Please play the music, then read-on. If it doesn't work, try this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXQqqd0gQwo&feature=emb_logo
It's high Summer, and a nearby village is holding it's annual Méchoui and dance. The small public 'square' between the medieval church and the ugly 1950's Mayor's chamber is divided in two; an area given to several long alfresco dining tables, and a space given to dancing.
Bunting and fairy lights are strung between the ancient pollarded Lime trees. Aperitifs are served, then the youth of the village bring round huge platters of spit-roasted Lamb, big bowls of Flageolet Beans, and Salads. Wine is replenished as soon as bottles are emptied. The youth of the village have been well trained, and obviously enjoy their work; nothing is too much for them.
The food continues to arrive. Cheese is accompanied by offers of Eau de vie; which we decline.
It's about 11.30 pm, and the accordionist and his band take their positions on the mobile podium, and he kicks-off with his favourite number Reine de Musette (which should now be playing).
I ask Lady Magnon if she fancies a twirl. We dance for about an hour, then the band plays a Bourrée which we can't dance to, so we stand with all the others in a circle and watch the elders of the village spin around; men dancing with men and women dancing with women. The audience applaud as the ancient dance is demonstrated to all present. A few children join in the fun, trying to imitate their elders.
After the Bourrée we return to the 'dance floor' and show the locals how amateur dancing really should be done. We have no shame about our lack of skill; we simply enjoy ourselves, as does everyone.
At about 1 am, we are tired, and decide to head for home. We spend another hour or so saying goodbye to everyone, before taking to the road.
This used to be an annual event.... I wonder when it'll happen again; if ever?
39 comments:
No video here. It sounded fun though. Afraid I would be tottering home well before 2 a.m.
I don't suppose we'd be doing too much of that either these days. No sound?
No video
It should be sound. Never mind.
Nothing.
Video didn't work for me either. But your description was wonderful . We can all understand why you stay in your French village.
It is a more sophisticated version of the summer religious fiestas here.
They must return .
That's annoying about the sound, I think all countries have different licensing agreements. Go to YouTube and play it separately.
Is this what you are looking for?
SPIT ROASTED LAMB AND DANCE
Apart from the music, and line dancing; yes.
Copy and paste the link into your post. There are dozens of related videos.
Here too the video does not work but the spirit of things has come this far. A lot of things will change, we still do not know how much.
There is no video here neither..but your words have painted a lovely picture in my mind!.I can see it quite plainly in my head.You truly are an artist,when you can paint an image in someones head.Thanks and heres looking forward to it happening again next year!xx
The music is French, so maybe they only allow it to be played here in France!!! Silly people.
I fear that many things will never return. We are facing a new way of life.
What wonderful memories! A real cultural immersion and you know you're living somewhere different from "home". No working link in Australia, either - pity.
Cro, Back here in Blighty we saw everything on our annual Summer sporting and social calendar cancelled. And I suspect it may all happen all over again next Summer.
I just wonder how our Grandparents coped with not just one year without normality, but almost 6 years without cultural and social normalities during the last World War.
Describing your annual local Summer event painted a picture in my mind. And it looked like a painting by Claude Monet.
"video unavailable"
The summer village fetes were always wonderful, each village competed against the others to have the best evening.
Yes, being deprived of a summer dance, is hardly comparable to bombs falling.
I can only apologise.
I feel sure that the mechoui will return in future years. I have happy memories of 'waltzing' around the dance floor at one such event and Paul falling over because he got so giddy. Although it might have been the eau de vie.
Here is a link to the music... maybe it will work
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXQqqd0gQwo&feature=emb_logo
Never accept the Eau de Vie.... it's a killer! I have two bottles here; one Prune, the other Poire. They haven't been touched for over 20 years.
https://youtu.be/a0j9dTBJWWE
This is a link to the Bouree...
I don't think the French still dance like this...non politically correct
https://youtu.be/Z2ASjTCG_5w
Those were the days. Throw them about, and pretend you're having fun!
Hard to know when and if these gatherings will happen again. Funny how we all took so much for granted. Now with COVID and lots of change we realize how good things really were. It's a new world.
It'll certainly be a while if things were ever to get back to how they were. It would be a shame if these traditions were lost.
Our local version involved some 'jumping' and raising arms in the air. The music is still the same. Great fun.
We haven't had a village fête for 2 years because they were renovating the salle communale and then covid. While many of the villages round here are quite wealthy, our fête was always "la France profonde" and last time we a group of 16 accordionists and it was just lovely. I miss it so much!
Our weekly Marché des producteurs has rather replaced the traditional mid-August fete. The village has now become one of the most popular Thursday evening venues in the area. Too much so!
I see you did paste a link. Must have right wing content.
C'est la vie.
I enjoyed picturing all this in my mind. Before Covid we never appreciated good times as much as we should. After Covid, we will.
We all have to believe it will Cro.
Of course it will happen again. In our lifetimes.
I think that's right, even going out on a weekly shopping trip has become a special event!
There's good news on the vaccine front this morning, so things are looking better.
My dancing shoes are being buffed as I write.
I do believe the day will come when we're looking back at these days. We'll be talking about them as my grandparents talked about the great depression. One day these days will be history.
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