An annual festival that traditionally awards a crown of roses to the most virtuous young woman is still celebrated in some 40 towns across France.
Previously criticised for being sexist, the Fête de la Rosière is evolving with the times to honour civic engagement rather than virtuous reputation.
The festival is believed to have started at the end of the 5th century in Salency (Oise), honouring girls whose irreproachable conduct, piety and modesty had left a mark on the village.
Traditional celebration
In Créon, a small town near Bordeaux in Gironde, the tradition dates back to the end of the 19th century, when Antoine-Victor Bertal, an art collector, bequeathed his paintings and sculptures to his hometown of Créon and expressed his desire for a Fête de la Rosière in his will. He died in 1895.
In 1907 the town held its first-ever Fête de la Rosière and, said Sylvie Desmond, deputy mayor of Créon, it is an opportunity to celebrate local life.
“It is an important date in our calendar,” she said. “The town is also a bastide (fortified town) built in the 13th or 14th century for the King of England, so Créon’s history is the bastide and the Fête de la Rosière.”
A Créonnaise herself, Mrs Desmond has fond memories of festivities from when she was a little girl, as does her mother.
The rosière, who was traditionally 18 years old but who can now be between 16 and 20, was formerly chosen for her “qualités de sagesse” (wisdom).
Boys welcome too
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Today, the criteria has changed and is mainly based on the candidate’s involvement in local activities and associations.
Every April, the council writes to all eligible girls in the local area to offer the opportunity to put themselves forward. Usually, around five do so. Then, on May 23, the council votes for the winner in a secret ballot.
Unlike most towns, Créon’s local council chooses both a rosier and a rosière. The rosier, a boy aged 12, is picked based on artistic prowess in honour of Bertal, explains Mrs Desmond.
In March, all eligible rosiers are offered the chance to participate in an art camp, with a different theme, such as manga, every year. At the end of the camp, participants submit a final oeuvre, which is presented to the council. The best is crowned the rosier.
Créon’s Fête de la Rosière is celebrated on the last weekend of August. In 2023, it included a firework display, a soirée Basque, a pétanque and belote competition, live music, games and more.
The rosière and rosier visit retirement homes and there is a mass on Sunday morning. The rosière arrives in a procession made up of past rosières and friends and family. After the mass, the crowning of the rosière takes place in the mairie.
Local life
Criticised in the past for its sexist nature, Mrs Desmond explained that the festival has moved with the times.
“The girls choose to put themselves forward as candidates and it is all done in a very friendly atmosphere. Those who are not chosen still take part in the celebrations and the procession.
“The rosière is chosen based on her participation in associations and involvement in local life. They are happy to represent Créon,” she said.
“For the mairie, it is a celebration of youth, a chance for them to show what they can do.”
Some communes that still celebrate the Fête de la Rosière, including Créon and nearby La Brède, are petitioning to have the tradition inscribed on Unesco's list of intangible, cultural heritage of France.
