La Foire Internationale de Caen

Managed to get there on Friday afternoon. Expo this year was  “The India of the Maharajas”

a history of Rajasthan, that told us of the importance of the elephant in Indian society

of the importance of the tiger in the life of the maharajas 

and of the religion of hinduism in the life and culture of India

And at the end of the expo a chance to buy spices from India

and to visit the bazaar

Of course, the fair is more than just the expo. 1000 exhibits, 50 countries, 30 restaurants; and much, much more.

Well worth a visit, even if just to the websites -

www.caen-expo-congress.com

www.indedesmaharajas.com

Had to visit Friday, because last weekend was the “journees de patrimoine” and this weekend is of course, the first day of the Chasse. Our friends are involved in the Chasse, and today were doing the meal for the chasseurs! We ourselves were awakened at 0900hrs by the noise of the guns around us. Next week is the Foire de Brix (St. Denis). We will not be here, as we are setting off on conges (annual holiday). Summer’s over, but still lots of things happening locally.

Bob & Marjory

“Le Mois des Parcs”

In September we are invited to discover the “regional natural parks”  of the Basse-Normandie Region. The nearest one to here is the Park of the Marais – based around Carentan and stretching out to St. Saveur-le-Vicomte, north to St. Mere Eglise, and south to Perrier and Lessay. The salt marshes of this low-lying area of land are home to many species of birds and animals.

From the centre at Les Ponts d’Ouve

you can explore the Marais in many different ways, including by boat

either by yourself, or as part of a guided tour.

More information is available on the site

www.parc-cotentin-bessin-fr

as also about the ongoing exhibition of building, using natural materials in the region

Well worth a visit, if not in this month of parks, than at any other time, to discover more of this region’s fascinating ecology and history.

Bob and Marjory

Celebrating the start of summer

Last weekend saw the start of some traditional summer festivities with the local commune of St Germain-le-Gaillard celebrating its Foire Saint-Urbain. Traditionally a livestock fair, it began with a concours de mouton; and then through the day an animation inter-commune; including courses en sac, tir a la corde, lancer de charentaise, course a l’oeuf – recognise these from English village fairs?

  

 

 

There was , of course, the modern aspects to the fair, with a soiree couscous, a vide-grenier (literally an empty attic) or car boot sale, and a moto-cross.  All-in-all a good time was had by all; and the weather, though not as sunny as the previous few weeks was good. Not like now as we have traditional English Bank Holiday weather!!

But then there was the more modern start to summer. Last year it was the fishermen protesting at the price of fuel and blockading the ports. This year the farmers blockaded the supermarket carparks. In an on-going protest at the supermarkets’ lowering the price paid to the farmers for milk, old tires, fumeur (mucking-out from the cowsheds) and agricultural vehicles are used to block entry to supermarket carparks. To do our weekly shop last Friday we had to park in a nearby street, and walk to the supermarket. Super-U was quieter than we have ever seen it! The protest continues, and there are rumours of a shortage of milk and dairy produce. We wait for further news.

Meanwhile however, the summer season slowly begins – watch this space for upcoming events and new, or refurbished summer attractions.

Hoping the weather continues to improve after this Bank Holiday setback. (We have our fourth bank holiday within a month next Monday – Lundi de Pentecote (Whit Monday, the [religious] forerunner of Spring Bank Holiday).

Bob and Marjory

St. George

How did you celebrate St. George?

The highlight of Les Pieux’s celebration last weekend appears to have been a Lotto (Bingo) session!! a far cry from last year’s national box-cart competition. Though there does appear to be a big event happening this weekend at the Centre d’Hippique – temporary stabling set up in the municipal fields below below the Equestrian Centre, and horse boxes of all shapes and sizes arriving over the past few days. Have a look at the Centre website for what’s happening later in the season – http://pagesperso-orange.fr/equitation.lespieux/topic/index.html

Meanwhile the commune of St-Georges-de-la-Riviere (just south of Barneville-Carteret) celebrates its patronal festival this coming Sunday with a sung mass in the Church, followed by a “Vin D’Honneur”; and then in the afternoon various cycling events for all the family.

For me ? the best I can do for the moment is a glass of English beer !!

Bob

And the cuckoo, too …

has been heard in Pierreville, and in Surtainville. Along with the swallows, which now seem to be arriving in profusion, another sign of the arrival of summer.

Francis, our next door neighbour, told me of some old country lore about the cuckoo when I told him I’d heard them at Surtainville, and he’d said that they were in the fields close to home too. He asked how much loose change I had in my pocket at the time I’d heard them. To hear the call of the cuckoo is auspicious in annnouncing the summer, but if you have money in your pocket at the time, then that’s better; and the more money you have, the better the year will be. Let’s hope he’s right !!

Bob

“One Swallow doesn’t make a summer”

          It was just before breakfast this morning             

- a familiar shape passed over the house,  the first swallow of the summer.

But as ”one swallow doesn’t make a summer”, we had to wait till a little later to be sure that summer is here; but there it was as we set off – a pair of swallows passed over the road. And then a little later, one perched on the wire at Surtainville. So there we have it – Summer is here.

Interesting that the French phrase appears to be “a swallow makes the spring”. Does this have the same sense as the English?  Not sure about that. But French guests arriving at the gite today noticed the link between our surname and our company name, and when we mentioned that we’d seen un hirondelle a  Surtainville aujourd’hui, responded ‘that’s good, but aren’t you here all the time?!’

So summer, or is it spring, is finally here. And with it all those early-summer chores in the garden – cutting the grass, trimming the hedges, weeding the borders, and on and on. But time also to look forward to those lazy days of summer holidays.

Enjoy the weather, and the onset of summer.

Bob and Marjory