And There Are Two Days Left!

For six days out of the year, it is not a quiet village. The Fête Votive awakens everyone for miles around to descend on our little hamlet. The Carmargue horses with their cowboys in vivid shirts arrive with their bulls to run around the town Place with the young of the villages following trying to capture the bull and wrestle him down to street level. This doesn't happen just once a day, but three times with villagers gathering behind the gates, some standing outside to challenge the wandering bull. (Now those brave ones, amazingly, when the bull comes into view scatter to find their home behind the bars.) The ambulance awaits the challenger who does not avoid the bull. The siren has remained silent. Five to six hundred people gather to watch and cheer those who follow the bull. The cowboy or girl is ever present on his or her agile horse to keep the pursuer and pursued safe.

Two mornings at 9:30 a lunch (more like breakfast) was served. Tables were set up in the street, a barbeque had hot sausages, our baker's bread held the hot treasure, potato chips, and of course, wine.

The best part of Saturday afternoon was the Mousse in the Place du Marché. All gathered anticipating the foam which would emerge onto the dance floor. Music filled the air and bubbles poured out onto the crowd. What fun for those from 2 to 82.

The sky glowed with the flashing carnival lights. All wonder among the many games and rides, knowing there will be treasures to win. And at 10:00 PM the band and singers begin and go and go and go until at least 2 or 3 in the morning.

Returning to our courtyard, much earlier then 2 AM, we discovered that the music crashed into our lives, not to disappear until early morning. Listen below to what we could hear each evening in our "quiet" part of the world.

Two days remain!

Á bientôt,
Cindy