Monday, February 24th marks Fat Monday in the harbor of Villefranche-sur-Mer. A traditional day for the floral naval battle, in line with the Nice Carnival and various winter events on the French Riviera. The pointus are ready, as is the audience.
As the sun bathes the harbor of Villefranche on this Fat Monday, thousands of curious onlookers are jostling on the docks to get as close to the water as possible. On the opposite shore, twenty traditional boats, the pointus, are dressed in their finest floral attire. Aboard the Saint-Agapit, Charles, Alice, and their children are gearing up for a relentless floral naval battle, a family and festive tradition over a hundred years old. “This boat is 50 years old, it belonged to my grandfather who was already parading with it at the time, today, with my husband, we are continuing the tradition,” says Alice, ready to release the ropes.
A colorful winter on the Riviera
An unmissable event with the sweet scent of spring, the floral naval battle of Villefranche is part of the Nice Carnival program. On the French Riviera, winter is lived in color, with fanfare and good humor. Its symbol: the mimosa, a southern star, excites during the region’s iconic flower battles. On the water, the event takes on a whole different dimension, for a stroke of the oar, and the season is forgotten.
To the attack!
The drums warm up the port as the cannon sounds and the first pointus set off for a parade lap. The men and women in sailor stripes take pride in presenting their boats decorated from bow to stern, cheered on by a large crowd. More than 7,000 spectators, both tourists and locals, are eager to create their bouquet this year. The atmosphere conveys a strong sense of attachment to this sunny Provençal culture and its Mediterranean heritage. “Now, we throw everything we’ve got and empty the boat!” shouts Charles at the helm, much to the children’s delight, their arms already full of ammunition. And so, on the second lap, the naval battle with carnations and mimosas rages, stripping the pointus of their floral features. Nearly in the water, the audience hails the sailors to receive as many stems as possible. A spectacle as surprising as it is entertaining for those discovering the tradition for the first time.
The boats return to the quay completely empty. In total, no less than 30,000 carnations, 600 kg of mimosa, and 900 bouquets ended up in the arms of the audience or, for the less fortunate, are still floating in the harbor of the citadel.
