Bonjour
Hope you had a great week.
It’s been quiet here in the 7 Valleys (far north of France), though that’s pretty normal. There was a flurry of excitement last Saturday night when each village unveiled its straw sculpture entry in the regional competition. There are about 20 villages which take part and it’s a fiercely fought affair. Winning doesn’t mean prizes but the successful village’s Mayor basks in the glory for a few days as local newspapers send photographers to record the victorious sculpture with a proud mayor beaming next to it. Not that the mayors do any of the creating, that’s done by a committee of committed villagers!
On the big day, hundreds of people cycle or drive around from village to village giving marks out of 10 on judging sheet. (You can see my village’s sculpture here on Instagram). When night falls, lanterns are lit along the route, many villages offer moules and frites (mussels and chips), beer and wine to visitors and there’s a very festive atmosphere as people bring chairs and tables from their kitchens to set up makeshift restaurants on village squares.
Other than that the only excitement has been when the dustmen arrived, swinging off the back of their truck as usual. When they turn the corner to enter our little hamlet, it sets all the village dogs howling – and if you didn’t know any better, on a Thursday morning as you passed through, you might think it was a town of weir wolfs.
Wishing you a very bon weekend wherever you are and I hope you enjoy this week’s posts…
Bisous from France
Janine
Editor
Photo: Lille, which I’m busy writing about, I love this historic city, so much culture…
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