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It was a bit hard to find, but we had been told to come
to this small town for this festival. It was not a big event
and the town Roquebilliere doesn't sport much of a description in the
"Green Guide" beyond saying how many times the town has been
rebuilt after being flooded or devastated by rock slides.
The festival was delightfully unpretentious and seemed
intended for only the neighboring towns and rural inhabitants. We
were amongst the very few tourists and were treated like welcome
guests.
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Roquebilliere is set in
the bottom of a deep mountain valley. The river Vesubie flows
through town and has been as much trouble as it is beautiful. The
town has reportedly been rebuilt 6 times in the last 14 hundred years
but that
must have been some time ago as most of the buildings were showing
strong signs of wear.
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The whole festival was
flooded by the sounds of this band that wandered through the
crowd. They were just good enough to warm the heart but not so
good as to let you ignore them.
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There were almost as
many entertainers as audience. I have to assume that the dancers
were locals because they seemed mostly to be dancing for each
other. They were of all ages and many of the teenagers
carried the bored
looks characteristic of their superiority as they impatiently waited
their
turn. |
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The younger dancers
were much more attentive but divided between terror and delight at the
prospect. I could tell who their parents were by the half-hidden
gestures to tug at a sleeve or fix a ruffle.
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Roasted "Chataignes"
were my favorite but there were other products such as several
varieties of honey and cheese to sample. The French delight in
the subtle differences between products: different varieties,
preparation, and even soil they grew on or the farmer who tended them
all seem to inspire strong
opinions. I chose some "Miel du Chataignes" (honey from chestnut
flowers) but was warned that it was an acquired taste. It is a
bit
woody in flavor compared to more traditional wildflower or fruit tree
based honey. Less perfumy and more acidic. It should
probably be served at breakfast along side other savory treats and
definitely not used for deserts. Better with beer than
wine. You see what I mean. |
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The trip to Roquebilliere from Nice is through a narrow
gorge. The road has been widened several times but is still a
white-knuckle drive in places. There are foot trails that
criss-cross the road as they navigate through the mountains and one
leads to this footbridge. If crossing a swinging bridge 100
meters above the water wasn't challenging
enough, it ends
into the face of the cliff and is followed by steel rungs set into the
rock to get to the top. I'll have to return to find out
more. All of this is only forty minutes from Nice which is
France's fourth largest city.
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