surely not everyone has the same passion for the character that this former geo history professor maintains. Some even have fun saying about him that he wanted this role so much that he didn’t hesitate to grow his nose.
Second King’s Day
Since 1989 André Berrotte has enjoyed fitting into the costume lent by the Turlupins company, a theater troupe which has also brought him on stage numerous times. Former mayor André Labarrère called on him on the occasion of the 400th anniversary which marked the arrival of Henri IV to royal power. In 2010, it was him again on the occasion of the commemoration of the 400 years of the regicide. Replacements follow to lead the caravan on the Tour de France, which is generally carried by the actor Bernard Monfort, or the mega transhumance organized in 2022 on the Champs Élysées.
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“Sometimes the Spanish confuse me with Don Quixote and the kids with Father Fouras. Proof that we must continue to bring this character to life to make French history better known.” A mission that he pursues within the Panache Blanc association which he created in 1991 and of which he remains honorary president.
The association is planning a second King’s Day, after the success of the first last July. The second edition will gain momentum with three days around Gaston Phébus, then on the theme of the Renaissance with equestrian show, acrobats, choir…. At the helm, among others, his friend and advisor like in the good old days Sully, alias Stanislas Dominguez and Dame Laure, well-known merchant in the Château de Pau district. Schoolchildren and nursing home residents will also be invited to follow the White Panache to put one foot in the time machine.
Enough to put André Berrotte back in the saddle, despite the terrible blows of life that struck his family. He continues his costumed ride to share his spirit of adventure and good living.
life line
Birth: September 19, 1937 in Buziet.
Schooling: in Oloron then at Barthou in Pau.
Family: 5 daughters from two unions, three grandchildren.
Profession: geo-history teacher working in Tunisia, then travel organizer, equestrian tourism guide, then environmental manager in Béarn Solidarité.
Hobby: former president of the Equestrian Rides, then of the hiking committee. Today honorary president of the Panache blanc association. Wrote several articles for Cheval Magazine and the Spanish magazine Caminar.
