“Le Nadalet”
Le Nadelet is an old bell tradition that fills the air with sonorous ringing each December. The tradition is common in the south of France, the Langue d’Oc, and involves sounding bells during the days preceding Christmas. The term “Nadalet“ is the most common, but others such as “Gaudinas,” “Gaudetas,” and “Aubetas“ are used in some areas. In some communities, the Nadalet begins on December 13, but not until the 17th in others. In general it seems that the celebration begins on the later date in cities and on the earlier date in the country. Since the period of Nadalet corresponds exactly to the Grandes Antiennes, the great Advent antiphons which begin on December 17, it appears that the Nadalet is a sonorous reflection of this liturgical tradition. J.P. Carme suggests that the discrepancy between dates could be due to liturgical developments. The Roman liturgy that was introduced in the middle of the 19th century has only seven antiphons in the breviary whereas the old neo-Gallic liturgy of the 18th century has three more. The more traditional rural areas tend to preserve the ancient custom.
The clangor of bells is not totally haphazard but is presented in a particular manner. For example, in the city of Castres, the Nadalet sounds each evening from the 17th to the 23rd of December. At 7:00 pm all the bells in the city are tolled in a grandiose sonnerie. After a quarter of an hour the tolling slowly subsides and a single bell continues to swing for a few moments longer. After the carillonneur halts this final bell, he strikes it nine times to symbolize the three times three strokes of the Angelus. Then he begins to play old Christmas carols. The tolling on Christmas Eve takes on a different character and precedes the midnight mass. A final sonnerie is heard on Christmas day at noon.
The history of this and other bell traditions of Castres and the south of France is in Jean-Pierre Carme’s book Le livre des cloches de Castres, available for 50 FF plus postage from the author at “Le Moulin du ramier”-Route de Sémalens-F81710 SAIX-France. Phone 33-5-6374-8760.
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