Nautical Jousts

Saint Louis jousts on the Canal Royal at Sete. Image published under the Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.5 license

Nautical jousting has been a popular sport in and around Sete since the Middle Ages. Sea jousts were held at Aigues Mortes before Louis IX launched the eighth crusade in 1270.

Two heavy barges are rowed past each other by a team of oarsmen. The jousters, armed with a lance and shield, stand on a platform projected beyond the prow and attempt to push each other into the water.

Each barge carries a drummer and another musician who plays a sort of oboe. The rowers sing to the music as the barges approach. There is often also a band on the shore.

The boats, which are either painted red or blue, are decorated with chequered flags. The crew are dressed entirely in white. The lance used to be three metres long, but after several fatalities it was shortened to two metres eighty centimetres in 1920.

The shields used by the jousters to defend themselves are 70 cm by 40 cm.  The gradient of the platform means that if a jouster is hit in the chest by his opponent he will usually be tossed in the air before plummeting into the depths.

Although nautical jousting takes place elsewhere in France, this particular style of jousting is peculiar to the Languedoc region and more particularly to the department of Herault.

Sete, which possesses six jousting societies and a jousting school, is the regional centre of the sport. There are ten other societies in neighbouring towns and a league competition in addition to the major tournaments.

St. Louis Jousts 2005 at Sete. Image published under the Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.5 license

St. Louis Jousts 2005 at Sete.Image published under the Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.5 license

The most prestigious tournament is the Grand Prix de la Saint Louis which has been held  annually in Sete since 1743.

The tournament, which lasts six or seven days, is held on the Canal Royal in late August. The victor receives a shield ("pavois") decorated by a local artist.

Although the jousts have become something of a tourist attraction they are taken seriously by the competitors and serious injuries are not uncommon.

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