First translation of this page was made using the Alvistata free translation service.
This page is like the page "Douai" intended for the "vint' d'osier" and for all those which are still unaware of what is a vint'd'osier is
But what a vint'd'osier? will say the
ignoramuses... Two more famous are without question
Gayant (image JPEG 17K) and his wife 
Marie Cagenon (image JPEG 21K),
largest but also (without any chauvinism) most beautiful among
the giants of North, and, why not say it, of the whole world. The
belly of our giants is made of wicker the vint' d'osier (vint
means belly in local patois, osier is wicker) is by extension the
native of Douai!
The Gayant family and its festival
It is made up of Mister and Mrs Gayant (Marie
Cagenon) and their children Jacquot, Fillon and Binbin. If
Gayants are made of wicker, it is that at the beginning, back in 1530,
they were built by the corporation of the "manneliers" (wicker craftsmen)
at the time of a procession in the honor of St Maurand, patron
saint of the city. The tradition has remained since, and the giants
reappear from their ashes after each ordeal.
And they have known a lot during centuries! In 1770, the bishop of Arras
prohibited the procession because it commemorated the victory of
the town of Douai over the French on June 16 1479 whereas the
city had been just reconquered by Louis XIV in 1667: it
instituted a new festival which would celebrate this new uniting
but by removing the Gayant family, judged too pagan and probably
too Spanish because our Gayant is know to be actually a valorous
warrior who defended the city against the French army... if one
believes some historians. It should be noted that if the
giants, commun runs in North of France and in Belgium, appeared at the time
of the Hispanic domination on Flandres, their Spanish origin is
doubtful: indeed, one finds giants in many European countries
such as for example in the United Kingdom.
Gayant walked again in the streets of Douai only in 1801 and
acquired the current costumes in 1821.
It was unfortunately not finished with it their misfortunes. They
were destroyed during two world wars, not resisting neither
German nor with the Anglo American bombardments.Current Gayants
were thus rebuilt in 1954. There is a filmed document of this new
birth which was in particular diffused by France 3 (French Public
TV) in the excellent emission " Faut pas rever" in
complement of a report carried out in 1995.
The Gayant festival takes place every year on the first Sunday
which follows July 5th. At this occasion, Gayants walk in the
city during three days. Their displacements are ensured by
carriers resulting from the same families since several
generations. Even if it does not carry its giant, all Douaisien
who respects himself entered during its childhood at least once
Gayant or his wife's wicker belly , in spite of legitimate fear
that they inspired to him. But after 3 days, the Gayants have to
go home... It is always made difficult by the crowd of the Douaisiens which, as required by the
tradition, try vainly to maintain them in the streets, should it rain or snow, which is fortunately more than rare in July (even if some people from southern parts of France doubt it).
But it should well be admitted that after three days of efforts,
the carriers deserve one year full of rest.
The outputs of Gayants apart from the normal period of their
festivals are exceptional: every 20 years for Intervilles (TV
show), in 1982 for the 50 years of the belfry of Lille, or for
the turning of a film (" Mr Albert " by Jacques Renard
and with Philippe Noiret in 1975).
An output out of the walls of the city (recently destroyed) take
place on July 3, 1910, at least if one believes of it an article of the " Petit
Journal" Sunday July 10, 1910.
Since November 2005, Gayant is part of the Unesco World Heritage, as a member of "Géants et dragons processionnels de Belgique et de France".
Measurements of Gayants
| Name | Height | Weight | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mr. Gayant | 8,50m / 27-11 | 370kg / 772lbs | 6 men |
| Mrs. Gayant | 6,25m / 20-6 | 250kg / 551lbs | 6 men |
| Jacquot | 3,40m / 11-2 | 80kg / 176lbs | 1 man |
| Fillon | 3,15m / 10-4 | 70kg / 154lbs | 1 man |
| Binbin | 2,40m / 7-10 | 45kg / 99lbs | 1 man |
For the amateurs of giants, and not only of Gayant, let's notice that there are associations of friends of the giants of which in particular:
La Ronde des Geants
Maison des Geants,
Ferme d'Ennequin
11 rue Ambroise Paré
BP56
59374 LOOS CEDEX
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