Another south of France glorious summer evening

The Paul Selmer Orchestre, giving an exciting extravaganza of a show for our village party

As we near the end of August we still have high-summer temperatures of between 30 and 36 degrees. This was perfect for our party day yesterday, August 21 - it was the Fête de la Libération, and although this would be too hot for comfort in the afternoon, by evening time this was just right.

This annual event, celebrated in many towns and villages throughout France, celebrates the end of Nazi occupation. The event is organised jointly but the Mairies and the local Ancients Combatants, the French equivalent of the British Legion, in alliance with other supporting associations.

In addition to sharing a long table with our close friends in the village, this year we had our 'family' from Ireland with us, so it was important to be there so make sure we had somewhere for everyone to sit - we managed to get 20 of us around a few of the tables, so we were soon installed.

There is always lots to catch up with at events like this. Once everyone is comfortably seated it's a chance to go around the Place, talking with friends who we haven't seen for a few weeks. David sat with our Irish family, catching up with their news and giving some information of what the Fête de la Libération was all about.

It was a long typical south of France summer evening, with a buzz of conversation, lots of laughter, and of course a chance to taste the local wines from our Cave Coopérative.

The meal was well prepared and served by willing volunteers, and 10 € was good value for a starter of locally produced melon, then a choice of Paella or Grillade, with bread and accompaniments, then Camembert cheese with a slice of baguette from the local bakers shop, completed with desert of ice cream.  Accompanied by the local rosé wine - at 5 € a bottle it may not have been haute cuisine, but it was certainly good quality and enjoyable and made for a good start to the evening.  The photo left shows Cora and husband Brian, starting off the evening with a display of their magnificent dancing skills.

Then, as last year, we had a show lasting some four hours - entertaining music and dance from the Paul Selmer Ochestre. This is a highly professional 24 piece group, composed of singers, dancers and the musicians, who play a wide range of instruments. Most of the team are young people who are attending the music academy in Montpellier, so each year it's a continually changing team - except for the older ones who seem to have been part of the orchestra since it started in the 60's.

The music is a melange of 40's - Glenn Miller and the Andrew Sisters for example, typical music of the era of the Libération, through the 50's, the 60's (the obligatory French take of The Village People, with the group dressed in the correct costumes for YMCA, always gets the audience spelling out the letters during the chorus). The music continues through the 70's up to the present day.

Three of the talented singer/dancers with the Paul Selmer Orchestre

This is another opportunity to spend a beautiful evening meeting friends and chatting together, learning the latest news and generally having a good time. Plus of course, plenty of floor space to have a dance to 'til the early morning.

It's Feria time!

Summer holidays are well underway with what seems the whole of the French population encamped here in the south. Certainly for the last two weeks the autoroutes from north to south have been very busy, with holiday makers making their way to their chosen holiday destination.

In our village, like all the other villages, summer time is feria time - Fête, Fiesta, Feria, the name depends upon the location of the village. The closer to Spain, like our village, then it's Feria.

Band Parade
Usually the typical village summer Fiesta will last 3 or 4 days.  In the afternoons there is plenty of time to show off your other competitive self. The local petanque championships for example. Then, to kick off events each evening in our village, there is a street music, with a local brass band doing extremely well with renditions of real live Spanish pasodoble music. Plenty of 'Enter the Toreador' and shouts of "Olé" from the crowds. The band parades up and down the village main street as a prelude to the main event - 'the encierro'.

The Encierro
This is a 'running' of the bulls through the street, a smaller version of the famous bull running of Pamplona. Not quite as dangerous, but enough to keep me and David tight behind the safety barrier erected at the entrance to our home (behind the horses in the photo above). This is one of the few safety barriers that are erected in some places.

Most of the street is unguarded and there are plenty of young bravados waiting for the arrival of the bulls. The run out alongside and after the bulls, the aim of which is completely lost on me, but not on their watching girlfriends. A sort of passage of rights, showing the bravery of their latest flame. It always amazes David, who spent a lifetime ensuring jobs in the workplace were safe, that such events take place with so much inherent danger. The only mention to safety are the many notices posted on the nearest wall or lamppost that states (in French) 'Risks are involved and the Town Hall cannot be responsible for any accidents or injuries' - or words to that effect.

Afterwards, the bulls are herded back to their stockade by 'gardians' (Camarguais cowboys), who ride close and tight on their white Camargue horses.

This is not the Corrida - bullfighting, of which I am certainly not a fan. There is an element of fun with this - if not a little dangerous fun - like skydiving. For me it gives the bulls a real chance for the bulls to be the strong animals they are, daring anyone to get too close. And fortunately, no one is seriously injured. A few bruises for sure, making the young men even more glamorous in the eyes of their admirers.

A long fun evening - food, wine, music and dancing
Then, the crowd make their way to the Place. Long tables and chairs are already set out - usually around 700 people are there for the evening. This is an evenings of a meal - usually an excellent barbecue or paella, with local wine accompaniment of course, plenty of time to talk with neighbours or holiday makers who arrive and sit at the long tables, then music from live groups - a chance to do your John Travolta bit on the dance floor.

Yes, this is another fabulous summer Fiesta in just one village in the south of France. Parfait!