History of Flambeaux

The Flambeaux – A Unique Part of New OrleanFlambeau carriers at Mardi Grass History

The tradition of “flambeaux” is a true Louisiana creation. The original term “flambeau” is an ancient French word describing a flame or torch used in a procession. However, Louisiana has a tradition of changing and adapting things to make it unique and truly our own and the flambeaux is no different.

The New Orleans tradition of using flambeaux carries has become famous for their use in Mardi Gras parades. Before the advent of electric power Carnival Krewes relied on men to lead the parades at night by carrying gas torches to light the way. These original flambeaux carriers were slaves, but the tradition has lived on and today’s flambeaux carriers are an important part of Mardi Gras. Flambeaux carriers have become true performers who dance and put on terrific shows for the crowds who often throw spare change as tips.

Our Inspiration – Create Lighting as Unique as New Orleans

At Flambeaux Lighting we use the rich traditions and history of New Orleans as the inspiration for our gas lantern creations. Our sincere desire is that our products will capture the essence and spirit of these traditions and allow our clients to bring these traditions back to their homes. Just as the flambeaux carriers light the way for Mardi Gras parades – we beleive that our lighting creations will do the same for your home, outdoor space or office

Flambeaux Lighting has been creating hand-crafted gas lanterns since 2004. Our craftsmen have been well trained in the art of building copper gas lanterns from scratch. Each of our lanterns is made by hand individually for your home. No big production lines…no cheap parts,….no cutting corners. We sell only the finest quality, hand crafted gas lanterns.