Monday, October 15, 2012

Montmartre grapes harvesting feast


If you like what's French, well, the Vendanges de Montmartre (grapes harvesting) is probably the place to go to. I personally had never gone before this Saturday and, believe me, I discovered a whole world up there (they even have a Republic of Montmartre!). Montmartre is a little hill in the Northern part of the city, and somewhere near the mythical Lapin Agile cabaret,  there are still grapes. Their harvesting offers an occasion to celebrate, drink, laugh, eat, exchange and... discover many produces that the regions of France have to offer (these people for instance, "promote" garlic from Vaucluse - a region in the South of France!). Have a look a the little video that I shot for you.

11 comments:

  1. Thanks SO much for sharing this fun event, Eric. I loved the video—but why was that guy singing "New York, New York"?!

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  2. I don't know why he sang that song, either, but he did it very well. I particularly enjoyed the guy on the right side of the screen at the end, who couldn't containvhimself and had to rock to the music, just a little.

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  3. I know it's ridiculous... (in French on top of that!) But... He sang - very well - many other songs (typical French ones - only I missed recording him at that moment. (It's my fault, not his!) But I thought I'd still use it as a background music.

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  4. Nice when you discover "new" things in your home town.

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  5. I love your blog! I always learn new words and new things. The post today was very interesting, I felt like I was in the middle of the parade.

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  6. Wow, that's a lot of red! Looks like everyone is having a great time too.

    LOL At first, I thought it was a Hershey's Kiss instead of garlic. Guess I'm not French yet, eh? (Doesn't help that I'm allergic to garlic so never buy it, I'm sure.)

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  7. Yes, very fun. I'm not big on parades, but that looked fun, just the right size. And Place Abbesses is such a wonderful place to be anyway.

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  8. What a fun time! I think Anthony Fabien was fabulous! I loved the way he sang New York...he sounds almost as good as Frank! :)

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  9. They seem to like this kind of thing up there.
    When Scotland play France in Paris at rugby every other year, they have a festival called Ecosse a Montmartre (type it into You Tube to see) where there is a week of Scottish stuff, like whisky tasting, Scottish and French flags are strung across Rue des Abesses, and the Scotish supporters and the locals get together and have a good time. At the weekend, Scottish pipe bands march the streets of Montmartre and there is a dinner at the Town Hall hosted by the Mayor of Montmartre. Oh, and of course the Rugby match, which we usually lose, which is perhaps why the French are so glad to welcome us. :-)

    AS you say Eric it feels like a whole different world up there, almost like a village within the city.

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  10. @Stefan "Nice when you discover "new" things in your home town." Yes, especially something that has been going on for so many years already!

    @Carmen "I love your blog!" And I love you for saying this!

    @Christie "Hershey's Kiss" ? I don't know this, but I suppose you're referring to the shape of garlic

    @Jeff "And Place Abbesses is such a wonderful place to be anyway." Yes, but really very very very trendy now. I bought fish there after the parade and the price was outrageous!

    @Kristie "Anthony Fabien was fabulous! I loved the way he sang New York..." Yes he has a pretty good voice hasn't he? But I regret I missed when he sang French songs.

    @Drummond "When Scotland play France in Paris at rugby every other year, they have a festival called Ecosse a Montmartre" I did not know at all about that either. I'll check next time France plays Scotland on our soil. I'll make a movie, I promise!

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  11. The famous Michou (the "always dressed in blue man" and owner of a music hall in Montmartre) can be seen in the video on the left at the background from the singer. See, how I watched and listened very carefully to the singer ...

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