Bear at la Place du Perron/Fontaine du Perron

The bear is the emblem of the city of Andenne and the mascot of the carnival.

Everywhere in Andenne you will find works of art with a bear. For example, "L'Enfant et l'Ours" (The Child and the Bear) on the Place des Tilleuls is a work by Louis Noël, the artist who also created the statue of the Big Bear and the Little Bear on the roundabout at Seilles station.

The bear as a symbol of the town comes from a legend:

In the past, a ferocious beast ravaged the Andenne region, for some it was a bear, for others it was a dragon or a snake.

It terrorised men, women and children. The beast even ventured inside the walls of Andenne.

One day, Charles Martel, the nine-year-old grandson of Saint Begge, was playing with friends near the monastery.

Suddenly, the beast entered. The stunned children ran away, except for Charles who grabbed a big hammer from a blacksmith. The beast approached with its mouth wide open. The boy throws his hat at it, which catches the monster in its teeth. Charles uses it to hit the animal on the head with great blows.

By the third blow, the beast is dead.
Another monument is the Berenfontein, erected on the site of their battle, which celebrates the brave act of the future king of the Franks.

The bear is also the mascot of the Andenne carnival. The great Bear Carnival Parade consists of :

- 500 participants dressed as bears
- 3 giants : Charles Martel, Fonzi and Martin II
- groups of majorettes
- numerous regional and international groups
- thirty floats...
Unwary spectators risk being momentarily trapped and shaken in the dreaded "cage des demoiselles"!

From the balcony of the town hall, 250 old teddy bears are thrown by the king and queen of the carnival, to the great amusement of the children.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Willem Vandenameele