15 August is a public holiday, Ascension, in France, but in Canada it is la Fete Nationale de l'Acadie, celebrating the French Canadians known as Acadians, who found themselves in difficulties when the British took over the French territories in Canada in 1759.
This year several places locally decided to celebrate as well. Many Acadian families came from the area just to our south and west, and the history is well known here.
La Halle, the popular guinguette in Boussay, staged a 'Fete Acadienne' on the eve, featuring French Canadian 'artists' such as 'Carine' Dion, 'Jules' Vigneault and 'Foie' de Pirate. I actually don't know who the performers really were, but a lot of the audience clearly did. The crowd loved it. I must admit, I was expecting a more zydeco infused evening, but there wasn't an accordion in sight.
I joined friends (after aquagym) and it was a great night out. The poor staff at La Halle were overwhelmed by numbers though and we didn't get to eat until 10 pm. Even for France in the summertime, that's a bit late! The meal was a set menu of cooked ham, mashed potato and salad, followed by squidgy chocolate cake, costing €17.
Two nights earlier I had been there for a different local group, and got to witness a respected regional television journalist starting a conga line (Fr. une chenille). I was invited to join (she's one of my swimming buddies) but being uptight and anglo I declined.
August in France is all about going to the guinguette in the evening! A guinguette is a summer pop up open air bar that serves simple food, has live music and dancing and is almost always situated on a river or a lake. We have an equally popular one in the old public laundry, La Lavoir, in Preuilly, and recently we went with clients to the big one in Montbazon for that authentic French holiday experience.
2 comments:
New Brunswick is one of the few places that, at my age, I still would really likely to visit. I imagine a trip to Quebec City and then a drive up to and around the Gaspé peninsula, and then spending time in New Brunswick.
Several times over the last 50 years I have been to Louisiana (U.S.) where many of the Acadiens ended up facing what was called Le Grand Dérangement. That was what the British did when they chased the Acadiens, who are now called Cajuns, out of Canada. In Louisiana I would always speak French to people working in restaurants, or museums, or supermarkets. More often than not, they understood my French. Sometimes they answered in French. Often, they would say "I understand French, but I never really learned to speak it. My grandparents spoke it, but it was forbidden to speak it in school." It was really interesting.
Ken: Thanks for your interesting observations about Louisiana.
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