Fête des Classes in Perreux, Roannais by Brian Franklin
By purefrancenow | June 7, 2010
Every year in most of the villages of France they celebrate that year’s age groups who have reached their first or next 10 years. This year it was the turn of ’0′ – those born with a zero at the end of their birth year. They celebrate all those that have been born in 2010, and those who have now reached the age of 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, etc.
In our own ancient village of Perreux this year during one special day in May all the different age group categories enjoyed the ‘Fête de Classes’ with individual floats, themed to each age.
The carnival atmosphere was tremendous, along with a very hot, blue sky, sunny day. It was great fun!
This year our own son, Ellis, who was born in the Millenium year 2000 celebrated his tenth year with friends. Their themed dress and float was based on astronauts complete with rocket. In fact, I should certainly have done it myself this year, as I was born in 1950, and will be 60 this year (however, I try not to remind myself too much about the passing year’s !!)
It is a time of celebration and fun, but one also of merriment, dancing, drinking, and eating. A truly exceptional day.
I enjoyed myself, too, along with my wife, Lucy, and some of our good French friends.
I can honestly say it was a magical day for all of us, especially Ellis. And several perfectly grilled Merguez sausages were eaten, washed down with some excellently chilled lager!
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‘Striptease’ at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Lyon, Rhône-Alpes
By purefrancenow | May 28, 2010
The artist Ben Vautier, known simply as ‘Ben’ has a fascinating, eclectic exhibition of his life’s work here at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Lyon. This special exhibition on 3 floors runs from March 3rd to July 11th 2010.
It is an impressive collection of his text-based paintings, dadaist sculptures and large installations.
Well worth a visit!
Situated within Lyon’s Cité Internationale, by the banks of the Rhone and near the park Tete d’Or, the Musée d’Art Contemporain is at the heart of a scenic and pleasant area within the boundaries of France’s remarkable second city.
In 1984, when the museum was located within the Musée des Beaux Arts de Lyon, a particular interest in the production of art works began.
These works, new project for the artist or continuation of an earlier concept, were produced in the museum, for the museum, in direct collaboration with the artist and became a part of the museum’s collection.
This gave an opportunity to artists to experiment with form, idea and dimension, and to create work in harmony with the space itself.
The museum’s politics of production imposed upon the architect to create an interieur space which could be entirely modified, in order to cater for the demands of the numerous artists using the space as well as the diverse exhibition spaces designed by the curators.
Ben Vautier
Ben Vautier (born on July 18, 1935 in Naples, Italy), also known simply as Ben, is a French artist.
Vautier lives and works in Nice, where he ran a record shop called Magazin between 1958 and 1973.
He discovered Yves Klein and the Nouveau Réalisme in the 1950s, but he became quickly interested in the French dada artist Marcel Duchamp, the music of John Cage and joined the Fluxus artistic movement in the 1960s.
In 1959, Vautier founded the journal Ben Dieu. In 1960, he had his first one-man show, Rien et tout in Laboratoire 32.
He is also active in Mail-Art and is mostly known for his text-based paintings; an example of the latter is his work “L’art est inutile. Rentrez chez vous” (Art is Useless, Go Home).
He has long defended the rights of minorities in all countries, and he has been influenced by the theories of François Fontan about ethnism. For example, he has defended the Occitan language (south of France), which is on the verge of extinction because speakers are shifting to French.
Anti-art is a loosely-used term applied to an array of concepts and attitudes that reject prior definitions of art and question art in general.
Anti-art tends to conduct this questioning and rejection from the vantage point of art. The term is associated with the Dada movement and is generally accepted as attributable to Marcel Duchamp pre-World War I.
Fluxus Movement 1960-1965
The Fluxus movement emerged in New York in the 60′s, moving to Europe, and eventually to Japan.
The movement encompassed a new aesthetic that had already appeared on three continents. That aesthetic encompasses a reductive gesturality, part Dada, part Bauhaus and part Zen, and presumes that all media and all artistic disciplines are fair game for combination and fusion. Fluxus presaged avant-garde developments over the last 40 years.
Fluxus objects and performances are characterized by minimalist but often expansive gestures based in scientific, philosophical, sociological, or other extra-artistic ideas and leavened with burlesque.
Yoko Ono is the best-known individual associated with Fluxus, but many artists have associated themselves with Fluxus since its emergence. In the ’60s, when the Fluxus movement was most active, artists all over the globe worked in concert with a spontaneously generated but carefully maintained Fluxus network.
Since then, Fluxus has endured not so much as a movement but as a sensibility–a way of fusing certain radical social attitudes with ever–evolving aesthetic practices.
Initially received as little more than an international network of pranksters, the admittedly playful artists of Fluxus were, and remain, a network of radical visionaries who have sought to change political and social, as well as aesthetic, perception.
Musée d’art Contemporain, Lyon
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Part 4: Our Man from the Roannais in Shakespeare’s Country! by Brian Franklin
By purefrancenow | May 28, 2010
We decided to push the boat out a bit, and booked into the magnificent Lygon Arms.
After a great night’s sleep, and an English breakfast inside us we headed off to Stratford.
Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare, steeped in culture and history, is set in the beautiful rural Warwickshire countryside, on the banks of the river Avon, it is one of the most important tourist destinations in the UK.
A literary man, Jean-Marc has read quite a bit of Shakespeare (unusual for a Frenchman from the Roannais!), so it was a delight for him to visit this famous part of England. We had a good wander, and visited Shakespeare’s original house, and the church where he is laid to rest. No chance of seeing any of his plays being performed, I’m afraid. Although when we popped into a speciality cheese shop we found that they new all about Maison Mons cheeses from the Roannais, and even had some of their excellent quality products on display – it’s a very small world!
Part 5 of “Our Man from the Roannais” series will continue next with our stops at famous Chatsworth House in Derbyshire, and the amazing Yorkshire Sculpture Park.
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Part 3: Our Man from the Roannais in The Wye Valley! by Brian Franklin
By purefrancenow | May 8, 2010
From the academic and architectural wonders of Oxford travelling to an alternative natural wonder of the Royal Forest of Dean in the beautiful Wye Valley was almost a mental relief, if not a physical one.
Jean-Marc and I had planned a 3-day sojourn in this fascinating corner of England, near to the Welsh border with some long-distance country-walking thrown in (Jean-Marc loves his regular randonnées in France!)
So, what about the Royal Forest of Dean in the Wye Valley!?
The lower Wye Valley journeys from in the north; Hereford the historic capital of the Wye Valley in the County of Herefordshire through the County of Gloucestershire to Chepstow in the Welsh County of Monmouthshire, separating the borders between England and Wales.
The natural beauty of the area is unrivalled, with each season bringing its own delights. From the spring and summer greenery to the magical feeling of autumn mists and snow capped hills.
Designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1971, the beauty of the area has been attracting visitors for centuries. The Wye Valley with the most breathtaking natural scenery in Britain combines a unique blend of Welsh and English influences.Fought over for centuries by the English and the Welsh and many more before them has awesome castles around every bend and twist in the River Wye, hawks soaring over the fields and forests, and secret places along every stream. bustling market towns, fresh-farm produce, an artisan tradition, generous hospitality, and sunshine and showers,the Wye Valley is a captivating experience that treats the senses at any time of year.
The Wye Valley is steeped in rich industrial heritage, and near the town of Abergavenny lies the Blaenavon Industrial Landscape World Heritage Site where visitors can go underground with a miner and uncover real stories about people from the past.
In Newport there is an extensive public art trail which includes statues and mosaic murals commemorating the Chartists fight for democracy. As well as this, there is also the Nelson Museum in Monmouth which has one of the worlds best collections about Britain’s most famous admiral, and even includes his fake glass eye!
Jean-Marc and I headed for Gloucester, and eventually a small, sleepy village called Blackeney where we found the slightly bizarre, ‘Old Nibley Farmhouse’. This became our comfortable residence for two nights.
www.oldnibleyfarmhouse.co.uk - we can definitely recommend it as a great base for exploring the Royal Forest of Dean and The Wye Valley. But… don’t forget to bring your slippers!
Part 4 of “Our Man from the Roannais” series will continue soon with a journey into Shakespeare’s Country!
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Part 2: Our Man from the Roannais in Oxford! by Brian Franklin
By purefrancenow | May 5, 2010
We continue with the tales of my trails through England with my good French friend, Jean-Marc Dublé. In this Part 2 of ” Our Man from the Roannais in England” we travel from London to the great city of learning – Oxford.
Slap bang in the middle of England, Oxford is a city of enviable fortune: stunning architecture, abundant gardens and riverways, academic excellence and cultural richness. In fact, a far cry from the oxen grazing ground after which it was named, ‘Oxen-ford’.
Today, it boasts 39 prestigious colleges; a University church and a city cathedral; the ancient Bodleian library; Wren’s Sheldonian theatre; and the iconic Radcliffe Camera. Add this to the bevy of prominent museums from the age-old Ashmolean to the oddities of Pitt Rivers, and on a visit to Oxford you may find your itinerary a little overwhelming.
Jean-Marc and I, of course, had to be a little selective – content to experience the ‘flavour’ of Oxford with its traditional and ancient Englishness. The beauty of Oxford was immediate, with the charcteristic splendour of this amazing city the many gargoyles high above gorge themselves on daily.
We strolled through the busy streets and marvelled at the ancient buildings and the incredible architecture, and enjoyed an early spring walk through Merton Field in Christ Church Meadow, along ‘Dead Man’s Walk’ (a medieval funeral walk) through to the Botanic Gardens near the River Cherwell, and up onto Magdalen Bridge. Here we stood looking across at the highly reputable, historic, and beautiful Magdalen College (founded in 1428). We even managed to look into the main quadrangle where many famous, historic figures had walked in years gone by, such as Samuel Pepys.
Returning gradually back to the city, we passed the equally famous colleges of Queens and All Souls’, and then dived down the narrow cobbled street passed Radcliffe Camera, and end up inside the Bodleian Library where there was a special exhibition of ancient illustrated religious books and scrolls. Not necessarily something we would have normally visited, but a fascinating surprise all the same – we spent an hour in the library, though!
We then passed the decorated, sculptured entrance and frontage of Wren’s Sheldonian Theatre.
There is no doubt, you could easily spend a few days or more in this fantastic city, discovering new aspects of its ancient and academic history every minute. Unfortunately we had no more than a few hours, before we had to head off to vistas new.
Our next stop (2-days) would be The Royal Forest of Dean in the Wye Valley.
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Part 3 of “Our Man from the Roannais” series will follow shortly, with our walking adventures, in the remarkable Forest of Dean and stunning Wye Valley.
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Summer is on its way at Le Cuvage in the Roannais!
By purefrancenow | May 4, 2010
Yes, we can all start looking forward to some more holiday fun in the Roannais. ‘Le Cuvage’, its wooded gardens, and heated swimming pool are already looking good. The magnolia, lilac, and wisteria are all in full bloom, and filling the air with their flowery scents.
Even the swimming pool has awoken from its winter slumbers, and was a wonderful 25 degrees last week. The outside temperature went up to 30 degrees plus. This of course meant that our 9 year old son, Ellis turned back into a frog again, and had a great time in the bath-like waters!
We hope this summer will be as hot and sunny as last year’s, which, of course, was much appreciated by all our holiday guests who had a great time here in the Roannais. In fact, several have became good friends, and are returning again for a second year!
Le Cuvage is a great place, and ideal for a very comfortable base for exploring all that the beautiful Roannais region has got to offer, and there’s alot!
Take a look at our dedicated website: www.purefrancenow, and also have a read through a few of our blogs and news reports for more information and a personal perspective on all aspects of the locale – activities, villages, restaurants, food, wine, cheese, entertainment, chateaux, lakes and country scenery, plus nearby towns and cities to visit.
Purefrancenow Blogs, News, and Reviews
Purefrancenow Monthly Newsletters
Le Cuvage Deux – in the Roannais
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Restaurant La Rocadine in the Roannais
By purefrancenow | April 30, 2010
This month La Rocadine has once again hosted another successful evening soirée. A local investment club monthly reunion was organised at the restaurant which specialises in high quality traditional French cuisine such as ‘Foie Gras’ and ‘Boeuf de Charolaise’.
Recently revamped and redecorated, La Rocadine once again surpassed expectations.
Specialities : foie gras, viande charolaise, poissons, desserts maison. Closed Sundays, Saturday lunchtime, Wednesday evening, and Bank Holidays Open daytime 12.00 to 1.30pm, evening from 9.00pm (summer), and from 8.45pm (winter). Menu – 12€ (during the week) to 34€.Menu for children 10€ (up to 10 years) Groups 60 max. Handicap access. Terrace. Take-away Service: foie gras,terrine, poissons, viandes, dessert. Order 1 week in advance.
This is a sincere recommendation to an excellent restaurant run by Jérôme and Mélanie Sadot.In typical Jérôme fashion his menu and presentation is traditional French, but with contemporary and original styling. A winning combination along with the use of high quality, local produce.
It’s a good sign when you can see many local French people are eating and enjoying themselves there!
Visit: Purefrancenow Roannais Directory – La Rocadine
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Part 1: Our Man from the Roannais in London! by Brian Franklin
By purefrancenow | April 28, 2010
April has been a remarkable month for us.
We started our sojourn in London with a 2 night stay in the heart of the City.
After a long, warm, sunny walk through the iconic streets of the city, and catching numerous taxis to various points of interest.
From the historic Saint Catherine’s Dock over the famous Tower Bridge for some great views of the River Thames.
We then headed to the southside of the Thames via the famous Millenium Bridge and to the new Globe Theatre for a bit of Shakespearian history.
A perfect use of an old power station!
Simply mind-blowing, and quite emotional. Definitely one of the best experiences of the week-end.
After the ‘buzz’ of Covent Garden another type of ‘buzz’ was experienced as we all had a flight on the huge London Eye with spectacular views of the city. Jean-Marc’s vertigo was under control, so he enjoyed the ride tremendously. Great Fun!!
Our magical London visit, however, did not end there, and like all good tourists we also ‘did’ Buckingham Palace and visited the Queen!! A sunny stroll through the Palace gardens past Horse Guards Parade to the symbolic Trafalgar Square, just to remind Jean-Marc of the battle won over the French by our great Admiral of the Seas – Lord Nelson!!
Back to our City-based hotel to rest our somewhat weary legs for a short relax and some cool refreshment. In the evening we jumped into a taxi to Jamie Oliver’s ‘Fifteen’ restaurant where we had an absolutely delightful evening of exceptional food, and very attentive and charming service.
Definitely to be recommended.
Take a look at their website: Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Restaurant, London
To be fair we had done so much in such a short 2-day period it felt like a week! Jean- Marc was very happy!
The Royal Academy of Arts, London
Part 2 of “Our Man from the Roannais” series will follow shortly, amongst the famous towers and spires of Oxford, including a visit to the Wye Valley, and the Cotswolds.
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The Magnificent Hunting Lodge in the Roannais! by Brian Franklin
By purefrancenow | April 6, 2010
Yes, we’re back once more at ‘La Loge’ – a magnificent hunting lodge with all its vast lakes and woodland. An absolute paradise for creatures great and small!
For the last year, or more, this countryside wonderland has lived and prospered without a visit from us, and we have certainly missed its wild embrace.
But during this year’s long Easter week-end we have at last walked its by-ways, breathed its fresh, aromatic air, and floated on its waters, once again.
Spring has arrived now with a vengeance, and the trees and waterside grasses are budding and greening up. Many varieties of waterfowl are also evident, including huge numbers of ducks, mating swans, and moor hens, along with huge herons flying majestically overhead.
Despite the regional water table being hit with the very hot and dry summer of last year, and insufficient rainful during this last winter the persistence of the renowned ‘ragondin’ is ever-present, with tell-tale footprints in the mud and freshly-dug holes in the dried mud of the embankments.
The beaver-like ‘ragondin’ is a big pest in these parts, and needs constant culling. Michel, our good hunter-friend always has his pistol at the ready!
He tells us that during the previous week he shot and killed one which was over 2 metres long!
All part of the rugged, and down-to-earth reality of estate management and the ever-vigilance of the hunter’s life.
Probably, however, a little too bloody and red in tooth and claw for my wife, Lucy!
Ellis, our 9 year-old son, on the other hand, is in a magical world – a real-life adventure kingdom.
Made even more incredible and full of fun this time since Michel gave him some lessons on shooting with both rifle and pistol.
Worryingly, Ellis was exceedingly good at it, and probably a little too enthusiatic about it all for my wife’s liking!
We all had a great traipse through the woodland, and once again, Michel continued to explain about the different plant life around us. There were many tracks of deer and wild boar, too, and although I have experienced a little duck shooting and deer-stalking, I have never had the good fortune of being involved in a wild boar hunt, despite having invitations to do so. Hopefully this year will be the first time!
Michel, Ellis, and I went off in one of the boats across the lake (the English boys doing the paddling (I think this is traditional!), while Michel relaxed in the bows and directed operations.
We got back to the lodge, and sat outside under rough beams and eaves, and finished off with an Easter gateau (made by Lucy), and some refreshing rosé wine ( a taste perhaps, of a long, hot summer to come!)
It was a great day. We’ll be back!
More on ‘The Chasse’…..
‘A Day in the Hunting Grounds of ‘Le Chasse’
‘Fishing, Hunting, and Fun at La Loge in the Roannais’
The Roannais in Autumn – Amongst the wonders of ‘La Loge’
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Maison Fromagerie Mons revisited in the Roannais
By purefrancenow | March 15, 2010
The French are passionate about most things!
Never more so than with their cheeses, and if there is one extremely successful, family-run business that exemplifies this then it has to be Fromagerie Mons.
And how wonderfully fortunate are we, in the Roannais region of the Rhone-Alpes, to have this Affineur of fine cheeses right on our doorstep.
Many year’s ago we had been pointed in the direction of the Mons Fromagerie in Halles Diderot, a fabulous high quality indoor market in Roanne.
Having been told that they were simply the best place to purchase cheese, not only for quality, but also breadth of choice – they sell a range of over 230 different cheeses throughout the year. and unparalleled expertise.
Today, Maison Mons has 22 people working at its caves in the Roannais, 155 clients in France, and many clients in 19 countries, 130 individual producers in France, 4 cheese shops, and about 190 different cheeses aging throughout the year. ‘Affinage’ cheese aging will always be the heart of the operation.
In 2009 Mons are continuing to expand and are developing a new entity ‘La Compagnie d’Affinage des Caves de la Collogne’, which is unique in its realm. They have recuperated and restored an old train tunnel and transformed it into a cheese aging tunnel.
This project will be completed in July 2009, and will allow Mons to really differentiate their products from the rest with an unprecedented environment and care for all their many cheeses, leaving Maison Mons with an exclusive range of high quality.products.
Maison Mons is always looking forward.
Visit their new website for more information about this excellent establishment, and, of course, where to buy their wide range of top quality cheeses: Maison Mons
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