Sant Joan

Good news !! Last year we celebrate the The torches of the Pyrenees were declared Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

“Les Falles” are flaming torches and the participants, called “fallaires”, are unmarried young people who descend from the mountain to the town playing a rite of passage from childhood and adolescence to adulthood. The descent starts at a high point in the mountains that is visible from the village and the way down is led by the “fadrí major”, who guides the procession down to the streets of the village and into the main square, in a ceremony which is supposed to purify and protect the locality from evil spirits. Once in the village, a big bonfire is lit, and the fires burn till long after midnight, while the locals celebrate it with music, “coca”, a typical cake, and cava for everyone.

The “falles” start every year in the first half of June in the village of Durro, and continue in the villages of Senet, Barruera, Boí, Casós, Pont de Suert and Vilaller, ending in July in Erill la Vall, Taüll and Llesp.

We are pleased to recommend you seeing one of these celebrations .It’s a very beautiful visual spectacle. From our house we have a privileged view of the descend of Vilaller and Montanui, very close to our house. In Vilaller the torches of the Pyrenees are still retaining the ancestral tradition and, once on the village, the brand-runners are welcomed with music and traditional dances and a big bonfire is set with the fire of the “falles”. The Festival has an ancient origin, connected to the rural and solar cycles. It is associated with primitive rites concerning life regeneration, fertility and gratitude to Gods for the prosperous harvests and the arrival of warm weather. Pulling out the fire (as a symbol if the Sun) from the mountains and take it down to the village was good for purifying the lands and woods and to protect the people from the evil spirits.

From Casa Agustí we appreciate both participants and organizers the effort involved in maintaining the survival of the party and encourage all visitors to participate and endorse a party recognized as Immaterial World Heritage Site, we are especially proud of it!