The " buffatière" is still called the dance of the bellows. Each year, on the night of the fête, the people of the village disguise themselves to come and perform the farandoles - a line dance by a group of dancers - on the village square. In the beginning, tradition had the men only dressing themselves up as millers in nightshirts, body-painted in charcoal, equipped with a pair of bellows and dancing the farandoles. The tradition still exists in some villages such as Ceilhes and Saint Sever. For our part, everybody participates by disguising themselves in a costume of their own choosing.
These outfits are traditional. They derive from attic trunks with their hidden clothing and fabrics, known only to the grandmothers of the village…
And here is one of the farandoles performed live: the young lads hang on to each other's shoulders and form a large chain.
Here, the outfits are less traditional but still picturesque. The people who come to see the Buffatière love these costumes because they are so colourful.
And here we give our best shot at another farandole, but these dances aren't easy!
We hope to see you this year on August 15th...
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The buffatière at Saint Sever (a village near Laroque).
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