Wednesday 13 July 2016

233. Where's the heat?

26th July. It's started - the first wave of those coming to Bayonne for the Fêtes de Bayonne (France's biggest festival) have arrived. Streets which are normally car-free have now sprouted cars parked with two wheels up on the pavement as the trickle of people heading here has turned into an unstoppable torrent. The police habitually turn a blind eye to all but the most flagrant abuses of parking laws. For 5 days, cars will be seen parked in the unlikeliest of places ("How did the driver get in there?") and tents will spring up on pavements and - well, everywhere. We're off!

25th July. I surprised myself by liking this song called "It's the last one who spoke in your house who is right" by Amina Annabi. It was France's entry to the Eurovision Song Contest in 1991 when it finished 2nd to an instantly forgettable bit of Eurotosh. Back in 1991 the ladies taking part were, for the most part, clean-shaven (unlike today!)  See what you think:
The Fêtes de Bayonne start on Wednesday - but the scale of mass public gatherings has been toned down this year due to the national state of emergency brought on by terrorist activity.

24th July. In Paris and just fancy strolling around and taking it easy in a fascinating quarter? This video should whet your appetite! We always find ourselves drawn to this part of Paris:
Looking at this video though, it must have been filmed on a Saturday afternoon.. I've never seen it so crowded.. I'm not really one for crowds.

22nd July. Listen to Charles Trénet's poem to the sea.. and follow through the words in French and English here.
The alarm bells are sounding for yet another one of life's pleasures according to a gloomy new analysis. The report's findings reveal that "alcohol causes seven forms of cancer, and people consuming even low to moderate amounts are at risk".   

21st July. If you're interested in getting the French perspective on current events - but your French language skills aren't quite good enough to follow news stories on French language news sites, then try this live feed from France 24 - it's a French news channel in English.. If you watch this first, then have a look at the news on TF1 or France2, you might find their output easier to follow.
  
19th July. I didn't forget Pamplona this year - but here's a gentle reminder of the fiesta as it was (before you-know-who discovered it!):


18th July. I spoke too soon asking "Where's the heat.."? Apart from a quick visit to the beach at Ilbarritz this morning, we've been skulking indoors with the shutters closed since then as this part of France has been sizzling under 38° temperatures. Time for something cold..
Plage d'Ilbarritz

16th July. This is the sound of the France that I love.. It's a forlorn hope that we've seen the last attack against innocents, those out for a carefree stroll on a summer's evening. It could have been any of us.


15th July. While people were dying in Nice, this was happening in Paris.


Shocking news overnight from Nice.. Appalling carnage on the Promenade des Anglais.. What a world.

Zoko Moko, 6 Rue Mazarin
12th July. We went to Saint-Jean-de-Luz this morning and stayed on to have lunch at Zoko Moko. This is a restaurant that we've been hearing good things about for a year or two and so today we finally decided to give it a whirl. It's a little off the beaten track - go to the Place Louis XIV (with the bandstand) and you'll find the restaurant at 6 rue Mazarin - between the harbour and the sea front (here). If you haven't booked (as we hadn't), I'd advise arriving early - there wasn't a table to be had later on. There are 2-3 fixed price menus plus à la carte. We had the menu du marché and it was e-x-c-e-l-l-e-n-t! Right up there with Chez Pantxua at Socoa.. so - praise indeed. Choice of only two starters, two main courses and two desserts (always a good sign!). The main course was filet de canette (duck breast) with braised peaches. This was the best duck breast we've ever had - tender, tasty, pink & juicy. I also spotted that Madiran Château Bouscassé (mentioned before here) featured on their wine list (Mar 2020: edited to add: sadly no longer true). We were once given a bottle of this as a substitution a few years ago and it really is something special. This is definitely a restaurant we'll return to. (Other top Basque restaurants here.)

The late Joe Dassin wrote some good songs before he died at the age of 42.. This is one of his best:



This is a strange summer. This morning at Saint-Jean-de-Luz it was around 18° and the beach was virtually deserted.  

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

What to say? What to do? What to think? 14th July will now forever be 'spoilt' in the lives of the people of Nice and around.
Lesley

Pipérade said...

Difficult to know what action can be taken in future to avoid a repetition of this. Can't stop people driving lorries..
What an appalling tragedy though.. doesn't bear thinking about.

Anonymous said...

Charles Trenet's Boum was the town entertainment in A Good Year when the summer turns to downpour! His La Mer runs thro' French Kiss. Both my favourites as DVDs when there is 'nothing on the box'.
A friend saw little faces with hats in brass on the market pavement in Narbonne, he was born there and this was one of the tributes. So quaint.
Stay safe. Lesley

Pipérade said...

He also had a beautiful house at Saint-Maur-des-Fossés on the banks of the Marne..
He only sang songs he'd written and, to me, they conjure up a gentle France. i always say that the Pays Basque is still la vieille France..
P

Anonymous said...

I've never even thought about the words to La Mer I've just enjoyed the sound that they make.
Dr/Prof/Dame/CMO Davies would be a bundle of laughs to go out with. NOT.
Lesley

Pipérade said...

I was the same with La Mer - but I hadn't realised just how poetic the words actually were. It loses something in the translation.
As for the other link (the alcohol story) I'm not even going to mention Mr Boobis!☺ We keep being told to eat/drink this and not to eat/drink that.. I've lost track of what's good or bad for me.. Then there's good and bad cholesterol.. (I think)
Life's too short to count calories. As my GP friend says (who smokes cigars and enjoys a glass of wine): why go without the enjoyable things in life in the hope of adding 5 years to your three score and ten? You don't get those 5 years extra added to your middle years (where you'd want them) - you get them tagged on at the end (where you don't). Who wants another 5 years in a geriatric ward?
I can't argue with that..!