La Fête de St. Jean

The flame has come down from Mount Canigou marking the summer solstice. Argelès has celebrated la fête de St. Jean http://membres.lycos.fr/monjoan/page67.htm The origin of this festival goes back to Charlemagne in the 9th century.

The flame was lit this morning at the top of the mountain and stopped at villages along the way to light bonfires. It was slated to arrive in Argelès at 22:00. The packing lot by the Shoppi supermarket had been cleared and the wood for a bonfire was placed in the center. While the crowd waited, people danced the Sardane http://perso.wanadoo.fr/mairie.laroque.des.alberes/laroqpg/laroq064.html

Children ran around. A group of little girls played a version of red light and Simon said. Neighbors greeted each other.

The fête is free. Nothing is sold. People come to enjoy it without a single commercial interest.

Overhead four rows of small flags hung: the EU blue with the stars circled, all the flags of EU countries, the French flag and of course, the red and yellow stripes of Catalonia.

A little after 22:00 people were asked to move behind the barricades. In front of the old gendarmerie drums beat. Giant sparklers shot stars into the sky. The drummers were followed by people dressed as witches, devils and jesters. As they danced around the wood for the bonfire, they swung sparklers in eight-shaped patterns that sent stars at least in 12-foot diameters. The drumming and dancing went on and on. The smoke from the fireworks were so thick that the flags above were no longer visible and the gunpowder smell was heavy in the air.

The sparklers were extinguished. One flame remained. The carrier lowered it to the wood. It caught sending the flames skyward. The Barricades were removed and led by the dancers and drummers the crowd circled the bonfire. Then the drummers and the flame moved on to the next village.

Summer has begun.