Saturday at the Market, dejeuner au soleil, and the Puy du Fou

Saturday was a busy day, full of the best of France--the food, the lovely countryside, and the history.  After breakfast, we left for the Cholet market to feast our eyes on lovely fruits, vegetables, charcuterie, cheese, and pastries.  We left with four bags, including a lovely beef roast and a box of eclairs.  There is always something missing, so we made a stopped at Carrefour.  We needed some various things for our lunch of tomato tart and our picnic dinner of ham and cheese sandwiches.

We were actually able to eat outside in the sun.  It was hot, but not too, and sunny enough that a straw hat was enough for me--no shade needed.  We feasted on cucumber salad, tomato tart a la Gabi, and cheese, a particularly ripe brie that I had just bought.  Okay--the eclairs had to wait to tea time--we were just too full. 

Everyone took a significant nap in the afternoon after the wine and sun.  We needed to since we were planning to see the Cinescenie of the Puy du Fou, and that would get us home at 1:30 or 2:00 AM!

We had an original thought--take a picnic and eat in the area of the Puy du Fou so we could get there early and get good seats and parking.  Several hundred others had that same idea, but we still got great parking and had a lovely picnic on the side of the parking lot.

The show was spectacular (www.puydufou.com) as always.  It was the story of the people of Vendee, from the 14th century to after WWII.  It focused on the lives of peasants who worked hard but still had some enjoyment in their lives, especially during May day events, the arrival of a king (Francis I), and various religious holidays.  Then various wars would interrupt their lives.  There were the Vendeen Wars, WWI, WWII.  The family of Jacques Mepillier, through whose voice this is told, sent off yet another son, father, husband to those wars.  There was death and devastation--especially in the Vendee area are the Vendeen War, a kind of extension of the French Revolution.  The people in the area did not like it that the Republicans burned their churches and arrested their priests, and they fought back with pitchforks and a strong will.  They were wiped out.  Slowly, slowly they came back to their peasant lives and their festivities.  That is, until another way came about.  So it turns out to be a story of the region, of the resilience of people, of the horrors of way, of how people adjust.  This is all told through a spectacular display of music, lights, dance, and pyrotechnics, What a show!