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!