Saint-Martin’s day

Saint-Martin’s day

The legend tells us that Saint Martin while evangelizing Flanders would have lost his donkey, and it is the children of the country who would have found it. To thank them, Saint Martin would have transformed the dung of the donkey into small loaves called "follards" (sweet roll).

To celebrate the event every year, on the occasion of St. Martin’s day (celebrated on November 10), each town and village of Flanders organizes a parade in which the children sing and brandish lanterns carved in beets.

Bakers make sweet rolls, and municipalities and schools organize lantern and carved beetle competitions.

Saint Martin’s song : 

« Saint Martin boit du vin (Saint Martin drinks wine)

Dans la rue des capucins (In the rue des Capucins)

Il a bu la goutte, il l’a pas payée (He drank the drop, he did not pay)

On l’a mis à la porte avec un coup de balai… » (We kicked him out with a broom…)