Family Visit and Village Festivities

 

Family Visit.

My daughter Natalie, son-in-law Andy and granddaughter eilidh came for a fortnight for their annual holiday here and seem to have thoroughly anjoyed it. For the adults it was a time to relax in as far as this is possible with a non-stop 7-year old and also, for Andy, a chance to do some cycling tours on country roads. He is a keen cyclis and determined to turn his daughther intone too. Eilidh managed

 

cycle runs of several kilometres, not bad for a 7-year old. Natalie, despite looking after everyone (including me) managed to find time to read a book or two. They all spent a lot of time in the pool, the weather playing ball for their stay. We usually had breakfast at the Br du Pont, went to the Buis market twice and had lunch at the Castors a couple of times. We made one visit to the allotment ogether, dug some potatoes and picked some tomatoes, chillis and lettuce. Ve also spent a happy day at the 

 

Ouvèzewaterfall/cascade splashing in the water, catching tiny fish and having a picnic. All of us went the meal in the street and all my coronation chicken, Tunisian lentil salad and Baklava was consumed there so there were no left-overs to clear up. How to sum up ? Just a good family holiday in great surroundings.

 

 

Village festivities

The annual round of village festivities kicked off as usual with the Feu de la St jean and a shofirework dislay. There was nothing special about it but it is always good to see the Banche Cour square crowded and buzzing. Bastille Day celebrations followed but were slightly marred by their coincidence with the final of the 2024 football Euros. As an England supporter I went along, more in hope than expectation, dressed in my Union Jack T-shirt and sporting a bowler hat. It was a deliberate gimmick that some people took advantage of for photo opportunities but watching the match meant I missed much of the July 14th celebrations going on outside the bar. My muted expectations were realised and a kind Dutch lady offered me a drink afterwards, noting that she had had the same disappointment a few days before at the hands of England. I refused the drink but thought it a very generous gesture. Anyway, Spain deserved to win.

Then the remaining official festivities came together on the following weekend: the fête votive and the painters in the streets. That event has been well and truly ressurrected after COVID with an astounding total of over 80 painters exhibiting. However, I didn’t get to see them, having intended to do so on the Sunday. A storm in the early hours of Sunday continued during the day and cancelled out all the remaining activitie for the weekend.

I must confess that I am slightly disappointed by the music on offer. Inevitably a lot of those attending the celebrations are visitors but I like to see the villagers bouncing and that hasn’t happened. The villagers are French and I don’t think that the music has been particularly appealing to French tastes. Let’s hear it for “Emmenez moi”.

Then, last Thursday at the moules-frites along came a guitarist to play bob Dylan and French tunes outside the Bar du Pont. And yes he played Emmenez-moi, and yes the place was rocking. Village entertainments committee please take note.