Last week it was La Fête d’Ail (the Garlic festival) in Lautrec; Tomorrow–La Fête du Pain (the Bread festival).
The French fill their summers with fêtes.
In 1954 Dad took me to the Everyman Cinema in Hampstead to see Jacques Tati’s Jour de Fete (viewable here free).
In pre-Monsieur Hulot mode, Tati plays the good-hearted but accident-prone village postman.
Two bits stayed with me: the flag pole sequence (which starts about 12 mins in) and the bicycle race–when he gets tangled up in a mini Tour de France and ends up in a river (about 1hr 10min in).
Now maybe not quite so hilarious but at the time I nearly choked, I laughed so much–(and bonded with Dad)!
Still seeing the funny side–years later!
Last week (it’s always held on the first Friday in August) ten thousand people teemed–albeit slowly–through the narrow streets of Lautrec, buying local produce and aiming for the central square where la soupe à l’ail (garlic soup) is dispensed free at noon–with a glass of warm rosé.
This is after the much anticipated announcement of the winners of the best tress
Tress Parade!
and the most imaginative object made of garlic.
“Snail” on its journey to…
…the Viaduct of Millau
The pink garlic–l’ail rose de Lautrec–is specially good and long lasting.
It has protected status and a lovely pinkish hue on the outside skin.
Not long after buying our house here, we took some to California where Meredith’s brother–in-law planted some cloves and ended up winning first prize in the Marin County Fair!
We told the story to the farmer in the next hamlet, thinking he might be amused.
After a long pause and looking like thunder, he growled—“c’est interdit!” (that’s forbidden!).
He needn’t have worried–the different soil composition in California–turned the garlic white!
Robin Ellis 
There is something very comforting about a world in which people celebrate garlic. Thanks for another great post, and the photographs, which are always terrific.
Robin, I liked the bit where Tati gets on his bike only to find that he has mounted the crossbar not only of the bike but also of the level crossing – and predictably up he goes! And in the bike race, doesn’t he, pedalling serenely, overtake the pack who are hard at it, with heads down? I’ll have top look at it again – and all the others. A presto, Keith
The bike goes up and he looks round wondering where it is, spots it and gestures for the gate to be lowered.
In the church the bell ringer comes down hands the rope to Tati and up he goes as does a woman who comes in is handed the rope by Tati and up she goes.
The shots of him ahead in the race are priceless.
A presto, Robin
Good morning,
I have just seen your link on the page of a friend. I am lucky enough to live near Sainte-Sévère where Jacques Tati’s film ” Jour de fête ” was made. There is a lovely museum there with Scenovision. It’ fun and really is worth a visit…
http://www.maisondejourdefete.fr/
Continue to enjoy life and all the festivals…Regards Ann Thornton
Thanks Ann–I was wondering, re-viewing it, where it was filmed.
Free Garlic Soup and Rose, it sounds like a very civilised festival to me. How wonderful to celebrate garlic and equally to celebrate bread!!
Sue xx