Not Just For The Holidays: Week 28 2024

Hello!

We're into July and the Marche Nocturne (Night Market) season is underway. But what is a Night Market? It’s certainly nothing like a farmer’s market. Think of it as an open air food hall with added entertainment. There are long communal benches in the centre and all around local food producers, restaurateurs and caterers have stands selling their produce – it’s like street food I guess, but with the added comfort of somewhere to sit.

How does it work? You choose what you’d like to eat, buy it from the stand and take it back to the table to eat and share. So, you can buy your bread from the baker, your wine from a local vineyard and choose whatever else you like the look of, perhaps a plate of charcuterie, a duck breast cooked on the wood from old vines, moules frites or an omelette with cepes. You just never know what you might find…

Whenever I go, I like to be a little prepared, so, I have a ‘Night Market Kit’! In my basket I have sharp knives and forks. The cutlery provided can often be plastic, which can make a steak hard work… I also add wine glasses, a bottle of water and serviettes. I have a tablecloth too, just for fun – and once I saw a group with a candelabra! This year I think I'll be adding a fan and a umbrella, you never can tell what the weather will bring. I also have a little thermal ice cube carrier - as everyone who knows me, knows I love ice in my rose!

I look forward to catching up with you at a night market soon. This weekend there is so much going on as it's the 14th July too - France's biggest holiday.

Whatever you do in the Gironde and Dordogne regions, have a great time.

Best wishes,

Helen

notjustfortheholidays@orange.fr

Week 28

Eden cinema

13 July

14 July

We have a Fete National this week, perhaps the biggest of the year, Le 14 Juillet, though in English it's known as Bastille Day. It's a day to celebrate the French Republic and in Paris there is a large military parade. The Bastille was a medieval fortress and prison in Paris and was stormed by troops on 14 July 1789, thus leading to the beginning of the French Revolution.

A politician named Benjamin Raspail proposed that 14 July should become a holiday in France in 1880. Bastille Day was a public holiday for the first time on 14 July 1880.
Nowadays France celebrates with the military parade in Paris and all across the country towns and villages have communal meals, dances and fireworks.

There are plenty of options in and around us, and not just on 14th July, but the 13th and 15th too. You won't have to travel very far to find fireworks this week!