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La Caravane des Rois Mages 2025, Perpignan


4th January - 5th January

rois mages

Les Rois Mages – The Three Wise Men

Forget the post-Christmas blues, the festivities continue on 4th January, over the weekend of Epiphany (6th January, 12 days after Christmas Day.)

A big part of the Catalan calendar, celebrating the arrival of the Rois mages, the three Wise men, brings parades, and crowds, to towns across the P-O .

In Perpignan, there are two processions leaving from the Place Gambetta at 16h and 18h.

On horse or camel back, the kings, Gaspard, Melchior and Balthazar, who followed the star of Bethlehem to bring gold, frankincense and myrrh to the baby Jesus, parade through the streets accompanied by exotic dancers, jugglers, musicians, fiant puppets, fire eaters, a variety of animals….and satsumas and hot chocolate for the kids.

rois mages
© France 3 Languedoc-Roussillon

The kings often collect letters from children, containing their wishes (remise des vœux) for loved ones, amidst an oasis of palms, light and interesting animals and characters.

Procession usually also contain ‘gégants‘, enormous painted papier-maché figures, sometimes 14 or 15 ft tall, with traditional clothing and a person inside. They usually appear in couples, often as king and queen, or some important person in the history of the town and differ from commune to commune, each town having its own ‘gégants’.

Cavalcade des Rois Mages, Perpignan

Other Parades…..

Canet en Roussillon (Check with Tourist Office)

Saint Cyprien – Sunday 5th from 3pm

Argelès sur Mer Sunday 5th, 3pm,



Details

Start:
4th January
End:
5th January
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Venue

Pyrenees-Orientales
66500 + Google Map
Website:
csf-suddefrance.webs.com