Historic Carnival - Presentation

San Martino (the Bishop) and his adversary Satan, then the Roman Consul, the Tribunes of the People, the Roman Guards and their Officer and, lastly, the Lily Nymph accompanied by her two Maids are the leading characters in the historical carnival in Pont-Saint-Martin. A key feature of the carnival is the chariot race: each district or “insula” in the town has its own chariot and team consisting of a charioteer and a number of athletic youngsters, whose job it is to pull the chariot. Tuesday is a day when the carnival parade is held with floats from Point-Saint-Martin, some nearby villages and towns in Piedmont and Val d’Aosta. The day comes to a close beneath the span of the old Roman bridge, with the burning of Diavolo Satana (Satan) and a spectacular firework display.