The Theatre takes to the streets: Another amazing French Summer Festival!

Aurillac, a small rural village, has since 1986 been putting on an annual show that has become one of the major street theatre festivals -- not only in France, but in Europe, and in fact, internationally. And this year the festival takes place from 22 to 25 August 2007.

Michel Crespin, and then Jean-Marie Songy and their teams, have created something that is sustainable and enduring -- due to the wonderful concept of the marriage between quality artists from a large diverse source of independent companies, and the entire public sector as audience. All forms of theatre are included. Every taste is catered for. It is real. It is visible to everyone who lives and works and visits in Aurillac. It can be a domestic scene being played out in the kitchen of a home, watched through the open back door, or it can be a love drama glimpsed through the garage door at the back of a house. It can be an operetta sung in the playground of a school, or an immobile figure asleep over the edge of a skip at the rubbish tip. One can never be sure that what you are witnessing is real life or a scene from a theatre production. And that is what makes it such a fascinating experience!

During the 4 days of the festival. Aurillac opens its streets, squares, parks, homes and hearts to around 100,000 spectators from all over the world -- more than tripling its normal population.


In 2004 the "Parapluie" -- an International Center for Creative Art, Research and Development of Street Theatre -- studios, work places, rehearsal rooms, -- everything that is necessary for developing theatre, as well as accommodation for visiting artists, was donated to the village.



How do you get to Aurillac?

By Road:
From the Autoroute A75, take the StFlour or Massiac turnoff and follow the National 122 and 120.


By train:
SNCF - Special tariffs for the festival: Site: Http://www.voyages-sncf.fr or telephone: 36 35

By Plane:
Air LINAIR flies from Paris to Aurillac in 1 hour 20 minute flight.
Special fares on 22, 24 and 26 August : €59 one way with a booking fee of €5. Telephone Air LINEAR: +33 (0)1 45 12 17 28; Site: http://www.airliner.com

By coach:
NEW EAST arranges return trips from and to all the major French cities to Auriallac. Information: httop://www.neweastfestival.com

Where to stay?
The Office de Tourisme will give you information of available B&B's, gites to rent, hotels and camping sites: http://www.iaurillac.com or telephone: +33(0)4 71 48 46 58


Do not miss this one!

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Hurricane Dean hits home

Chetumal exactly in the center of Hurricane Dean's eye

Yesterday, when Hurricane Dean made its landfall in Mexico at 09h29, it did so exactly on the spot where my son had gone from his little patch of sand, three hours south of Mahahual, to look for shelter -- in Chetumal.

Six months ago he was on a surf board on the ocean a mile off the coast of Fiji when a tsunami happened.

We always said about him : He is an accident looking for a place to happen! -- that should have been 'a natural disaster' looking for a country to happen!

Our thoughts go with all the thousands who have been and will be affected by the hurricane. There are quite a large number of this blog's readers who come from the affected areas -- we are thinking of you all!

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Food writing that leaves a bitter after taste...

In an article he titles "When food tribes go abroad", Jay Rayner of the Observer Food Monthly, gives a somewhat bitter and twisted view of any- and everyone who ventures across the channel to come and enjoy the different lifestyle of life in La Belle France.

He starts off well --- "Holiday eating is like holiday sex: nowhere near as exotic as you think it's going to be but just as risky. You can pick up a dose of something very nasty doing both. My parents, siblings and I still talk fondly of the violent food poisoning we acquired in some dodgy cantina on Ibiza. We were all taken out by it, one by one, within hours. Oh, how we laughed."

He continues to make an astute remark: "These things happen, of course - but they carry such significance on holiday because our expectations are so damn high. We insist that everything be wondrously lovely and this makes us behave very oddly indeed where food is concerned. The meal at the end of a day is an expression of who we are, of how we like to imagine our true selves to be."

But then his not-so-sub-conscious envy of all who have the good fortune to come to this part of the world to sample the gastronomic delights -- and disasters -- of a foreign and different culture, bubbles to the top and forms an unsightly and distasteful scum which completely covers any other possible tasty bits that may still have been underneath -- and as much as I tried to skim it off, hoping to reveal something that would reveal a tongue-in-cheek soupcon of dry humour, even if somewhat twisted, there was none. Just a bitter brew -- with a strong flavour of sour grapes.

"After some rigorous research, I have been able to sort the modern British gastro-traveller into five distinct, and equally irritating, categories. And they start with ...

1. The Dordogne Bore

Dordogne Bores have been holidaying in crumbling gites around Bergerac for the last two decades. They insist on calling it Périgord, and throw around words like 'paysanne' and 'terroir' to bolster their foodie credentials. They also claim to have a handful of their own 'secret' little places where they go to eat; restaurants so far off the beaten track that their location is known only by 23,000 other people from Dorking, Guildford and Cheltenham.

What the DB will never recognise is that every single restaurant in the region serves exactly the same bloody food: duck confit, foie gras, more duck confit, herb omelettes, duck confit and more duck bloody confit. What's more, 85 per cent of the restaurants will serve mediocre versions of these dishes, though the DB will either not notice or not acknowledge this. Usually this is because they are plastered on cheap wine, arguing that you don't have to spend big money 'down here' to get good wine. This, too, is nonsense. No matter; they will praise the 'civilised' French attitude to drinking, while failing to recognise that France has one of the highest rates of alcohol-induced liver disease in Europe.
Most likely to be found in: the Dordogne, natch; the Lot and Garonne; Tuscany.

2. The Authenticity Addicts

The AA is convinced that only by eating exactly what the locals eat can they really connect with the culture they are visiting. This means they end up consuming some of the nastiest food items ever devised, though they will always claim to really, really like them: stews made from goat intestines; braised cow's udder; pressed pig's ear in vinegar. What the AA fails to recognise is that renowned local dishes like these are almost always the product of poverty, and therefore generally more a matter of necessity than tastiness.
Most likely to be found in: India; China; Thailand; and the more wretched, typhus-sodden corners of the former Soviet Union.

3. The Anything-with-a-View Crew

Everybody knows that the worst restaurants in any fishing town are the ones right on the water, where the smell of food is undercut by the foul stench of the stagnant sea-bilge lip-lapping at the harbourside. The owners of these prime pitches know that the punters will come solely for the location, so they don't have to worry about the quality of the food, plus they can also charge the suckers roughly double what those places a street back are charging.

The AWAVC will happily leave the beach at five in the afternoon to drive two hours into the mountains to this 'fabulous little bistro with the most fantastic view of the sunset', forgetting that, after the first half hour, the sun will have indeed set and that they will then be eating their mediocre dinner in total darkness.
Most likely to be found in: the Greek islands; Provence; Sardinia.

4. The Gastro Tourist

The GT regards a holiday as an eating opportunity, and time spent on the beach between lunch and dinner as an irritating distraction. The GT needs only one holiday read - the Michelin Guide, and will tick off restaurants as they go. But few of the meals they pay astronomical sums for will meet with their approval, as the GT has shockingly high standards and cannot be conned by gastronomic smoke and mirrors.
Most likely to be found in: Burgundy; around Lyon; northern Spain near San Sebastian; Catalonia.

5. The Market Kings

Market Kings stay in villas or gites and never eat out because, as they insist, loudly and often, 'really, why would you when the produce in the markets here is so fabulous, I mean look at the tomatoes nothing like the flavourless rubbish you get back home and the peppers are so sweet you could eat them for dessert. Here try some of the bread - it's made by a local man who's 103, blind, incontinent and crippled by arthritis but he's still got the touch ...'
The MK gets up every morning at six to go to the local village to buy their produce (even though exactly the same stuff is available at half the price at Carrefour nearby).
Most likely to be found in: Tuscany; Dordogne; Provence."

The Observer Food Monthly would do well to send Mr Rayner on one of our excellent Relocation Orientation courses at the Chateau Lalinde before allowing him to write another article about something he knows so little about or on which he holds such prejudiced -- or should I say, 'jaundiced' views; and Jay Rayner would do well to forget about the frissons of 'risky sex' in Ibiza and rather come enjoy a heavenly few days in -- yes! the Périgord, also known as the Dordogne, and soon officially to be known as Dordogne Périgord -- where we will initiate him into the true pleasures of life -- which I can guarantee will exclude anything boring, but include a fair few pleasurable hours of fine dining with interesting people and stimulating conversation.

POST SCRIPT: See Jay Rayner's response in comments below.

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Lalinde goes back in time: Medieval Festival in the village!

 

16 August 1977-2007: Thirty years later - and - Long live the king!

For all my readers out there who remember this day...


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Cooking up a storm............in a tea cup?

A little like the Aesop fable of the stork and the jackal inviting each other to dinner................

It is not a summit, not even a working lunch. Just a social meal between two world leaders who happen to be vacationing near each other in New England?

By welcoming Sarkozy to his parents' seaside home, Bush might have been hoping to lay a foundation for what he hopes are drastically improved relations with France over the reaminder of his term.

The fact that Cecilia and her children cried off sick, probably showed what she thought of the whole thing -- and good for her for standing her ground too!

And yes --- "It would be impossible to think of Jacques Chirac stopping by Kennebunkport for lunch. This speaks volumes for the desires on both sides to try to turn the page." -- as an analyst remarked.

But then -- to serve hot dogs and hamburgers to your guest? Especially a guest who happens to be a French head of state? A French head of state who also happens to be a fitness and health fanatic??



Apparently Sarkozy promised Bush that the United States "can count on our friendship," --- and reminded Bush that friendship means respecting differing views.

Perhaps that was why the side dish was baked beans and not "Liberty Fries" (the new name for French fries - since the French would not go fight in Iraq....)

But I still wonder if Bush will be given frogs' legs and garlic snails when he comes to visit the French president?.......



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The Orpheus and Bacchus Music and Wine Festival, St Emilion and Bordeaux

Travel Video and TV News report:

Music and Markets Offers Sumptuous Bordeaux Fall Getaway

Fall into the ultimate French getaway – luxuriating in Bordeaux’s renowned wine country and imbibing inimitable wine, food, music and guests on this, their most splendid tour, a sumptuous autumn escape to Bordeaux. This week-long getaway includes a rejuvenating grape-treatment spa, delectable haute cuisine, world-class wines (of course!), and best of all, mingling with internationally recognized musicians throughout the day before hearing them perform in an intimate soirée setting.

Throughout the week, guests will indulge in a lavish menu of cultural and gastronomic pleasures. The first night is spent delightfully decompressing amid the vineyards of the Château Smith Haut Lafitte at the Sources de Caudalie Hotel and spa.

The next day, guests can relax and refresh during a morning of pampering at the renowned Caudalie Vinotherapie Spa, before departing for St. Emilion, a medieval village set above the Dordogne River valley and surrounded by chateaux and vineyards. Postcard perfection awaits as guests can stroll the cobblestone streets, enjoy an aromatic pause at a patisserie, tuck into a boutique or two, and select a bottle of wine at a town vintner. Then in the evening, epicurean delights await during dinner at a former Cardinal’s palace, now a gracious hotel and restaurant inside the ramparts of the historic village, a Unesco World Heritage site.

For the next four days, as part of the Orpheus and Bacchus Music and Wine Festival, guests will continue to discover the lush beauty and culinary riches of the region, following the route du vin through the oft-toasted vineyards of Bordeaux at harvest time, and can either test their culinary prowess during a hands-on cooking class with Chef Georges, sniff, swish and swirl at a wine-tasting class with a Master of Wine, or just absorb the distinct pleasures of the treasure-filled villages of the region. Other activities include an insider’s visit to a winery that will allow guests to learn about the intricacies of quality wine making, and purchase, if they’d like, wines direct from the viticulteur.

It is the evening entertainment; however, that sets this Bordeaux getaway apart from all others. In the midst of stellar vineyards is the home of the Orpheus and Bacchus Music and Wine Festival, owned and organized by Ian Christians. Here guests will enjoy his bubbly house party with world-class musicians and fellow music lovers, sharing many a bon soir mingling with other guests, savoring hors d’oeuvres and aperitifs before stepping into the salon, La Musique, where artists introduce the works they’ve prepared for the evening. The grand venue, originally designed in the 1700s as a celebration hall for the vendage, boasts wonderful oak beams, stone-arched windows, and a splendid Steinway, owned previously by renowned pianist Alfred Brendel.

The artistry continues, as Chef Georges Gotrand presents his culinary masterpieces at a candlelit dinner table. Georges introduces each evening’s palate-pleasing menu, and the resident Master of Wine provides expert commentary about the wines and the rationale for the pairings. After the main course, guests return to the salon for a shorter, less formal concert before completing the evening with an abundant array of cheeses, as well as dessert and coffee.

This captivating combination of fine food and wine, marvelous music, and plenty of pampering – all in a lush French countryside setting – begins October 5 and is priced at $4450 per person. Each Music and Markets tour is limited to no more than 10 people, allowing each participant to receive personal service and attention that’s often unavailable on other tour packages.

For more information about the Music and Markets in Bordeaux tour, or any other
Music and Markets offering, contact us here.

Related articles:
Bordeaux
Canadian Resort near St Emilion
Bordeaux
Tourism and Porperty in France
Wine tasting weekends in Bordaux


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Another Feast of Divine Music

Last night, once again in the Abbey church of Paunat, the Dordogne was most privileged to have perform for us the amazing and delightful ensemble of Les Violoncelles Francais -- a group of the best cellists in France, performing together under the masterful direction of Roland Pidoux.. offering an array of surprises and old favourites, playing a charming game of musical chairs between each piece so as to be in the right place for each different arrangement -- another perfect ummer's evening in the countryside of France!



Related Articles:

Musique de Sol festival, Paunat
Paunat
Nanates Music Festival
French Day of Music
Celtic Music Festival in Brittany




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A Point to Ponder

OBITUARY - COMMON SENSE

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure hold old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.

He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm, life isn't always fair, and maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn) and reliable parenting strategies (adults, not children are in charge).

His health began to deteriorate when well intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a six year old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate, teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch, and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, on worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job they themselves failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer Aspirin, sun lotion or a sticky plaster to a student, but could not inform the parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband, churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.

Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar can sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realise that a steaming cup of coffee was hot, she spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion, his daughter, Responsibility, and his son, Reason.. He is survived by three stepbrothers;

I KNOW MY RIGHTS
SOMEONE ELSE IS TO BLAME
and
I'M A VICTIM.

Not many attended his funeral because so few realised he was gone. If you still remember him pass this on in remembrance. If not, join the majority and do nothing.

PS: Here in France Monsieur Savoir Faire is reported to be showing symptoms of energy loss and muscular deterioration. There are rumours that a bed has been prepared for him in the Intensive Care Unit, but this is only a precautionary measure at this stage. Many of his supporters still dare to speak up for him, although even they seem to be starting to lose heart in the battle against Madame Laissez Faire and Mademoiselle Pas a la Mode.

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Deja Vue?

I drove along the Lalinde Canal yesterday and saw myself! Well -- myself in about ten years' time -- but there I am, sitting on the edge of the Lalinde Canal, fishing for carp and anything else that will bite, enjoying the summer champagne air and the warmth of the sunshine through the leaves of the plane trees.........

And not far away is my friend Didier, telling me to stop bothering him with my chatter -- and my camera...........


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A few important sign posts in my life recently

 

Summer in the Dordogne

In summer the Dordogne comes alive with music and cultural activities - so much so that it is impossible to attend even a fraction of what is available.

Last Saturday the street theatre came to Lalinde with a quality performance in the village square that would have drawn crowds in Broadway. A simple story told through music and song, characters on ten-foot high stilts and on mono-cycles, fairy lights and fire eaters, jugglers and contortionists. A veritable feast for the eye and the soul!

More food for the soul on Sunday night when three young local men performed to far too few in the Lalinde church -- a magnificent accoustical venue in which to present the combination of organ and two trumpets. Bach at his spine chilling best and Purcell to die for!

Last night I attended the second of three music recitals in the achingly beautiful Abbey church in Paunat.This church in Paunat is one of a handful of churches in the area that was consecrated in the first millennium - namely in 991 -- but its construction dates back even further --- to 804. Again, the natural stone and uneven surfaces of the very high walls, provided a perfect accoustical chamber for any music, and the gleaming black Bechstein looked quite at home in the soft golden glow of the cherch last night. Roger Muraro was the pianist who regaled us with his lively and animated interpretation of Mozart, Liszt and Chopin. Muraro is best know for his mastery of Messianen's work, and as this composer was so strongly influenced by the delicacy and refined harmonic work of Chopin, it is probably not surprising that Muraro was able to present a fresh and different approach to Chopin's Funereal Sonata opus 25 and the ever-delightful Andante spianato et Grande Polonaire. The last time I had heard this piece was in the open air of Chopin Park in Warsaw and at the time I thought one should never play this piece in any other setting. Hearing it again last night in the ancient abbey church of Paunat, made me change my mind on that one!
Reading up on Muraro was interesting -- almost everything written about him all over the world is positive and complimentary -- especially where it concerns his knowledge and expertise in Messianen's work, but for his interpretation of Chopin, Liszt and his vaast repertoire of other work as well -- that is -- everything and everywhere -- except in the British press.
We also suffered from Roger Muraro, a pianist known in Britain only for having his past Ravel recordings purloined for use under Joyce Hatto’s name in that sad hoax. One might brush off Muraro’s metallic lamé jacket as a
French eccentricity. Far harder to excuse the thumping dullness of his Ravel Concerto for the Left Hand., writes Geoff Brown on Muraro's preformance at the Proms at the Albert Hall last week. Listening to the Brits in the audience last night -- all distinctly dressed in their English-in-the-french-countryside uniform of pale pastel linens for the women and the obiquitous jumper-over-the-shoulders for the men -- I could not help but wonder whether they had all done their homework before the recital and read the same Geoff Brown crit in The Times of last week. Almost the exact words were heard - sounding oh so knowledgeable and erudite, but with nowhere a reference, acknowledgement or a quotation mark in evidence. I shuddered and for a moment thought I had landed back in the counties amongst the Landrover, cashmere and Harrow/Charter House coterie. But how could that have been? Never in Surrey or any of the shires did we enjoy this kind of cultural feast and this quality and variety of entertainment and enjoyment as the French are so good at offering! I was so tempted to mutter out loud the lovely Robert Auden observation about the Brits ---
Let us honour if we can
The vertical man,
Though we value none
But the horizontal one.

Tonight I join a group of friends for a completely different experience - A Blues and Gospel evening in the main market square of the beautiful medieval bastide town of Monpazier -- and Monday night it is back to Paunat for a magical evening of six of the best cellists in France, performing together under the masterful direction of Roland Pidoux. Could anything be more beautiful than an ensemble of 6 cellos? -- Let's hear what the Brits have to criticise there!....

Oh -- and forget not to come join us this weekend in Lalinde for the Annual Wine Fair as well as the musical street party on Saturday night! -- and remember to bring your own cutlery and crockery!

See you there!









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Back home!

It feels as if I have been away forever -- flying around the world and experiencing the most amazing things along the way.

-- but it is good to back next to the Dordogne, the sound of the river waking me in morning, the farmers setting up their stalls for the morning market, the ducks squabbling below my window, the swans gliding serenely by (still no sign of little ones!), many of the fields that were lush and green when I left, now harvested and bare..............

But the tourists have arrived! In their thousands. Cars clogging up the bridge, people milling about, queues outside anything that looks like it could be worthwhile writing home about......... I had forgotten what August was like in the Southwest of France!

And this afternoon the first of my guests arrive -- and once again Chateau Lalinde will be humming with excited voices and laughter and people enjoying the pure pleasure of discovering the wonder of opening their bedroom windows onto the magnificent view of the Dordogne river!




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