Is Belgium “a boring country”? Don’t say it before you book a unique experience in Binche, a little-known town located in the heart of this nation with a dual -Germanic and French- soul. Binche is home to one of the strangest Mardi Gras Carnivals in the world. And while it’s not the big-name celebration of Rio de Janeiro, nor the colorful festival of Munich or the Italian carnivals… it has its own unique “reason to exist”.
Welcome to Binche
If you want to get to Binche, any means of transport is fine. Located at the very heart of numerous tourist and commercial routes, it can be reached by private car, bus, train, and airplane. The closest airport, an hour and a half away, is Brussels (BRU), but you can also landa Brussels South Charleroi Airport (CRL). Both are excellently served by the fleets of chauffeur-driven taxis provided by Transfeero for all your travel needs.
Binche: Middle Ages and masks
With just 32,000 inhabitants, Binche is certainly a small provincial town. Although it has existed since the Middle Ages, having once served as a major commercial hub, today this town of brick buildings and spires is the heart of the Belgian carnival.
A museum celebrates this feast, which here is true art. Visiting the Carnival Museum means not only learning more about the event but also the history of the town’s inhabitants. While you search for the museum, you can admire along the streets of the historic center: the Town Hall (with its tower), the medieval ramparts and ancient walls, the collegiate church of Saint Ursmer, the municipal park with the chapel of Saint Andrew, and the Lace Museum.
Since 2003, Binche and its carnival have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Carnival of Gilles
They look like hooded butlers. Or, if you prefer, elegant jesters. In short, they are… the “Gilles“, the undisputed protagonists of Binche’s Mardi Gras. The character of the “Gille” first appeared in 1549 during a welcoming procession for Emperor Charles V. Initially depicted as a “savage from the Americas” this mask changed his appearance in 1795, after the French Revolution. Since the nobles of the time forbade the wearing of masks by commoners, a protest was staged in which everyone would wear white masks, imitating a character from the theater of the time.
The modern-day “Gilles” wear these brightly colored clothes, a white cape and hood, and may adorn themselves with belts of bells, flashy makeup, bows, wooden clogs, and stuff like that. With or without an allegorical mask covering their faces, the “Gilles” lead the processions of the Binche masks. Harlequins, Pierrots, Little Peasants, Sailors, and Princes also march alongside them.
But not everyone can dress up as Gilles at the Binche carnival. The rules are strict! First of all, you must be born or resident in Binche; then you must be sober and clear-headed; you must always be accompanied by a drummer and never interact with the audience!
How does Binche carnival work
The Binche Carnival is celebrated only on Mardi Gras day. But before the actual celebrations begin, other events precede them in the winter weeks.
On the sixth and fifth Sundays before Mardi Gras, the actors playing the Gilles walk the streets of the city to rehearse their parades and dances. On the fourth Sunday before the festival, they rehearse in costume, sporting beautiful and noisy wooden clogs that accompany the rhythm of the drums. On the third and second Sundays before Mardi Gras, the Gilles perform further rehearsals, this time dressed in full regalia, with drums and a bands following them. On the last Sunday, the one before Mardi Gras day, a preview of the grand carnival parade involving the entire city takes place.
In addition to the Sundays, spectacular group dances organized by youth associations take place in the city on the three Saturdays preceding Mardi Gras.
Mardi Gras is the real celebration day, and the undisputed stars are the Gilles, with their parades, wild dances, games, and stunts, along with other masked processions.
The Trouilles de Nouilles
If you like a tip, when booking your vacation at the Binche carnival, make sure you arrive in town at least six days in advance. And thus experience the Trouilles de Nouilles.
On this day (the last Monday before the Mardi Gras days), all residents of Binche and the surrounding province can go out in costume and masks. According to tradition, a mysterious masked person, well camouflaged among the population, will begin asking everyone questions… creating gossip and intrigue, rumors, and strange clues… thus challenging everyone to guess his/her identity. If you guess correctly, the “mysterious mask” will buy you a drink. If you fail, however, you will be the one to provide refreshments for the sinister character!
In short… the Binche Carnival is truly a special celebration. And coming to discover it could be your unique holiday in 2026!
