Saturday, July 14, 2007

Marche Nocturne Leran









Last evening, Friday, was the second of the Marche Nocturne Leran, an evening of food and wine and shopping. It happens every Friday night in July and August. The shebang starts around 6:00 and goes till midnight or so. We can't vouch for that as we're in slumberland by then. There are many food vendors. Last week we had Mexican, or what might be interpreted as Mexican, still it was very good. This week we ate from the Paella pan you see on this page. I took this picture at about 7:15 and the prognosis was it would be ready at "huit heure". And it was. And it was almost gone when we stepped up to the plate (or the cauldron) at "half eight" as the British say. And it was good, too.
In these photos you will see our friend, Nigel, who is renovating a house on the main street of Leran. He spent 30 years as a "bobby" in Manchester, and now is a consultant and struggles to find time to spend in France working on his house. In the photo in the lower right is his wife Barbara. I took those photos just before we called it a night and staggered around the corner to 14 Rue du Four.
Nancy shot the photo of the escargot vendor (and the others at the top of the page). As we sat down to dinner, there was a French family next to us with a big plate of these little snails in a rich, aromatic sauce. They had also opened a bottle of red that they had brought with them and had some awfully ripe looking cheese that they probably purchased from the fromage vendor that was present.
It seems that the entire town turns out, along with a significant portion of folks from nearby towns, and everyone has a great time. Leran's Cours St. Jaques was festive, complete with lights strung from the buildings and trees, all kinds of food to buy (or bring your own), booze, things to buy and an ice cream cone vendor just to make it perfect. If you're in the market for tiny bobbing woodpecker, duck, fish or Pokemon refrigerator magnets, there was a vendor with an entire table full---he would knock the table so you could see them in action. Leran's local boulangerie and epicerie closed their shops down early so they could set up a booth. We don't think we'll miss too many of these nocturnal marches.
If you can't have a good time at one of these you may be dead.

3 comments:

sarah alexander said...

I just love it! The Leran community is amazing!

Anonymous said...

I looks like y'all are having some "big fun"...not to mention great food in Leran! After all that "beam replacing" and "limewash plastering" you deserve a treat!

I'm assuming that you are making some new friends...and letting them know that the "Americains" aren't all so bad! Y'all are much better "ambassadors" than anyone associated with the gov't! Thanks for making us all "look good"!

I'm afraid I do draw the gastronomic line at escargot...I can't deal with "slugs" no matter how great the sauce is! Now you know one of my big secrets...I'm a "snale bigot"! HA!

I saw a movie over weekend...French with English subtitles. Listening to all that French being spoken and sung made me think of you. The movie was called La Vie en Rose. It was about Edith Piaf, the famous French singer. I wasn't totally thrilled with the directing style...but the performance of the leading lady, an actress named Marion Cotillard (I hope I spelled it right) was SPELLBINDING. She was merveilleux...absolutely fabulous. If you ever run across the film...go see it. Luke left the theatre in stunned silence...her performance was that great.

Anonymous said...

who is that good looking guy in the white T shirt? surely a movie star from the states ? mind you it looks as though he has been enjoying a little french wine !! Doug, thank you for not publishing the 'other' photo !!!! great diary and we can't wait to return in september to continue or project. i just need to earn some money now to pay for it all.