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Faluche

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Faluche

A faluche is a traditional cap worn by French students. It is a black velvet beret, decorated with colored ribbons and badges.

Several student groups wear the faluche, especially bitards, basochards, and faluchards. Previously, the faluche was associated almost exclusively with faluchards, although other folklore exists concerning the faluche.

History

Following demonstrations in 1884, the student association Association générale des étudiants of Paris (“A”) was formed. On June 12, 1888, the Parisian students were invited to celebrate the 800th anniversary at the University of Bologna. At the celebration, the French students reportedly felt somewhat drab in comparison to the other students. The attire of the French delegation involved simply dark clothing brightened by one rosette in a buttonhole, and a ribbon in saltire with the colors of the town of Paris. Other European students, by contrast, had a wide variety of costumes and hairstyles: the Belgian students from secular schools had pennes, and those from Catholic schools had callotes; the Spaniards were bedecked with ribbons which proclaimed membership in specific universities; the Germans had their own caps; the Swiss had their thin kepis with small visors; the Italians wore a Louis XI-style hat, and others.

The French students thus decided to create a specific style of cap for themselves. They chose the black velvet beret of the inhabitants of the Bologna area, in remembrance of the students’ congress in Bologna, which they fondly remembered.

On June 25, 1888, the date of the French students' return to Paris, that the faluche was really launched. Its popularity spread at the 600th anniversary of the University of Montpellier which took place May 22–25, 1890. From there, the traditiona rapidly spread to other cities, with badges and ribbons added later.

The symbols used, initially transmitted orally, varied by university. This is why a synthesis was made in Lille on March 8, 1986, inspired by the Toulouse code. It was adopted as a national code in December 1986 in Toulouse, and it was at this time that the concept of Grand Master began. Then in 1988, at the time of the centenary of Faluche in Rheims, a new more complete code was published, taking into account the Montpellier characteristics.

At the time of the German occupation during the World War II, the wearing of the faluche was forbidden, except for the day of Saint Nicholas.

In 1988 the 100th anniversary of the faluche was celebrated in Rheims, which has continued annually, in a different city each year.

A "regulated" cap

The colors and badges related to the faluche recall the life of the student. A written code makes it possible to ensure a homogeneity within the faluchard movement so that each student can “read” the faluche and thus know the course of each person.

Circular

The circular is covered with a fabric band with the colors of the studied discipline.

Fabric Die Color Badge
Velvet

(Montpellier: Satin)

Medicine Red medicine Caduceus (PCEM1: Death's-head on cross femurs)
Pharmacy Green pharmacy Caduceus
Dental Purple Molar
Veterinary surgeon Bordeaux Head of horse
Midwife nurse Fuchsia Cross of Ankh
Ancillary medical Rose Ancillary medical
Osteopathy Blue sky Sphénoïde
Satin
Agriculture Green bordered of Amarant head of cow on corn ear
Letters and languages Yellow Open book & feather
Geography Yellow sphere
History Yellow helmet of Prériclès
Archaeology Yellow Head of sphynx
Sociology Jaune Frog
Psychology Yellow Letter psi
Sciences Purple Cross palms oak & bay-tree
Art schools Blue sky Pallets and brush
Architecture Blue sky Square and compass
Preparatory classes at the High schools Brown Owl with two faces
School of engineers Blue and black Star & the lightning
Physical and sporting education Dark green cock, or Olympic rings, or letters STAPS, or rings (in Strasbourg), Letters “UFRAPS” (in Lyon, Aix…)
Oenology Salmon Bunch of grape
Law Red Balance justice and sword
Economic sciences, Management Orange mercury Caduceus
Economic and Social administration Clear green Letters A.E.S
Political sciences Red and blue Umbrella
Theology Red and white Cross
Business school Red and green mercury Caduceus
IUT, BTS With the colors of the discipline if not white (pink in Amiens, except GMP and BTS, in white) Letters B.T.S or I.U.T
Music and Musicology Silver Quadrant
Preparation for the contests of teaching Gray Letters IUFM

Characteristics

  • In Amiens and Rheims, the ribbons of city and areas are out of velvet, pointing out thus the tradition tisserande these cities. Except the students in sciences which have their satin ribbons.
  • In Bordeaux, the currency is on the circular, under the nickname. The badges on the circular are embroidered.
  • In Dijon, the ribbons are out of velvet because it is the city which organized the States Généraux in 1989
  • In Grenoble, the initial ones are in embroidered letters, the leg of Grand Chambellan is cut at a peak, the pines chartreuse is located on the ribbon of town of study and there is no oath at the end of the baptism.
  • In Nantes the personal and codes parts are reversed. A red pompom is drawn up at the top pointing out the origins of Nantes, harbour city. By extension this symbol is tolerated for any origin of a harbour city.
    • The students into dental raise a ribbon of purple velvet circular with a red velvet edging which recalls their first year of medicine.
    • The students in economic sciences have like emblem the mercury caduceus and the balance (they were accommodated by the Droit corporation after the room of association had burned).
  • To Lyon, the military students of the health service of the armies, or standards, carry a third ribbon, blue-white-red, between the two other ribbons. In the middle of this tricolour ribbon the badge of the School of the health service of the armies of Lyon-Bron is. In pharmacy, always in Lyon, the single attribute of the Grand Maître is a sun carried to the frontal, with the top of the circular green.
  • In Poitiers, all the ribbons are braided. Moreover the color of the circular Sage-femme is red velvet, identical to the Médecine circular but with the cross of Ankh. Moreover, the évèque of the south is named there.
  • In Rouen, there is a third cross, that of the GD (Grand Délateur) which has as a role to prepare and to manage the “sanctions” during the baptisms. The former engineers have as a circular, a large blue ribbon with a black edging in the medium. The Medical students (who place their caduceus on velvet and not on the crculaire) reverse the personnal and official sides of their faluche. The students in right do not carry the colors of the town of Rouen but those of Jeanne d' Arc and their ribbons are not out of velvet but out of satin, (to be noted that this tradition is erased little by little). It is finally one of the only harbour cities not to raise the pompom.
  • In Toulon the faluche does not have a Grand Maitre nor of Grand Chambelan. It is assembled Resident of Toulon which decides on the jury and the officiants at the beginning of the baptism by vote.
  • In Tours the code is strictly followed.
  • In Valence the color of a circular BTS is red, white, red. Moreover, the GM and GC are called Bitards Valentinois (in honor of Bitards Poitevins because the first GM Valentinois were established by our neighbors of Poitou-Charentes and the Center). There is a “braid of sponsorship” (with the colors of the town of birth and province of birth), it is offered by the godson to the godfather when he considers his work accomplished.

Local codes

The Alsatian and Montpelliérains faluchards have a different code than that usually called national code;