“It’s a new phenomenon that is developing! The historic pirate companies are meeting with growing enthusiasm from the public,” observes Patrick Duval, co-founder of the Le Royaume association.
With Philippe Clément, his faithful accomplice, with whom he has been organizing the medieval festival of La Rose d’or for seventeen years, they decided to create the very first Pirates of Vaucluse Festival, last May, in Morières-lès-Avignon . Over the weekend, they welcomed around 2,500 visitors.
“After this first success, we wanted to repeat it at the Barthelasse leisure center, where La Rose d’or takes place. There is only one other pirate festival of this size in France, the Grain d’Pirate Festival in Binic, Brittany. But in the South Region, since that of La Ciotat has declined, we are the only ones, ”underlines Philippe Clément, who created the Festivités baroques association with Anne Theesen, to co-organize the party.
The appointment is fixed for these Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 May. “We are expecting nine pirate troupes from the 17th and 18th centuries, ie 150 costumed participants, who tour the Great South, from Var to Aude via Savoie. We will also have about thirty stands of craftsmen and costumed merchants, who sell products related to history and piracy. Visitors will be able to eat at the tavern in the colors of piracy, with small prices for families,” announces Patrick Duval.
“We want to become “THE” Pirates of the South festival”
He can count on the help of twenty-two passionate volunteers for the smooth running of the festival and the logistical support of the City, which makes the place available free of charge.
“We want to become “THE” Pirates of the South festival. But with what it costs us, we have no room for error, ”slips Patrick Duval, optimistic, who is full of ideas to flesh out the party.
Saturday May 6, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday May 7, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the Barthelasse leisure center
La Flêche: “Above all, we are lovers of historical reconstruction”
The Avignon association La Flèche, created in 2011 by a group of students passionate about history, is one of the loyal troops of the Rose d’or, with its medieval section “La Coterie du renart”. Since last year, she has been delighted with the creation of this “at home” pirate party. Because there are still very few pirate gatherings in France, especially in the South.
“We make our costumes ourselves”
“Above all, we are amateurs of historical reconstruction”, underlines Léa Salé, who is one of the twenty members of the association, before continuing: “La Flèche is a medieval section, but also Caribbean piracy and buccaneering of the 17the and 18e centuries, or even Renaissance lansquenets! What we like is to share our passion with the public, offering young and old alike a dive into the past”.
“This weekend, a dozen members of the company will be present to offer various activities at their camp: navigation workshop (map reading, use of different instruments, etc.), nautical knots workshop, cooking demonstrations, combat demonstrations, discovery of artillery… To reduce expenses, the Jackals (such is their name) opted to slip into the skin of simple sailors, who often enlisted in piracy, for lack of anything better! “And to conclude:” Our costumes are quite simple and we make them a lot ourselves. For weapons, we prefer sabers and boarding axes, which are less expensive than artillery. Even if we have them too”.
Free entertainment
If the pirate troupes are crazier and wackier than the medieval troupes, “not all of them offer entertainment yet to share their passion with the public”, notes Patrick Duval. “To complete their eight camps, we have therefore created free activities: music, photo booth for parents to photograph their little costumed pirates on the deck of a ship, a Pirat’trap (gun shooting range without powder and crossbows, for the little ones on pirate heads), a make-up stand, a treasure hunt for families at the back of the park… All the children will leave with sweets! »
On the playground, male and female teams will compete in tug of war and challenge the public. The pirates will have a barrel race and offer two cannon and musket firing sessions.
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