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Archive for the ‘France News’ Category
Things to see and do in France for 2011
There’s always something slightly out of the ordinary happening in France, some quirky local festival or carnival full of colourful floats and characters. So whether you’re looking for an excuse for a quick hop over the channel or seeking fun days out during your holiday, look no further than our month-by-month guide.
March
78th Fête du Citron, 18 February – 9 March, Menton
Situated in the far South East of France in the Alpes Maritimes region, the charming seaside city of Menton provides the ideal sub-tropical climate for growing orange and lemon trees. Which is no doubt the inspiration behind the fabulous Fête du Citron, when some 145 tons of lemons and oranges are brought in to town for a spectacular citrus-fest.
This year’s festival is running under the theme of ‘the Great Civilisations’. Highlights include the Parade of Golden Fruit (complete with citrus-laden floats and sumptuous costumes) along with the Moonlit Parade and fireworks. Then there’s the Citrus Exhibition – travel to all four corners of the globe in one city, as rendered by (yes, you guessed it) citrus fruits.
Accommodation for the event.
Festival Guitares du Monde, 18-26 March, Troyes
This showcase for guitarists from around the world takes place each March at the Espace Culturel Gérard Philipe in St-André-les-Vergers on the outskirts of Troyes, in the Champagne region.
This year sees the 15th edition of this popular strum-off. Six concerts culminate on 26th March with one of the best French blues guitarists, Fred Chapellier.
Just don’t request Stairway to Heaven!
Accommodation for the event
Festival du Boudin, 19-21 March, Mortagne-au-Perche
Lovers of le boudin noir, or black pudding, should head to Normandy for this spring food fest. Highlights include the fiercely fought international black pudding contest and cookery demonstrations based around the celebrated blood sausage. More than 100 exhibitors, butchers and chefs showcase their wares, with over five kilometres of sausage sold annually at the three day event.
Accommodation for the event.
Choco’Croc Expo, 19-20 March, Strasbourg
If your perfect pudding is all about the sugar rush, then the Choco’Croc fair in Strasbourg, Alsace, will be more appealing. One of the largest dedicated chocolate forums, the show attracts experts from the worlds of chocolate, candy, nougat, gingerbread and pastries…perfect for sweet-toothed travellers and the ideal antidote to Lent. Learn tricks of the trade, taste the goodies and indulge your inner coco fiend.
Accommodation for the event.
April
Spi Ouest-France, 21-25 April, La Trinité-sur-Mer
Salty sea-dogs flock to La Trinité-sur-Mer in Brittany each Easter for the largest gathering of yachts in Europe. Sailing enthusiasts have been enjoying this regatta in the beautiful Quiberon Bay since 1978. Thousands of sailors and hundreds of spectators come together for a spectacle at sea and a party atmosphere on shore.
Accommodation for the event.
Biarritz Easter Egg hunt, 24-25 April
Easter bunnies in search of a more traditional fest should head to Biarritz in Aquitaine for organised chocolate hunts in parks and open spaces across the city over Easter Sunday and Monday. There is also a cavalcade which takes to the streets on the Sunday with dancers, musicians and singers.
Accommodation for the event.
Plein Vent, 29 April – 1 May, Houlgate
Let’s go fly a kite…on the beach at Houlgate in Normandy! The annual festival sees kite-flying enthusiasts from all over take ‘to the skies’ above the wide, sandy expanse of this wind-swept coast.
In fact, anything powered by the wind and you is welcome here…kites, para-gliders, buggies…
Accommodation for the event.
May
Pierres en Lumieres, 14 May, Orne
Strike a light! The monuments and buildings of Orne in Normandy are lit up at sunset for the third year of ‘Stones in Lights’. Candle-lit tours and performing choirs celebrate the heritage of this ancient town.
Accommodation for the event.
Festival of Brittany (‘Gouel Breizh’), 14 – 23 May
The whole region of Brittany puts on a show during the Gouel Breizh – which marks the feast day of its patron Saint, St Yves – with concerts, markets, exhibitions and street theatre. A land of tradition and folklore, Brittany or the ‘biniou koz’ (Breton for ‘the old bagpipe’) demonstrates its cultural vitality and unrivalled talent for making something new from something old.
Accommodation for the event.
June
Les Fêtes du Bouffon, 10-12 June, Saint Quentin en Tourmont
The Jester Festival in Saint Quentin in Picardy revives an old tradition as Herbert the giant walks through the streets, keeping an eye on the local residents. The jester himself is responsible for organising a host of street parties.
Accommodation for the event.
July
Red Fruit Fair, 3 July, Noyon
Strawberries, cherries, raspberries… Not to be outdone by their citrus cousins, the red fruits have their own festivities, in Noyon in Picardy the first Sunday of the month each July. In fact, Noyon is the red fruit capital of France! Notre Dame Cathedral square comes alive with street entertainment and markets bursting with jams, syrups, coulis and compotes.
Accommodation for the event.
Fête de la crêpe, 30-31 July, Gourin
What could be more French then a pancake festival! The flat delicacy takes pride of place in Gourin in Brittany with dancing, Breton pipe bands, games and of course the pancake-makers competition.
Now I wonder if we couldn’t combine ingredients with the Red Fruit Fair for the perfect desert…
Accommodation for the event.
August
Fête des Menteurs, 7 August, Moncrabeau
Liars, boasters, blaggers and storytellers can celebrate the art of tall tales at this international Festival of Liars in Moncrabeau in Aquitaine. The biggest liar with the greatest gift of the gab is crowned king (not unlike the British political voting system…).
The Academy of Liars was established in this town in 1748 and its officials, who swear to parody the truth, are the judges of the competition.
Accommodation for the event.
Carrot Festival, 13 August, Creances
The second Saturday of August is dedicated to honouring the carrot in Creances in Normandy. A parade of floats piled high with the redoubtable root are topped off with music, markets and a contest for the finest – judged on taste, not size. Indeed, carrots from Creances have a ‘label rouge’ of excellence.
Accommodation for the event.
Twins Festival, 15 August, Pleucadeuc
You’ll be forgiven for thinking you’re seeing double at Europe’s largest twins’ festival, held in Pleucadeuc in Brittanyeach August 15th. The ‘Deux et plus’ or ‘two and more’ gathering sees around 1,000 sets of twins descend on this north western town. Apparently the town’s deputy mayor was the driving force in instigating the event. Himself the father of twin daughters, he was inspired by the high occurrence of twins in the region.
Accommodation for the event.
September
Coupe Icare, Mid September, Saint Hilaire du Touvet
The oldest free flight festival in the world, the Icarus Cup takes place in Saint Hilaire du Touvet in the Rhône-Alpes region. Participants demonstrate their prowess in ‘air skiing’ as they compete for the cup by hurling themselves off the cliff. There are also displays by top hang glider and paraglider pilots, kites, boomerangs, gyrocopters, birds of prey…anything goes for the pure joy of flight.
Accommodation for the event.
October
Deauville car rally, 1-3 October, Deauville
Regarded as the “queen of the Norman beaches” and one of the most glamorous and prestigious beach resorts in France, Deauville in Normandy has been a fashionable holiday resort for the international upper classes since the 19th Century. Started in 1967, the Paris to Deauville vintage car rally aims to recall the spirit of the “roaring twenties”, when lovers of elegance flocked to this charming watering hole.
Accommodation for the event.
Honfleur Shrimp Festival, 8-9 October, Honfleur
Oh we do like to be beside the seaside…
This shrimp festival pays homage to everything ‘of the sea’ from boats to fishermen, shanties to prawns and pirates! Music, tastings and plenty of fishy goings on are guaranteed in the harbour town of Honfleur in Normandy.
Accommodation for the event.
Vimoutiers Annual Apple Festival, 19-20 October, Vimoutiers
Every third weekend in October is given over to honouring apples, cider and calvados in the little market town of Vimoutiers in Normandy. Pommtastic!
Try and buy local apples and watch growers compete for titles such as ‘most beautiful apple’. There’s also a huge exhibit made entirely of apples. Don’t forget to try a tipple of the local brandy – calvados is drunk between courses, a tradition known as the ‘trou normand.’
An ‘apple a day’ translates into “eat an apple on going to bed, makes the doctor beg his bread” in local lore…
Accommodation for the event.
The Espelette Pepper Festival, 29-30 October, Espelette
The Espelette Pepper (Piment d’Espelette) is of the chilli variety and has its own festival in October each year in Aquitaine in the Basque region of France, where it is a culinary and cultural icon. The two-day event consists of music, dance, strong-man challenges, awards, and plenty of eating and drinking.
This not so hot chilli pepper (rating only a four on the ‘Scoville’ pepper strength scale) is more renowned for its smoky tang which complements everything from mustard to marmalade.
Accommodation for the event.
Six Nations Rugby: Get ready for Le Crunch
It may be the Six Nations Championship, but right now, only two countries seem to matter in Rubgy Union [sorry Wales, Ireland, Scotland and Italy]. On Saturday 30 men will meet spine-shaking tackle to spine-shaking tackle, with their nation’s expectations heavy on their shoulders…
V
The Six Nations showdown
In the blue corner we have the French, who have dominated the Six Nations for the past ten years with five wins, three of which have been Grand Slams [when one team beats all five other sides]. In the white corner are the English, with the most titles in the history of the tournament and winners of the Rugby World Cup in 2003.
Both teams have won their first two matches, England with a close but comfortable performance defeating Wales 26-19, and a thorough thumping of Italy 59-13. And France with a confident win against Scotland 34-21 and a wobbly defeat of Ireland 25-22.
Despite their strong starts, England and France are both coming into the tournament after set backs: England with a very disappointing 2010 full of defeats, and France after their November pasting by Australia when they were booed off the Paris pitch by their own fans.
The bookmakers favour England who currently sit at the top of the tournament table on scored points difference, but France have the upper hand if you consider their consistent form in the Six Nations over the past decade.
But this Saturday isn’t just about one game. Whoever wins Le Crunch is then the favourite to win the entire Championship. Not to mention the winning momentum this could create going through to the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand later this year.
Who’s playing in Le Crunch?
Our brief guide to the key personalities on either side of the pitch:
England:
Coach: Martin Johnson CBE
Regarded as one of the greatest ever locks to have played, Johnson captained England to victory in the 2003 World Cup and began coaching England in 2008.
Captain: Mike Tindall
Tindall was part of the winning England squad at the 2003 World Cup and is not afraid of tough tackles – he once suffered a punctured lung and tear to his liver while playing against Wales. Perhaps more daunting than Saturday’s game for Tindall is that he is to become part of the Royal Family when he marries Zara Phillips, granddaughter of HM Queen Elizabeth II, in July.
Fly-half: Jonny Wilkinson
Famous for his lucky left foot, Jonny Wilkinson’s conversion kicks were instrumental in England’s World Cup win in 2003. He holds the highest tally of international points and the Rugby World Cup points record of 249. A succession of injuries have disrupted his recent career but if his performances as a substitute against Wales and Italy are anything to go by, he’s on his way back to form.
Fly-half: Toby Flood
According to the English press, Flood is the French team’s primary concern for the upcoming head-to-head. And as England’s play-maker-in-chief and goal kicker who hasn’t missed yet, it’s not hard to see why.
Wing: Chris Ashton
Ashton has hogged the English headlines with six of the 10 tries scored in England’s first two games. He needs just one more to break the individual record for tries scored in a single Six Nations campaign. But he’s faced criticism for his swallow dives when scoring, which run the risk of counting the try null and void if he drops the ball.
France:
Coach: Marc Lièvremont
Lièvremont retired from playing professional rugby union in 2002 and after coaching French club Dax took over the national team in 2007.
Captain: Thierry Dusautoir
As well as having a degree in chemical engineering, Dusautoir captained France to a famous victory over New Zealand in 2009. He took over the full-time captaincy of France in November 2009 and is famous for his hard and fast tackles.
Full back: Maxime Médard
Despite not playing for the French team in their grand slam Six Nations win in 2010, Medard has scored two tries in two games for the 2011 tournament, and with sideburns as distinctive as his play, he’s one to watch.
Lock: Sébastien Chabal
One of the most popular French sporting personalities, Chabal’s nickname is ‘the horse’ because of the similarity of his name to the French word ‘cheval’, and also his distinctive ponytail, full beard and ferocious tackling.
A guide to Rugby Union in France
Rugby was introduced into France by the British in the 1870s and in 1892 the first ever French championship took place between two of the first established clubs: Racing Club de France and Stade Francais.
The elite French clubs compete in the professional domestic club league known as the Top 14. Rugby Union is traditionally more popular in the south, with 12 of the Top 14 clubs based in the southern half of France.
Here are some clubs to keep an eye out for:
ASM Clermont Auvergne
The current Top 14 Champions. Founded in 1911 they are also known by their former name of Montferrand. Located in Clermont-Ferrand, until last year the club had reached the French Championship final 11 times but had never won.
Accommodation in Saint Etienne
Readers Poll: What would be your top French export?
There are many things to thank France for: delicious cuisine, chic style, mouthwatering wine and fabulous films.
So what else would you bring back from France if it could fit in your car boot?
Information on French transport strikes September 2010
A national strike in France this week is likely to affect some of our customers travelling to France via air and rail.
Please read this article on The Telegraph’s website for more information. We’ll be posting any further updates on our blog if and when we recieve them.
PV-Holidays still loves the 2CV 1948-1990
It’s been 20 years since the last Citroen Deux Chevaux rolled off the production line at the Mangualde factory in Portugal on July 27, 1990.
Here on the Pierre & Vacances blog, we are marking the anniversary by celebrating the iconic 2CV, the classic affordable French car with a big heart.
Hello Dolly – The 2CV is born!
Launched by Citroën in Paris in 1948. The engineer in charge was André Lefèbvre.
A utility vehicle aimed at rural French peasant farmers, principals at the heart of its design were low cost, ease of use and maintenance, adjustable suspension and an oversized sun roof/ removable rear seats for carrying large loads on and off-road.
Watch this video to find out more about the history of the 2CV:
Citroën Deux Chevaux – A design classic
The 2CV is still admired for its Bauhaus inspired bodywork and is truly a design classic. It is displayed in London’s Science Museum along side the Austin Mini and Volkswagen Beetle, affordable cars introduced around WWII which remained relevant and in use for decades.
The original nine horse power model ‘Snail’ produced a top speed of just 40 mph. Top speeds of 71 mph were not achieved until 1981.
Its low cost and fuel economy attracted different audiences over the years. Sales peaked in 1974 reinvigorated by the oil crisis of the same year. Latterly the car became more of a youth, green-lifestyle choice for hippies and bohemians with its retro styling attracting a cult audience during the 1980s.
The model design remained largely unchanged for decades with special editions such as the Dolly and Charlston celebrating its quirky curves with vibrant contrasting paint jobs.
A cultural icon – 2CV
Visit the 2CV Museum in Alsace
'Highlights from the history of the 2CV' - a 1967 Dutch brochure (thanks to CitCity)
Fans love the 2CV so much they even write songs about them….
