OUR LIFE IN CHALABRE: An American Expat in the South of France

THE STREETS OF CHALABRE FESTIVAL (July 2, 2005) On July 2, Chalabre held its Street Festival. During the afternoon and the night, street merchants sold food, wine and various local products. There even were a couple of booksellers, including us. (We sold a dozen ooks.) At 8 p.m., tables had been set up all around the central market square and an excellent communal dinner was served. There was plenty of music everywhere, including a Brazilian-style band and samba dancers. The festivities went on until 4 a.m. Our neighbors, from left to right: a lady (whose name I didn't get), Mrs. and Mr. Gimenez. Diva Maggie and her human are ready to face the Festival. The Café de la Paix turned itself into a beach front night club for the Festival. The beer stand was easily the most frequented booth. White & Blue are the colors of the local team. Tables were set up all around the Central Market; the crowd is settling in, ready for the big dinner. We're sitting three rows up from the bottom edge of the photo. From left to right, clockwise: Sean and Kathy Faulkner, new arrivals in Rivel (a village 2 miles south of Chalabre), Maggie's Human and long-suffering Peter "QUAND est-ce qu'on mange?" (Will the food EVER come?) Mahon. More tables set up all around the Market Square. Under the Market "Halle" proper, a podium had been set up for an orchestra and various events, such as the handing out of a sports trophy (as seen above). Various performers, acrobats, clowns, dancers, etc. later performed there. A Brazilian-style orchestra and two beautiful samba dancers entertained the crowd.