The Mounaques, these funny Campan dolls

Campan
The Mounaques, these  ...
In the heart of the central Pyrenees, Campan is a small rural village of ordinary appearance, nestled in an abundant natural setting between the high peaks of the Col du Tourmalet and the Col d'Aspin. However, when you linger there for a stroll, you discover an atypical town still largely inhabited by the past, by traditions and by a strange population of inhabitants : the "Mounaques".

sponsored content

Who are the “Mounaques” of Campan?

mounaques
mounaques


From the plains of the Campan Valley, the silhouette of the village rises on the horizon. As I approach the village, I catch a glimpse from my car of a first couple of “Mounaques” who greet passers-by from the window of a house. Then a second couple in a field catches my eye. Then a third in a garden! The “Mounaques” are everywhere. A stop is essential to explore this village in search of these extraordinary "locals" posted on balconies, in gardens, in cafes, behind a window or at the bend of an alley...

But in fact, what are the “Mounaques”?

mounaques  mounaques


The “Mounaques” are life-size dolls, made of rag and filled with hay, dressed in clothes and entirely handmade. Staged in the streets, they are the guardians of an ancestral tradition which has lasted since the 19th century and which reflects the folklore identity of Bigorre. Every year, from July to September, exploring the picturesque village on foot, eyes wide open in search of “Mounaques”, offers visitors a fun and instructive discovery.

An ancient tradition of Haut-Adour

History reports that in the past, in the Campan valley, couples united in villages, a traditional custom linked to the system of inheritance between people of the same community. When a romance was announced, and this norm was to be thwarted - in the case, for example, where a young girl was considering marrying a boy from another village, or even if a widower married a young girl - the person in question was the subject of a "hullabaloo", a very noisy demonstration of discontent of the villagers who demanded a kind of compensatory tribute. If the man who came to take away an " heiress " from the young people of the village did not pay his tribute, these young people would go every evening during the month preceding the wedding around the house of the bride with cowbells to make noise and attract attention.

A couple of rag dolls, "the Mounaques", also hung from her house, like a caricature of the bride and groom and their flaws. If this ritual did not discourage suitors from elsewhere, this well-established custom today plunges us into the authenticity of the rural world and popular traditions of yesteryear.

Rest assured, these good-natured mockery ended all the same on the wedding day!

sponsored content

In search of "Mounaques"

mounaques  mounaques
wedding mounaques
mounaques  mounaques


Each year, nearly 160 dolls are exhibited throughout Campan, judiciously arranged in all the crossroads of the small village. In front of houses, cafes, in the park, these little characters are omnipresent. Two families of "Mounaques" celebrate their union in the courtyard of the Church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Campan and offer a fabulous wedding scene. Women wash clothes in the laundry. Firefighters, caregivers, scouts, “Mounaques” children enliven the streets and the built heritage of Campan.

Every year, on the second Sunday in July, the Fête des Mariolles is held in their honor, organized by the brotherhood : parades, folklore shows, local products, a grand ball on the square… Festive atmosphere guaranteed!

To see in Campan!

mounaques workshop


To find out more about these funny dolls, open the door of Mounaques et Compagnie, a workshop for making small “Mounaques” from an artisanal collection made by volunteers from fabric, wadding and wool, entirely hand painted. Likewise, to discover the life of the Campanois mountain dwellers and the inhabitants of the valley at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, the Carrefour des Patrimoines museum offers a fabulous journey into the past (reproductions of photos, permanent exhibition of traditional objects and costumes).


heritage crossroads museum

sponsored content

Finally, on the curiosity side, the Campan Monument to the Dead is quite surprising. Sculpted by Bordeaux artist Edmond Chrétien in 1926, the sober and moving statue represents a woman in mourning, far from the usual representation of heroic soldiers. Dressed in a long black capulet, the traditional mourning garment of the valley, her invisible face symbolizes generations of women bereaved by war.


Memorial  church

The Monuments to the Dead and the interior of the 16th century Church


Advice to walking enthusiasts! Campan is a starting point for grandiose hikes in the Pyrenees : La Hourquette d'Ancizan, the Col d'Aspin, the Col de Beyrède...


Did you like this report? Find others on the Toulouse Pyrenees Guide blog.

Join us on the Facebook page of the Toulouse Pyrenees Guide. We are also on Instagram @guidetoulousepyrenees


Article and photos prepared by Lesley Williamson


Back to "Culture and Heritage"

You will also like

Camping de l'Adour: Nature holidays with the family, in the heart of the Pyrenees!

Camping de l'Adour: Nature holidays with the family, in the heart of the Pyrenees!
Camping de l'Adour: Nature holidays with the f ...

5,8 km - Bagnères-de-Bigorre

Pic de Midi de Bigorre: 360 ° Pyrenees!

Pic de Midi de Bigorre: 360 ° Pyrenees!
Pic de Midi de Bigorre: 360 ° Pyrenees!

5,8 km - Bagnères-de-Bigorre

Bagnères-de-Bigorre, we love it!

Bagnères-de-Bigorre, we love it!
Bagnères-de-Bigorre, we love it!

5,8 km - Bagnères-de-Bigorre

Aquensis: Escape to the Bagnères-de-Bigorre thermal spa

Aquensis: Escape to the Bagnères-de-Bigorre thermal spa
Aquensis: Escape to the Bagnères-de-Bigorre th ...

5,8 km - Bagnères-de-Bigorre

La Gourgue d’Asque: fantastic hike in the heart of the rainforest of the Pyrenees!

La Gourgue d’Asque: fantastic hike in the heart of the rainforest of the Pyrenees!
La Gourgue d’Asque: fantastic hike in the hear ...

7,1 km - Asque

Events nearby

Geographie Bondissante : résidence de danse

Geographie Bondissante : résidence de danse
Geographie Bondissante : résidence de danse

28/03/2023 to 01/04/2023

1,6 km - Beaudéan

Danse

Rencontre publique, autour de la masterclass de danse

Rencontre publique, autour de la masterclass de danse
Rencontre publique, autour de la masterclass d ...

01/04/2023

1,6 km - Beaudéan

Danse

Concert : Aedes

Concert : Aedes
Concert : Aedes

07/04/2023

3,4 km - Beaudéan

Concerts

Bal trad avec Pialot de Cordas

Bal trad avec Pialot de Cordas
Bal trad avec Pialot de Cordas

07/04/2023

3,4 km - Beaudéan

Concerts

Visite-guidée de la ville

Visite-guidée de la ville
Visite-guidée de la ville

03/05/2023

5,6 km - Bagnères-de-Bigorre

Fêtes populaires

Marché de Bagnères de Bigorre

Marché de Bagnères de Bigorre
Marché de Bagnères de Bigorre

08/04/2023

5,6 km - Bagnères-de-Bigorre

Marchés

Les 10 Ans du Festival de Carnes

Les 10 Ans du Festival de Carnes
Les 10 Ans du Festival de Carnes

25/03/2023

5,8 km - Bagnères-de-Bigorre

Fêtes populaires

Tournée du numérique

Tournée du numérique
Tournée du numérique

29/03/2023

5,8 km - Bagnères-de-Bigorre

Fêtes populaires

CPIE - PROMENONS-NOUS

CPIE - PROMENONS-NOUS
CPIE - PROMENONS-NOUS

12/04/2023

5,8 km - Bagnères-de-Bigorre

Fêtes populaires

Rendez vous au jardin - jardins secrets

Rendez vous au jardin - jardins secrets
Rendez vous au jardin - jardins secrets

04/06/2023

5,8 km - Bagnères-de-Bigorre

Fêtes populaires

You will like also

Grottes de Médous

Grottes de Médous
Grottes de Médous

The Medus Caves are divided into two parts: a lower gallery called " Dry Gallery " and an upper one " Wonder Gallery ...

3,2 km - Asté

Les Grands Thermes

Les Grands Thermes
Les Grands Thermes

Welcome to the Great Baths of Bagnères-de-Bigorre. Located in the heart of the city, the hotel offers a beautiful ...

5,6 km - Bagnères-de-Bigorre

BAGNÈRES-DE-BIGORRE

BAGNÈRES-DE-BIGORRE
BAGNÈRES-DE-BIGORRE

Located at the foot of the Pic du Midi and the Cols d'Aspin and Tourmalet, the Hautes-Pyrénées sub-prefecture owes ...

6,0 km - Bagnères-de-Bigorre

ASQUE

ASQUE
ASQUE

7,1 km - Asque

Le Pic Du Midi De Bigorre

Le Pic Du Midi De Bigorre
Le Pic Du Midi De Bigorre

The Pic du Midi de Bigorre rises to an altitude of 2,877 meters. It is one of the Grand Sites of Midi-Pyrénées ...

9,4 km - Bagnères-de-Bigorre

Ride around

Promenade autour de Campan

Promenade autour de Campan
Promenade autour de Campan

43 m - Campan

Walking

LE COURTAOU DU TEILHET

LE COURTAOU DU TEILHET
LE COURTAOU DU TEILHET

136 m - Campan

Walking

CAMPAN, MILLE USAGES POUR UNE RIVIÈRE, AU GRÉ DE L'ADOUR

CAMPAN, MILLE USAGES POUR UNE RIVIÈRE, AU GRÉ DE L'ADOUR
CAMPAN, MILLE USAGES POUR UNE RIVIÈRE, AU GRÉ  ...

149 m - Campan

Walking

LE MONNÉ

LE MONNÉ
LE MONNÉ

1,4 km - Beaudéan

Mountain bike

LE MOURGOUEILH

LE MOURGOUEILH
LE MOURGOUEILH

1,4 km - Beaudéan

Mountain bike