The Tarbes’bigourdan Carnival

The big Tarbes’ carnival

Meet Esquivat, King of the Carnival, and the emblematic characters of the big Tarbes’ carnival
in a procession where we’re expecting lots of you in fancy dress…

Carnaval Bigourdan de Tarbes©ESAD Pyrénées

Saturday 15 March 2025
from 2pm Place du Foirail

Tarbes gets back in touch with tradition with the 4th big tarbes’ carnival!

Teams from Tarbes Tourisme, along with Cinthia Peyret, Carnival delegate, and musician Benjamin Bouyssou, have been working to revive the Carnival and invite the public to come and meet Esquivat, King of the Carnival, surrounded by his bodyguard and his royal court.
Watch out for the bears, Spring is on its way…

Don’t forget to dress up to join the parade and the court of King Esquivat!

Programme of the 2025 edition

2.00pm – Place du Foirail: Gathering with traditional bigourdan ball and departure of the procession
Direction Place de la Mairie: Musical entertainment/ Presentation of the keys to the Carnival King by the Mayor/ Awakening and bear hunt
Around 3.00pm – Place de Verdun: Arrest of King Esquivat
5:15 p.m. – Place de la Mairie: Judgment and condemnation of King Esquivat
5:30 p.m. – Place de la Mairie: Cremation du Roi Esquivat

Find out more about the characters…

Personnages carnaval Bigourdan de Tarbes©Service Com Mairie de Tarbes

ESQUIVAT
Count of Bigorre, he is the King of Carnival: jovial, a reveller, a party animal, clumsy, greedy, proud, both generous and profiteering.
Known as a gourmet, his coat of arms features various dishes from Bigorre: Haricot Tarbais, Porc noir de Bigorre, Oignon de Trébons and Gâteau à la broche.
He will use every means at his disposal to regain sovereignty over the Bigourdans and overthrow the powers that be.

MASCAROSSE
Esquivat’s wife, she was a party girl from the start. You’ll find her more often in bars and bistros than at the courtly balls. A strong-willed and ambitious woman, she will do anything to regain the throne of Bigorre… with or without her husband!

Eths FESILHÈRS / The GENDARMES
They are the guarantors of order and safety. Always on your guard, make sure you don’t break the law, otherwise you’ll get the truncheon! If you do get caught, a drink can save the day…

Eth ORS (also known as eth Mossur) / THE BEAR (also known as the Mister)
The bear is the symbol of male and bestial sexuality, the tempter of the flesh: the devil for the clergy. It heralds the return of spring. Beware of them, as they are not afraid of anyone… except perhaps hunters!

CARESMA / CARÊME
This character is the anti-joy, the puritan. He personifies the lean period without meat and wine. This period lasts forty days, hence its name: Lent. He plays the role of righting wrongs by condemning debauchery and lust. He is dressed in a long white camisole and holds a long fishing rod with a fish head at the end.

Eths PALHASSAS / The BOUFFONS
They don’t respect any rules, they flout them with laughter and irony. Wearing clothes stuffed with straw, they are Esquivat’s bodyguard. They’ll help him regain the throne of Bigorre, whatever the cost!

Eths CAÇAIRES / The HUNTERS
A great bunch of merry chums on a never-ending quest for the ultimate trophy. Their Holy Grail? Catching a bear! Be careful not to wear too much fur, or they might mistake you for a wild boar or a doe!

Eth METGE / The DOCTOR
A doctor, a veterinarian, he makes no distinction between palhassas and gendarmes or between hunters and bears. Enema, bloodletting, cod oil, firecrackers or a blast from his hunting horn – whatever it takes to get you back on your feet!