Bearn carnival – EN | Pau Pyrénées Tourisme

Theme of the 2026 edition

©Carnaval Biarnes Portrait|Carnaval Biarnès

Pau / Hédas / Béarn 12 to 15 February 2026 Carnaval Biarnès... for close friends!

A pagan festival, the Biarnès carnival is punctuated by numerous ritual stages, its codes, its decorations and its holia (madness)!

La nueit de l’ors / the night of the bear Adults only!
The ors (bears) come out of their dens to meet the famous Rosetas, the young, wild girls (played by men). The caçadors (hunters) get in the way. Finally, the orsatérs (bear tamers) make them dance! A moment of madness guaranteed…

Thursday 12 February 2026

7.30pm: Meet in rue du château and welcome by the Caçadors
8.00 pm: Place de la Déportation (opposite the castle) – Dancing encounters between the hunters and the Rosetas
8:40pm: Place Reine Marguerite – Bear hunt
9.00pm: Place Récaborde(Hédas district) – Opening of the gourmet tent
9.30pm: Concerts under the big top with the group Reder nouhaj & la ciguë
1.00: The marquee closes

Everything you need to know about Bear Night

Sèga e serada de Carronha / Carronha barricade and party
Sent Pançard enters the city and strolls through the historic quarters, entertained by traditional dancers and musicians. Sèga (street theatre: the barricade of notables who want to prevent carnival goers from entering the city), concerts in honour of Carronha and balls are on the programme.

Friday 13 February 2026

7pm: Place de la Déportation – Traditional dancers and musicians fromA Tot Vendent welcome the public.
7.15pm: Dance and song parade to the Sèga
7.45pm: Boulevard des Pyrénées – Monument aux morts – Street theatre
Barricade by notables who want to prevent carnival goers from entering the town
8.15pm: Carronha and his court march to the big top
Departure from rue Adoue – Rue de Foix – Place Reine Marguerite – Rue René Fournets
8.25pm: Place Récaborde – Opening of the big top to the public and concerts by La Mòssa, Feràmia & Fülü
1.45am: Big top closes

All you need to know about the Barricade and Carronha evening

Grand dia de Carnaval / Big day of Carnival
The keys are handed over at the town hall, and Sent Pançard is paraded through the town in triumph, followed by his trial and cremation to music. Fire shows, brass bands, balls and concerts keep you entertained into the night! It’s THE day to enjoy carnival with your family!

Saturday 14th February

4pm: Place Royale – Presentation of the keys to the city
4.30pm: Square Aragon – Parade departs
5.30pm: Place de la Libération – Sent Pançard trial
6.00pm: Place Récaborde(Quartier du Hédas) – Opening of the marquee – On site, fanfare, concert ball and bamboche with Pèth, Platane, Johnny MaKam and Marta
6.30pm: Place Gramont – Cremation with music
1.45am: Tent closes

Everything you need to know about Carnival

Dimenge gormand/ Gourmet Sunday
Food and delicacies for sale, as well as a cantèra (choir) singing Gascony polyphonic songs and a ball to close the event.

Sunday 15 February 2026
Place Récaborde(Hédas district)

09:30: Opening of the marquee
12.00: Cantèra (polyphonic singing)
14:00: Creabal
3.30pm: Ball with La Talvera
17:00: Big top closes

Everything you need to know about Gourmet Sunday

Everything you need to know about Carnaval Biarnès 2026

Çò qu'ei carnaval biarnés? What is the Béarn carnival?

Carnaval Biarnés is one of the 5 biggest carnivals in France! Its carnival king is none other than Sent Pançard, the man with a thousand sausages and other delicacies, the greedy king of the carnival timpona, always accompanied by his wife Carronha, who remains in her husband’s shadow but pulls all the strings. As for Quarèsma, she is the incarnation of Lent, the puritan…
Many other characters are part of the procession: bears heralding the return of spring and vitality, gendarmes, judges, palhassas… This troop escorts Sent Pançard in his “sinful” ascent which will lead him to be judged and then burnt at the stake, before finally being burnt in the public square!

To find out all about the Carnaval Béarnais, click here!

Our advice For even more pleasure

Dress codeGet your masks on!

A must for the Biarnès Carnival: the costume… and the mask! Enjoy free carnival mask-making workshops at the Tramways factory on 10 and 17 February from 2pm. Come dressed up, come colourful, come carnival!

I would like to sign up for the mask-making workshop

Top night out with friendsThe light of gold!

An original and convivial evening for adults only.

The hunt starts at 8.40pm on Place Reine Marguerite, and ends in the Hédas district with a concert and dance… A festive and offbeat atmosphere guaranteed!

Find out more about the Nueit de l'Ors

Family carnivalThe gran dia of Carnival

It’s the ultimate family event: the big costume parade from 4.30pm, with Sent Pançard carried in triumph across Place Royale, his carnival trial and cremation! Our tip: Stand in the Place Gramont to get a front row seat for the cremation!

See details of the grand parade

ParkingNo problem!

Numerous underground and above-ground car parks are available in the town centre and on the outskirts.
A word of advice before you set off: check available parking spaces in real time using the Ma Ville Facile app. Save time, avoid stress… and enjoy the party!

See all our car parks

©Pau Tourism Bearn Pyrenees 2 Light|Pau Pyrénées Tourisme

©Carnaval Biarnes 2020 Ville De Pau|Ville de Pau

Carnaval biarnès... Keep the party going!

Our traditional carnival is first and foremost a time for sharing, for coming together to celebrate a strong, authentic and vibrant identity! Every year, the Carnaval Pantalonada association breathes new life into this Pyrenean carnival, which is part of our priceless intangible cultural heritage.

Housed in La Ciutat (the village), in the heart of the Hédas district, it’s here that over 200 volunteers bring the festival to life, with numerous workshops to prepare costumes, songs, theatre and dance… Open to all, don’t hesitate to push open the door to discuss (and participate!) in the preparation of the event.

All about La Ciutat

DO YOU SPEAK CARNIVAL?

Lo crespèth: The carnival doughnut
Dançar au son de la boca : To dance to a song
Pleà’s la fiòla: To gorge oneself
Hartèra tà tots: The wind of madness blowing through Pau, the carnival slogan!
Monaca: Sent Pançard’s papier-mâché doll at the stake

Discover other carnival expressions

What about children? E entaus mainatges?

Carnav’escòlas /Children’s Carnival!
The Carnaval Biarnès is the story of a tradition that has been handed down from generation to generation.

Thursday 5 February

9.30am to 2.45pm: Pau city centre – Ball and parade, led by the DEM, the Menestrèrs Gascons and the Batucada from Monein secondary school.
The trial will be written and performed by students from Laruns secondary school.

Disguised children march to the sound ofAdiu Praube Carnaval as they march to the trial of Monsieur Carnaval.

©Carnaval1 Bearnais 2|Pau Pyrénées Tourisme | DG

©Carnaval Biarnes 03 Ville De Pau|Ville de Pau | DG

Carnival doughnuts Lo crespeths

Carnival brings with it a whole host of delicacies that have always delighted us in the Béarn region. So it’s time for doughnuts and crêpes!
“Lo Crespeth”, for those who don’t know it yet, is huge, sweet, crispy, airy and fragrant. All you want to do is bite into it! Many bakeries and patisseries will be serving it throughout the Carnaval Biarnès period, and we’ll be giving you a few tips on how to find it, and above all… how to enjoy it!