As I mentioned last week, Saturday saw the annual Paella Night in Foussais-Payre, organised by the school. Its another one of those occasions that really brings the school community together to help prepare for and produce a great nights entertainment.
We gladly volunteered to help get the room set up for the night. The teachers all work really hard at these events and it’s only fair that we help out where we can. Plus it would be a great opportunity to have more of a chat with some of the other parents there. We must keep practicing our french! So the whole family went along in the afternoon armed with scissors and selotape to transform the empty hall into a seaside extravaganza!
The afternoon was a frenzy of cutting, stapling and sticking with everyone pitching in to create a blue and white seaside ambience. The tables had candles in sea-shells and Lisa helped to make some little paper boats to sit alongside them. There were balloons to blow up and a fishing net to mount on the wall. There was even a full-sized sail from a windsurfer that took its place at the front of the hall. I had the slightly dangerous job of climbing onto the wobbly steps to secure said sail and to tie up the balloons. Luckily I escaped unscathed and without any broken bones – quite a result for me! 
It was a really good afternoon, topped off after a while by everyone retiring to the kitchen where those in charge of preparing the nights feast were cracking open the wine. Never ones to shy away from a chance to socialise over un peu du vin, we joined in and met some really great folks. Of course we were far too polite to refuse a second glass, and the sangria just had to be tried. And how could we risk incurring the wrath of the locals by not sampling the red wine too?
All in all a very pleasant afternoon. Luckily we had walked down to the hall so the walk stagger home again helped to sober us up
Well aware that we probably wouldn’t be eating any time before 11pm, and mindful of the fact that the wine would once again be flowing, we had something to eat while we watched Strictly Come Dancing. If only we knew how the disco was going to be later we could have taken notes….
The do started at 8.30, so of course we got there for 8.30 and of course we were virtually the first people there. One day we will learn…
There were 8 tables, each with people assigned to them. We were on the table closest the dance floor (they must have known…) with Nathalie & Thierry. Molly and Rosie were with us at the table, but Joe was able to have his meal early with the rest of the children on a special table at the front. This was very handy as it meant that he could eat with his friends before they all went off to another room for fun and games while the adults enjoyed the rest of the night in peace
With the kids safely off being entertained, we helped tidy away their tables and chairs and then it was time for the evening to kick off properly. The bar was open – more sangria anyone? – and the crowds gathered. We did feel a little out of it at first as we had arrived so early and established outselves at the table it felt odd to move and plant ourselves in the middle of the crowd at the bar just so we could try to join a conversation. We have come a long way in terms of being able to chat socially with people, but when in a crowd it is still really hard for us to keep up. So we hung back this time, slightly disappoiinted in ourselves, but promising that we would be more confident by the next event.
Our predictions proved correct as it was around 11pm by the time the food started appearing. We started with a lovely spicy onion soup, with croutons and cheese sprinkled on top. Delicious! This was followed by the main event – the paella. None of us had tried paella before, but we all like rice, chicken (apart from Lisa, being a veggie) and mussels. So it really wasn’t a surprise to find that we really liked it. The big prawns were a first, having only previously encountered them devoid of head, legs, tail etc. Nathalie gave me a quick lesson on how to eat them – essentially just pulling them to pieces to reveal the tasty meat in the middle. This turned out to be a rather messy task, falling under my “too much hard work for too little reward” heading of foods. But enjoyable all the same.
The whole thing was washed down with a very pleasant bottle of rosé, which once again confirmed our belief that drinking from really small glasses doesn’t make you drunk.
We could have had as much paella as we could eat I think – there was plenty left on our dish and extras were being offered around all the tables, without too many takers it seemed. Paella is very filling! After all this came a lovely traditional apple tart with a slab of cheese (om nom nom nom…). All topped off with a coffee.
Suberb value once again for €9 each adult and we can’t fault the organisation. Everyone chipped in to help in some way – serving. clearing plates, washing up…. A great community event and we really enjoyed the chance to sit and chat with people.
Once the tables were cleared the disco began in earnest.
We hadn’t experienced a french disco before and therefore were unsure what to expect in the way of music. As it turns out it was, shall we say, an ecclectic mix! It ranged from The quickstep to “Achy Breaky Heart”…from traditional accordian music to “Tainted Love”, with Billy Ray Cyrus and Soft Cell being just about the only 2 recognisable sounds out of 2 hours of music 80s-style euro-pop.
It seemed to hit all the right spots with the locals though as most seemed to have a well coreographed dance for pretty much every tune that came up. We had never seen anyone jiving, waltzing or line-dancing to so many different styles of music before. It was very entertaining!
We basically danced for the rest of the night. Well, by “we” I obviously mean Lisa, Joe and I. The girls, being the ages that they are, could not bring themsleves to get up and dance at all. Granted the music wasn’t really very inspiring for them, but they did look funny sitting there sith their arms folded and their best bored faces on all night Meanwhile we danced the night away with Nathalie, until we got to the point where the kids were just about asleep at around 1.30am. We wearlily dragged ourselves off the dancefloor and back home to bed for a big sleep and a long lay-in!
What a great day we had had. the afternoon had been an ideal way to meet some new people and for them to learn a bit more about these crazy english folks who keep turning up. And the evening was a huge success. We are now looking forward to the next event – we’d better get our line-dancing lessons booked!
On Saturday night we paid a visit to a most amazing evening of entertainment that was only 10 minutes from our door. Each year, the village of Nieul-sur-l’Autise is sealed off and puts on a evening of music, dance and many other entertainments from various eras of the village’s history. All this is set throughout one of the most beautiful villages in the Vendee, with the backdrop the stunning 11th-century abbey. The evening is entitled “Nieul, Village de Lumière” and is a very well organised night out.
We arrived into the parking area, very well signposted and marshalled by some chaps in hi-viz jackets. Carcassonne could learn something from this for Bastille Day! Then, after paying a very reasonable €5 each for entry, we strolled into the village itself. What a beautiful place it was. Apparently the abbey was granted the title of Royal Abbey in the 12th century by Eleanor of Aquitaine, so the place is steeped in history. I have to say the abbey was truly stunning. It was a lovely clear summer’s evening and this gave the building a fantastic background. From every angle it was a picture-postcard scene. I could have taken hundreds of photos of it…
We walked through the abbey and the cloisters – some really amazing architecture and the gardens were beautiful. We’re not religious in any way, but there was certainly something about the building that was very peaceful – one could almost imagine the monks shuffling silently around hundreds of years ago.
In contrast, the shows that were dotted around the village were not so peaceful. Upon arival we were treated to “le french cancan” – yes, they say french rather than français! - all screams and whoops and clapping wildly.
There was a flamenco dancer, some traditional French folk dancing and a live performance by a baroque group (I’m not sure if they called it baroque-and-roll, but it was quite jolly ). This gave way to a show based in the same period which featured various characters in fencing duels – nice to see some ladies taking part in this one! There was also a brass band from the Napoleonic era playing traditional songs and firing VERY LOUD guns – a little more warning would have been appreciated chaps!
There was also a “dancing fountains” show, where fountains are played with lights and they weave patterns to music – this was very impressive. The path up to this show was lit by different coloured lights shining under umbrellas on the ground. I really liked this affect and was a great way to set the mood for the entertainment to come.
As the darkness fell, the abbey and the surrounding buildings were lit up with combinations of lasers, lights and projections. The abbey itself had some amazing stained-glass effects projected onto its front elevation – something quite unusual but also beautiful.
There were various bars and restaurants around, and when it got to around 10pm were were getting peckish. It was then that we discovered the only bad thing about the evening – everyone had run out of chips! I know, what a nightmare! We had seen people walking round with some huge chip butties (sorry, “baguettes aux frites“) and by the time we got round to getting one they had all gone. We had to make do with a hot dog (well, just a bun for Lisa, being a veggie) and it was not really the same. Still, we got over our disappointment and managed to make it to midnight when the fireworks began.
Wow. What an incredible display. We thought the Bastille Day show at Carcassonne was good, but I think this show was at least an equal to it. Only 15 minutes long, but it was set to music and contrasted lively music and huge explosive fireworks with downbeat music and pretty colourful fireworks. The whole effect was stunning and we were left totally speechless.
At the end of the night, as we were guided out of the village by the same friendly marshalls and gendarmes, we were left thinking what a great night it had been. All that entertainment right on our doorstep for just €5 each. Now that’s what I call value for money.
So to continue the tale of our hectic weekend, on Sunday we had the Kermesse for Molly & Joe’s school, St Antoine. A Kermesse is basically an end-of-term summer fair, although, unlike the ones we used to have in England, this one seemed to be more focussed on the community coming together and the children entertaining them, rather than bombarding us with a-hundred-and-one stalls selling corn dolls and peg-bags. Thank goodness!
We arrived way too early, of course. One day we will get it right and arrive with everyone else…. It was another beautiful day, which was fortunate as the night before we had had the most enormous thunderstorm. It had apparently been rumbling around for a while, but when it landed on top of our house at 3am I thought the roof was going to cave in. Thankfully we survived the onslaught and the morning was fresher, but still nice and warm.
The lunch was served in the Salle Polyvalente near the church and the Hotel de Ville. We queued for our meal and spotted our dear old neighbours at a table. It was so nice to see them there and most unexpected -- we have never seen them anywhere other than round the houses.
The meal was great value -- €10 got us a a large punnet of moules, and one full of gorgeous chips (you can’t beat deep-fried chips…), as well as a slice of bread, some cheese, a big slice of tarte aux pommes and a glass of rosé . The moules were the best we had tasted and the adults polished them all off. The kids filled up mainly on chips, as they do, so I ended up finishing their moules off, but nothing went to waste. They had clearly over-catered as well as they were coming round offering second-helpings to anyone who wanted them. By the end of the meal, topped off with a coffee, we were all pretty well stuffed and ready for a siesta!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/v/qPhWnZC0iM8]Sadly a siesta was not on the menu as the kids had all headed off to the school to prepare for the “Spectacle“. When they returned they all looked so sweet dressed in their costumes. The school takes children from as young as 3, so there were all ages there, right up to Molly, who will be 11 this week (although she is in a year below her age in order to catch up on her french). Each class did a number of songs and dances on the theme of the environment. It was a wonderful show and, once again, we were so proud to see our two taking full part in it. Joe even had to say a line of a poem on his own and I’m sure no-one would have known he wasn’t french just by listening to him. Interestingly, Molly looked really pretty in her “designer” dress made from recycled tin cans!
httpv://www.youtube.com/v/mERVvXhyCC0
After the show, the stalls were opened and it was time to spend money It was a good arrangement whereby the children could buy tickets on a piece of string and would trade the tickets for turns on the different stalls. There was a bouncy-castle, a football shoot-out, a fishing lucky dip, a wheel of fortune and a cake stall. Of course this was supplemented by a well-frequented bar as well… We had turns on pretty much everything, winning various hats, t-shirts and other random prizes. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves and as usual the atmosphere was so relaxed and friendly.
After a while it was time to draw the raffle. We had our eye on the gas barbecue -- ours is still at my parents’ house as we didn’t have room to bring it when we moved over. If we could win one here it would save them having to bring it in the car next time they drove over. But sadly it was not to be. At school the next day they dished out the “lesser” prizes and we won a bowl and some salad servers -- a nice accompaniment to a barbecue…if we had one.
The night was going to continue for a long time to come, but our gang were again getting a little restless by now, having spent all their money and bounced themselves silly, so we headed home.
It had been a really wonderful weekend and we really got the feeling that we were part of a great community, something we have never truly felt before. Here’s to many more weekends like this!
