More than a great book, a delicious dive into the great history of jousting, from 1900 to 1951

Jean-Renaud Cuaz, Jacky Vilacèque and Jean-Louis Cianni team up to showcase the great jousting fresco from 1900 to 1951. Midi Libre – Patrice Espinasse

Tournoi de joutes vu depuis le Cul de Boeuf, en 1823. DR

Jean-Louis Cianni a embarqué Jean-Renaud Cuaz et Jacky Vilacèque sur la tintaine pour publier un splendide et inédit portfolio commémoratif sur les joutes de 1900 à 1951.

Two boats for three men. A sporting incongruity on the Cadre royal. A delicious literary initiative around the canal.

Jean-Louis Cianni, Jacky Vilacèque and Jean-Renaud Cuaz have just given new life to half a century of adventures on the tintaine. The Grand livre des joutes, de 1900 à 1951, contains everything that will go straight to the heart of a Sète resident, whether or not he or she fell into the magic potion of traditional sport as a child: 50 years of Saint-Louis and regional tournament records written with a masterful pen, portraits of former knights of the canal, moving and sometimes unusual engravings, right up to the panoramic plate detailing the name of each participant in the official Saint-Louis 1765 procession.

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One day, my wife said to me: “You're not going to keep that for you!”

This commemorative portfolio with pockets and flaps has its own story, of course. First, it is that of Clémenceau Terme, chief apparitor of the town hall of Sète, who offered his sublime personal records of 50 years of jousting to the son of the illustrious Vincent Cianni, eight-time winner of the Saint-Louis, upon his death in 1960. Then it is that of the grandson, Jean-Louis Cianni. Who tells: “I had this at home. I showed it to my friends who found a father, a grandfather, an uncle there. I was tired of making photocopies. One day, my wife said to me: 'You're not going to keep this for yourself'!”

Cianni's initiative, Vilacèque's pen, Cuaz's triple cap

So the former journalist didn't keep it to himself. He brought in his friend Jacky Vilacèque. The former senior reporter at Midi Libre magnified the work with his elegant and unique pen, while completing a professional loop that began in Sète, on jousting writings.

It was up to the third man to step onto the stage. Jean-Renaud Cuaz wore his triple hat as graphic designer, publisher and president of the Société des études historiques et scientifiques de Sète (Sehsser).

In the end, here is a Grand livre that is not just a grand livre in size, once it is unfolded. The heritage dive into half a century of jousting will take you on the “red”, the “blue” and much more on the small and big stories of a traditional sport that embodies so much of the DNA of the unique Island.

On the Royal Frame, in 1875. DR

The time spectrum has been slightly broadened. The portraits of Aurélien Evangélisti, Carmen Di Rosa and Floriane Fizaine are links with a more contemporary history. “We have made the history of Sète, that of the jousts, but never that of the jousters and the tournaments”, recalls Jean-Louis Cianni.

It's done. All that remains for Santa Claus is to put on his best flags and climb on the red boat to distribute them under the Christmas trees.

The Great Book of Jousts from 1900 to 1951. Portfolio with 68-page booklet, 16 engravings and 2 panoramic plates. €30. Audasud publication. With the support of the City and the Agglo of Sète. I subscribe to read the rest