Monday 5 December 2016

Lighting up Chamberet for the festive season!

I bet there aren't many towns or villages that can claim - not that Elvis switched on their Christmas lights -  but, even better,  that he actually installed them on all the lampposts throughout their community!  

On Friday last week I saw the commune pick-up go past and the back was filled with pots of chrysanthemums which had brightened the village since just before Toussaint.  We remarked that the Toussaint season was over and the next underway - preparations must be in hand to install the Christmas decorations. It is fairly quiet here apart from all the tractors, fuel and grain lorries which we now don't notice too much, but a different voice or engine sound and we're on the case.  Someone once said "God knows everything, but the neighbours miss nothing."  - that'll be me they were talking about! So, today I heard voices and heard some sort of machinery outside our house and looked out and here was Elvis in the cherry picker, chatting to a neighbour and installing a light on the nearest lamppost.  Not Elvis Presley, you understand, but Elvis who works for the commune (I think he's Portuguese but I'm not sure about the popularity of the name in Portugal). 

So, this evening, ce soir, we were having a little stroll and were delighted to witness all the said lights going on on all the lampposts in our street.  The lights are new this year - white and pink - and they look very festive.  Next to appear will no doubt be Santa's chalet down in front of the Mairie, in preparation for the Christmas Fayre this Sunday.  We are away here from the towns, so I'm not sure what decorations there'll be in Tulle, Brive and Limoges, but Christmas is not so commercialised here.  The local shops have decorations in their windows and normally a Christmas tree outside, decorated with coloured foil bows.  Since we moved here five years ago, we've noticed more residents decorating their houses and gardens with Christmas lights and decorations.

On Sunday we'll be going to the Christmas Fayre in the village, then a Christmas Carol concert at La Croisille, about 12 kilometres from here.  There'll be French and English carols and songs and readings, followed by mulled wine and mince pies - just right to get us into the Christmas spirit.

Three years ago, Harry made a cardboard tree from some packaging and it was wonderful, but unfortunately it had to be rerecycled and is no longer with us.  Then a



 couple of years ago we bought a small live tree from our local supermarket for 5 euros, so hope we can get one at that price again this year.  Last year was a bit of a sad affair as the house was upside down as we had changed both our boiler and woodburner, so had no heating, other than the flames from the Christmas pud!  We have always loved our family Christmases, so I'm looking forward to a proper Christmas this year, with family coming for a few days before Christmas, and before that to digging out our Christmas decorations (some so vintage, they are even older than me!).  They'll be going up hopefully on around the 13 December to cheer the dark evenings ahead.

© Marie Tyler, 2016



Thursday 20 October 2016

It's Accordeon Festival Time in Chamberet!


This weekend in Chamberet - in fact from today - we have the 10th Accordion Festival/Festival de l'Accordeon and there are at least 70 camper vans in the village with festival goers all ready to dance and listen to accordions over the next three days!   The marquee (which at least quadruples the size of the Salle des Fetes) went up in a record two days last week, including a wooden dance floor over the whole area.  Volunteers have been back and forward since then, the festival toilets are installed in front of the Salle des Fetes, and there are huge posters on empty shop windows showing this year's timetable - a great idea and a new innovation this year.  Tonight there was a special 'pot d'amitie' - literally, a friendship drink which accompanies all sorts of events - to welcome the festivaliers to the village, and from the numbers of people streaming to the marquee next to the Mairie, I'm sure it was a success.

 Tomorrow though, Friday,  at our little supermarket G20, there'll be sampling and tasting of  local produce - meat, wine, honey etc.and music, also at Mille Saveurs which has a lovely selection of speciality foods, wines, etc. On display also in the marquee at G20 (which next week will be full of crysanthemums and artificial flowers for relatives to put on the graves of  departed loved ones at Toussaint) are winning jerseys from the 1940s onwards of cyclists in the Bol d'Or, one of the local Tour de France-type cycle races.

On Sunday it’s the  Fete de l'Automne/Autumn Festival with food and other stalls, apple pressing, a buvette (of course) and a cheap meal in the chapiteau/marquee next to the Mairie from about midday.  It’s plastic cutlery and paper plates, but at 8 euros for 4 courses, you can’t complain and its one of those events where everybody and their granny is there, all eating together (a bit squashed in a marquee next to the Mairie).  If you want to go a bit upmarket,  the other cafes/restaurants will also be open and putting on a special meal (22 euros at the Cafe des Sports).

The camper vans are from all parts of France - a sight worth seeing, and the strains of the accordeon and other music in the air from now 'til Sunday evening.  (The favourite tune we noticed in previous years is that well known Spanish tune 'Una Paloma blanca'!)


©Marie Tyler
19 October 2016


NB  Bob - if you are reading this - hope you are keeping well.

Thursday 26 May 2016

I can hear the grass grow . . .

We have here more than our fair share of rain - torrential Correzian rain - then sun, then rain, then sun . . .

Today after a cool start, we have had glorious sunshine, a temperature of 25 plus, a bit close at times with a storm threatening, but now at 7.30, it's still warm with all the birds still singing and busy as ever.

With storms and heavy rain forecast for the next few days (though that might not come to anything hopefully),  I can now see and/or hear four different grass-cutters.  Ours is Harry pushing an old electric machine which we inherited with the house, Monsieur Gomes cutting the next door neighbour's flat garden with a ride-on mower, the young fella, Yann,  across the road pushing a huge petrol-driven, then out of sight, over the hedge Monsieur Lagarde on his ride-on.

So, bring on the rain, then we'll all be back here again next time the sun shines!