Summer is in full swing here in France, and even in the Alps, the temperatures are unusually warm. Everyone has been enjoying the warm weather — whole businesses, in fact. Last week, I tried calling a doctor, an accountant and…
Tag: fete
Free entertainment galore in France
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged with: Annecy, Aravis, culture, entertainment, fete, La Clusaz, music, St Jean de Sixt, summer, Thones
Bastille Day celebrations or lynch mob?
Driving home from Annecy on Saturday night, I stumbled across a fete in Thônes. It was an early Bastille Day celebration and I was lucky enough to get there at just the right time for the march through town. The…
When things get busy…
Hello after a month’s break! Apologies for the length between posts: I just haven’t had anything interesting to say, and life has been busy, with a new car purchase, trips away for special birthdays/celebrations, and lots of pre-winter work. In…
You just don’t see this in the city
Some things are a bit different here in the countryside of France. For instance, how many cities offer a calf as a prize? Here in La Clusaz, it’s a regular thing. You might remember the raffle last year, and now,…
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged with: animals, competition, cows, culture, farming, fete, French language, La Clusaz
Champagne bottle cap collection is a thing
This sign translates to ‘Swap meet for Champagne bottle caps’. Yes, that’s apparently a thing. Really? Champagne caps? Forget stamp collecting or coin swapping; here in France, it’s all about the booze. I’ve seen the caps at vide greniers and…
Skiing on plastic with wooden skis
The trampoline competition wasn’t the only event in the Aravis last weekend. La Clusaz hosted the annual Fête du Reblochon (cheese festival), and this year, I recorded some of the skiing action. Yes, there’s skiing at the Fête du Reblochon.…
The Grammys, La Clusaz style
La Clusaz has all sorts of festivals in summer and winter, but now that school holidays are over, today’s fair was all about the locals. The Foire de la Croix is a chance for the local farmers to catch up…
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged with: bells, cheese, cows, culture, entertainment, farmer, fete, La Clusaz, local
Good, wholesome fun
Teams from five villages met on Friday night in Saint Jean de Sixt for the annual inter-village games (Les Gamineries des Aravis), but you might notice that there are six different coloured teams. A group of tourists makes up the…
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged with: Aravis, competition, culture, entertainment, fete, landscape, local, St Jean de Sixt, Thones
Free vespas in La Clusaz?
The French language is always switching things around, like “la piste bleu” for “the blue piste”, so when I saw La Clusaz advertising “The Vespa free” I figured they were giving away a free vespa, or better still, holding a…
How to party in a small French village
Saint Jean de Sixt partied on Saturday night in the lead-up to the national Fete de la Saint Jean (John the Baptist) on Sunday. Pictured is every kid’s favourite car ride, and this year, it featured a lighting system more…
