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The Beef Festival (Carnaval du Boeuf Villé) at Montlucon (03 Allier, Auvergne) takes place 21-25 March 2007 - another example of the way in which the French celebrate and revere their food and agriculture. It is interesting to note that all the candidates for the forthcoming French Presidential elections have been consipicuously shmoozing the farmers at the Annual Agricultural Show (SIAL = Salon International de l’Agroalimentaire) in Paris - even Jacques Chirac posing with a goat!!
When did we see Hereford Town Centre closed for a weekend for celebrations of the Hereford cow; or Cheshire mounting a festival for the Cheshire Cheese, or Pontefract saluting its cakes?
This is yet another corner of France that can easily be missed - in the Auvergne, on the Canal du Berry (the narrowest canal in France, where most of the canal boats are not “narrowboats” as we know them), and just off the A71 autoroute north of Clermont-Ferrand.This is literally the heart of France geographically (see map)
Unfortunately you missed another gastronomic highlight - the competition for the best Paté au Pommes de Terre - a sort of potato cake with creme fraiche and herbs and sometime salt pork - a local speciality in the “Berry” region of central France. There is an annual competition - this years was on 3 March 2007.
For more on the Auvergne see the Auvergne Tourism site; for more on the Allier département and a recipe for te Paté de Pommes de Terre see www.allier-tourisme.com