This week was "le Carnaval"! Technically, le Carnaval is the period up to the start of Lent. But it is really "celebrated" all over France the week before the " Mardi Gras" (Fat Tuesday). It is a time to party, dress up (se déguiser) and to take part in all sorts of festivities carefully planned for months if not the whole year usually around a theme.Villages, towns and cities' Carnaval Commitees plan according to their budgets and own traditions: défilés (bands who march), parades, cavalcades (with floats ), feux d'artifice (fireworks), concerts, bals costumés ou masqués (masked balls) etc... It is a time where people mingle regardless of their social background and some pretty mad things happen. Herrings are thrown to the crowd from a Council balcony in Dunkerque! It's better to watch a few clips to get the general picture!!!
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| Carnaval de Nice. |
Just this once, food is not the main protagonist but you can't escape le beignet (doughnut), and its cousins la merveille, et la bugne de Carnaval, la gaufre (the waffle) and la crêpe (pancake) as it is the tradition to empty the pantry of rich foods to get ready for Lent.
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