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Fête
Carnaval de Bailleul Char |
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Photo
by Daniel Thierry |
| Click
on the image for larger version |
|
 A
region of festivities and human warmth where joie de vivre is a
communal affair.
Because the sun appears less often here than in
the south, some people think of Nord-Pas de Calais as a gloomy region.
They have clearly never paid it a visit: it's probably one of the
jolliest regions in France, and always ready to celebrate. Parades,
carnivals, fairs and fanfares – good habits endure in this
land of memory, bristling with belfries. To get the right feel for
the region's spirit, you need to join the crowd during the great
collective celebrations, and share their meals based on seafood
– the famous moules-frites, the traditional waterzoï
(a court-bouillon of fish and chicken) – washed down with
some of the local beer. It's a lively region where tradition is
part of daily life – a region open to the major capitals cities
of Europe such a short distance away! |
