Latest updates on France, French Wine, Food, Travel, Holidays and Events
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| August 10, 2008 |
It sometimes seems that the French will use any excuse to hold a festival - and why not? Often it celebrates some local traditions or local speciality products, and the French can be very proud (often rightly so) of their produce, history and heritage.
Hence the village of Trie-sur-Baise (65 Hautes-Pyrenees, Midi-Pyrenees) celebrates the Pig (Fete du Cochon - la Pourcailhade) on 10 August 2008. The celebrations include piglet racing, a competition to make the longest boudin (sausage) and bizarrely a competition for the best imitator of a pig squealing! As one of the most important pig producing areas in France, there will also be plenty of pork and charcuterie to sample and buy with music and dancing into the night.
For more info see www.pourcailhade.com
| September 12, 2008 | ||
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| September 15, 2008 |
Pope Benedict will be doing his own version of the Tour de France with all its encumbent entourage, large crowds, blocked roads and hotels full in September 2008. Although the timetable is provisional at the moment, he is due to be in Paris 12-13 September 2008 to meet President Sarkozy, celebrate mass at Notre-Dame Cathedral and hold an open air mass on the Esplanade des Invalides.
Lourdes (65 Hautes-Pyrenees, Midi-Pyrenees) is scheduled for 13-15 September 2008, celebrating the 150th Anniverasy of the Apparition of the Virgin, on which this otherwise unremarkable market town in the foothills of the Pyrenees has built its fame and prosperity. I assume His Holiness will fly from Paris to Lourdes - its a bit far by Popemobile!
Apparently Lourdes has the second highest number of hotels in France after Paris!
For more info the the Lourdes 2008 Jubilee celebrations see www.lourdes2008.com
| July 16, 2008 |
The Tour de France 2008 (21 stages, 3500 km) Stage 11 is on Wednesday 16 July 2008 (after a rest day) and starts from Lannemezan (65 Hautes-Pyrenees, Midi-Pyrenees) and runs through the mountains for 167.5km to finish in Foix (09 Ariege, Midi-Pyrenees)
For more on the Tour de France 2008 see www.letour.fr/
For details of coverage on ITV see www.itv.com
| July 14, 2008 |
The Tour de France 2008 (21 stages, 3500 km) Stage 10 is on Monday 14 July 2008 (Bastille Day) and starts from Pau (64 Pyrenees-Atlantiques, Aquitaine) via Jurancon to Hautacam (65 Hautes-Pyrenees, Midi-Pyrenees) through the mountains, a route of 156km - being Bastille Day there is always tremendous pressure and expectation that a French cyclist will win today!
For more on the Tour de France 2008 see www.letour.fr/
For details of coverage on ITV see www.itv.com
| July 13, 2008 |
The Tour de France 2008 (21 stages, 3500 km) Stage 9 is on 13 July 2008 and starts from Toulouse (31 Haut-Garonne, Midi-Pyrenees) and runs 224km up in to the Pyrenees to Bagnères-de-Bigorre (65 Hautes-Pyrenees, Midi=Pyrenees)
For more on the Tour de France 2008 see www.letour.fr/
For details of coverage on ITV see www.itv.com
