Every 14th of July the medieval hilltop town of Cordes Sur Ciel hosts a festival. The celebration has little to do with Bastille Day other than falling on the same national holiday. The festival at Cordes instead celebrates its history & the life of the middle ages.
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I had the pleasure of experiencing this festival some twenty years ago & remember being perfectly enchanted by it. The colorful costumes & the reenactment of life in the middle ages in such a beautiful & authentic setting was captivating.
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This summer I decide to try the festival again, the first time since that original visit 20 years earlier. A lot has changed in 20 years & tourism has had a lot to do with it. Although now much of the magic has gone & the festivities are much more geared toward tourists, Cordes still remains one of the most beautiful medieval villages in the area & for that reason alone the festival is worth while.
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I can never help wondering what life must have been like when these towns were first built & were in their prime. So to see people acting it out is quite an education.
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But I would have to say that it was difficult to take photos that did not include medieval men & women talking on cell phones, smoking cigarets or drinking bottled water, not to mention all the other tourists.
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But in spite of all the touristy shops & restaurants that have sprung up over the years, one can still feel the haunting presence of the past in Cordes.
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The whole community comes out for this festival & enjoys dressing up for this event. Everyone takes part both young & old. The children especially seem to have fun stepping back in time.
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The costumes are thoughtfully created....
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj89I99pe3KRsmRG6gDAlyg920pKxgQKVWdNoE_bWmh_ZK1Nm-BpIJi0Nxqsi96859PLmcKaczB8Xd49T6aH9RrUrzBgoQGN6X3cJUhheXTWv2wDClQmIjjHtADcNRAZbxXb-lG7tFEzhS-/s288/97.jpg)
....& the authenticity of medieval life fascinatingly reproduced.....
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7OtAhv8PTkuoGUsIy-tUTYHn1S8daw8wGtIZ_a1vPKA_-3-RpFnqmx-li7Fe5x7wS-CXmMzZVtfid4V8F52xT6uBnnPjhQlDeHzn8mFgp6JqtJsADj0fOjA6z01GpbCZnw4EEyhI5NWEx/s288/102.jpg)
.....old tools are used to manufacture medieval goods....
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.... & recipes from the middle ages bubbled away in pots smelling quite delicious.
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The celebrations will continue into the night but for me it was time to return to the 21st century.
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To all of my friends in France I wish you a very Happy 14 Juillet & to all a Bon weekend !!!
Bon 14 juillet !!
ReplyDeleteInteresting and colourful images,thanks for the visit!
ReplyDeleteRuby