Bailleul Carnival

Since 1853 the Société Philanthropique de Bailleul has run this five-day Flemish carnival, whose star is the giant Gargantua. On Friday night Gargantua leads a night parade of local groups; on Saturday families go looking for him in a big treasure hunt, followed by the Bal des Quêteurs. On Sunday afternoon the grand carnival parade, with French and foreign bands, winds through town to the Grand Place; the floats are blessed that morning outside Saint-Vaast church. Monday is for the children's carnival and then the mask and 'intrigue' contest, in which people in disguise tease their friends without being recognised. On Mardi gras Doctor Piccolissimo performs his public 'operations' before the giant goes home. The route can only be reached through checkpoints with bag checks; glass, cans and smoke flares are banned.