La Louvière Laetare

In La Louvière the Gilles come out not on Shrove Tuesday but at mid-Lent, for the Laetare, which has grown into the biggest Gilles carnival after Binche's. On Sunday they are 'collected' house by house before daybreak, and around noon they dance the rondeau in front of the town hall, where the first oranges fly; fireworks close the day at about 9 pm. On Monday the Gilles are back in the centre from 10 am, and at 5 pm a parade led by the giants D'Jobri and D'Jobrette moves from Place Maugrétout to Place Mansart for a giant rondeau. On Tuesday evening each society burns a straw Gille outside its meeting place: the 'brûlage des bosses' brings the carnival to an end. Times follow the town's usual description; a detailed 2027 programme may still fine-tune them.