"La Bénichon"

"Bénichon" is to Fribourg what "Kilbi" is to German-speaking Switzerland. The term originally denoted a hearty feast in which the full range of farm produce was brought to the family table: a broth or perhaps a cabbage soup would be followed by several courses of beef, pork and mutton with plenty of vegetables and then an ample selection of desserts. "La Bénichon" later came to be associated with the finery of the ball and popular celebrations. When the barns are full of grain and the herds have come home, it is time for the village to celebrate, albeit with a tinge of sadness that the summer is over. With a few exceptions in certain places, "la Bénichon" is held on the second Sunday of September in the lowlands and the second Sunday of October in the mountains. It is also celebrated in the towns as lots of people come together, supermarkets sell regional produce, and restaurants throughout the region offer seasonal menus. While it comes in many forms all over the canton of Fribourg, they all have one thing in common: a highlight of the annual calendar for the whole family and the whole community to enjoy.


Detailed description


Category


Canton

Publications

Anne Philipona Romanens, Jean-Pierre Papaux : Chantons, dansons, bénichonnons. Hier et aujourd’hui. Fribourg, 2011

Valérie Clerc : La Bénichon. Une tradition en mouvement. In : Cahier du Musée gruérien no. 1, 1997, p. 17-28

Valérie Clerc : Le goût de la fête. Modalités et transformations de la Bénichon comme reflets de la société. In : Le Goût. Acte du colloque de Dijon 1996. Dijon, 1998, p. 285-294

Anne-Marie Yerly-Quartenoud : La Bénichon. Du four banal au micro-onde. In : Présences no. 35, 1998

Etienne Suter : La Bénichon au pays de Fribourg. In : Nouvelles Etrennes Fribourgeoises. 1934, p. 102-123

Elisabeth Schwab-Salzmann : «Chüechleni, Brätzele und Änisbröötleni». Brauchtum und Rezepte rund um die «Chülbi-Menüs» im Deutschfreiburg. In: Freiburger Nachrichten, 10.11.2001

Keywords

Autumn

Contact

Groupe de travail Bénichon de la Haute École Pédagogique  
Jean-Marie Hirt
Fribourg

Print contact

https://www.lebendige-traditionen.ch/content/tradition/en/home/traditions/-la-benichon-.html