French jaunts: when knightly duels move to the water

The Jaunts on the Royal Canal in Sète, France, is a national festival of water combat, where representatives from various regions demonstrate the ancient art of dueling on the water. Jaunts originated as jousting contests on boats: two jaunters, standing on wooden platforms, attempt to knock each other into the water with spears, using their shields as support.

Among the many regional schools, the Givord jaunts, originating in the town of Givors near Lyon, hold a special place. Here, the fighters stand not on the bow, but on the stern of the boat, adopting a stable stance with their right leg extended behind them. On their chests, they carry a square wooden shield with a target, which the opponent must accurately hit with their spear. The duels are performed in round, flat-bottomed boats about seven meters long, with a crew of eight to ten rowers, painted in the traditional blue and red colors. The jaunter's goal is to knock the opponent into the water without losing their balance on their own platform.