When London was a village (2)

The Guardian

Sell-out crowd witnesses Barcelona's final bullfight ABC Online - 11 hours ago Final fight: Jose Tomas in action on the final day ofbullfighting at Barcelona's Monumental arena. The final bullfight has been held at Barcelona's last ...

Ferias-Bullfighting and other things not quite Spanish........

Strangely enough, Barcelona and its Region - Catalonia, have just passed a law banning the art of Bullfighting. The last event was held yesterday in the Arenas at Barcelona.

The "tradition" continues however in Southern France (a little known fact) and deeper into Southern Spain, from around Madrid and further southerly. 

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Here you are - the article, just before or after your Annual Holiday, which gives you all the details you need and needed, and then some more, about the area where Mr le Marquis lives, for your late Autumn break or planning for next year!

This is not only a holiday area, but a working area, not large Industry it is true, but large business, like the Wine trade, or the Agricultural business are present, and they all offer many things to the tourist who comes mainly for the weather and the beaches and sea-fronts(www.cr-languedocroussillon.fr ) Official site with all information, or (www.sunfrance.com) dealing with tourist stuff.

Of course, don’t forget that we are in the South of France, and (as almost everywhere in France) food plays a large role in life. The so-called Mediterranean diet is easily applied, so you can do some good to yourselves, and enjoy it!

Olive Oil is everywhere, and although less used than years ago (due to its price), it is still the predominant factor in the diet. (www.le-guide.com ) Quite a number of producers have daily visits to their domains, and to the oil presses. The link above will get you to a site where you can search for all sorts of things!

Of the many producers of the almost unlimited list of vegetables and fruits, quite a few will arrange a tour of their business, but obviously within the production periods, and since the vast majority of the local products are not within the holiday season, this limits quite a few. Asparagus is a spring vegetable for example, and although important in the area, falls outside the general tourist dates. Tomatoes are all year round, like lettuce and many other “uninteresting” items (uninteresting in the sense of visiting the production areas). Strawberries, cherries are all available, and “visitable”, and in particular the melon, peach, apricot, nectarine production sites are in full swing, and can be visited. Honey is produced in large amounts, and “industrial” mieleries (honey producers) can be visited, where the whole process is explained, and one can watch live bees doing their thing! In the “back country” nuts of all types, from chestnuts to hazelnuts are grown, sold, transformed into all sorts of things, like purees, candied etc…If you look in the sites given, you’ll find details on these things. The world famous mineral water is exploited and bottled from here, world-wide, go on site at www.perrier.com/ (they have various sections with games, competitions, questions, history etc)

The star of the show is, however, the vine. The whole area is covered with vineyards, some better some worse, a few specialised, like the “Vin du Sable” or the “Gris de Gris”

(a rose wine very pale in colour, and exceptional for an area where it is drunk, chilled, as an aperitif , and is quite magnificent). Take a tour from the comfort of your own home, before actually going – just click onto www.listel.fr

Why the title?

Well, it isn’t generally known, but a lot of “tauromachie” and Ferias go on in this area of France, as well as many other “considered Spanish” events. This often surprises tourists, but all the villages, town have their “Bullfighting” events, mainly not with the “mis au mort”, but at the Ferias in Nimes, Arles etc, there is the fight to the bitter end.

The round abouts of the Feria is always interesting, with all sorts of events, dancing, exhibitions, folklore etc and it attracts many people.

If you like, click onto www.vauvert.com/english/ for a look at the actual area where Mr le Marquis lives, and OF COURSE, www.vauvertvillage.blogspot.com for loads of photos of the area, the town, and its customs.

 (iwmpop)