The fate of fêtes hangs in the balance in rural France
There are donkey rides, stands, trampolines, historical re-enactments as well as food and drink aplenty, as villages across France hold their traditional fêtes this spring.
In the east, Ungersheim is looking forward to its annual pig race this month. Saint-Quay-Portrieux in Brittany held its yearly scallop festival a fortnight ago, as Retjons in the south offered a pétanque competition, a car boot sale, paella and wine.
Yet for the organisers, it is not all fun, games and gastronomy — they say folk traditions are at risk of petering out due to rising costs, fewer helpers and an escalation in red tape.
'Fêtes are under threat,' according to Thomas Meslin, head of development of Les Plus Belles Fêtes de France (France's Most Beautiful Fêtes), an association
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
See the stunning pics of Matildas star Ellie Carpenter's French wedding as she marries her soccer player girlfriend
Matildas star Ellie Carpenter has tied the knot with her teammate Daniëlle van de Donk in a breathtaking ceremony that came almost 18 months after they got engaged. The 25-year-old met the love of her life as they both played for top French side Lyon and the Aussie revealed their nuptials in a post to Instagram on Wednesday night. Carpenter treated her followers to two photos of the wedding, which was held at a mansion in France, along with the caption 'I choose you. I will always choose you.' The post drew heartfelt messages from her Matildas teammates Emily van Egmond, Emily Gielnik, Kyra Cooney-Cross, Steph Catley and Charli Grant. Another Matildas star, Teagan Micah, was part of the wedding party. Van de donk's gown was made by leading bridal brand Pronovias, while Carpenter's gown - which featured a veil - was created by Collingwood-based custom dress maker Mia Ateliers, with the soccer star describing it as 'the dress of my dreams'. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ellie Carpenter (@elliecarpenterr) The ceremony - which was the centrepiece of three days of celebrations - was held at the Château Hermitage de Combas in southern France's Servian region. 'The setting is so lush and green, it's beautiful,' Carpenter told Vogue. 'It's got this unique, elegant vibe but still feels grounded in love and who we are as a couple. Intimate, natural, and full of heart.' The couple met while playing internationally and really got to know each other when van de Donk joined Lyon in 2021. They first went public with their romance in 2023 and announced their engagement on New Year's Day last year. The Matildas defender shared the news to Instagram alongside a loved-up photo of the couple taken in front of a stunning ocean vista in the Maldives. In the image, Ellie is seen embracing her fiancée as she flashes her stunning engagement ring. Danielle captioned the touching frame with some tender words. 'My person for life,' she wrote, adding a red love heart and ring emoji. That announcement came after Carpenter spoke out about the cruel abuse she received from online trolls following the Matildas' loss to England in the Women's World Cup semi-final on home soil. She was forced to turn off the comments on her Instagram account after an unfortunate mistake in the 71st minute of the match that proved costly in Australia's eventual 3-1 defeat. Carpenter was given time off by the Matildas for her nuptials and was not in camp when the side's new coach Joe Montemurro addressed the squad for the first time late last month.
Daily Mail
7 hours ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Christine Lampard shows off her washboard abs in black bandeau bikini as she soaks up the sun with husband Frank during South of France holiday
Christine Lampard wowed in black bandeau bikini as she soaked up the sun with her husband Frank during their South of France holiday on Monday. The couple, both 46, are currently enjoying some time away from work as they unwind together with friends. And the Loose Women presenter flaunted her incredible physique as she showcased her washboard abs in the tiny two piece. Meanwhile Frank went shirtless as he opted for a pair of blue striped swimming shorts and shades. The former footballer enjoyed a refreshing dip in the pool with a group of male friends, laughing and chatting as they cooled off next to the Mediterranean waters. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the Daily Mail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. The couple, both 46, are currently enjoying some time away from work as they unwind together with friends He then later returned to the couple's balcony where he joined Christine for a spot of sunbathing as they were seen chatting together. Earlier this week Christine was seen looking summer chic as she fit right in at the swanky resort and showed off her sophisticated sense of style in a pair of white linen trousers and strappy top. She later changed into a navy jumpsuit and stylish shades as she looked out at her muscular spouse who was enjoying a cooling swim in the sea. The manager of Coventry City showed off his tanned and toned physique in a pair of bright orange swim shorts as he enjoyed his time off after the football season. Their fun-filled holiday comes after last month Christine revealed the reason her husband Frank often used to cancel their dates at the start of their romance. The loved-up pair have been together since October 2009 and got married in 2015. They are approaching their 10th wedding anniversary this year and Christine has now opened up about their early dating days where things weren't all plain sailing. When they met he was busy playing for Chelsea but used to cancel dates with her when the team didn't win. Frank covered up in a black T-shirt as Christine was seen beaming in pics He told the Mirror : 'What keeps me and Christine going is we're there to support each other and we make each other laugh. We have a similar sense of humour' She told The Sun: 'When he was playing, he used to cancel nights out when Chelsea didn't win. Thankfully, it didn't happen that often, as luckily, Chelsea won a lot!' 'It was actually alright. He would be annoyed just because he takes it all so seriously!' She added that football was a whole new world for her and didn't understand why it was such a big deal. Christine explained: 'I went to an all-girls' school, I didn't have brothers. Football just wasn't a thing. I couldn't have cared less. And then, suddenly, I started to care. 'The more I went to the games, the more I got it. I thought, 'Oh my god, I see why people are into this. There is something magical about it'.' It came after Frank revealed the secret to his happy marriage with his beloved wife Christine. He told the Mirror: 'What keeps me and Christine going is we're there to support each other and we make each other laugh. We have a similar sense of humour. 'Christine's quite sharp and we're normally thinking the same thing, so the same situations make us laugh - I think laughing together is important for a happy marriage.' Frank was introduced to his wife at The Pride Of Britain Awards by fellow TV presenter Piers Morgan in 2009. Christine previously admitted she and the footballer were not even meant to be at the awards ceremony the night they met. Speaking on Lorraine, she said: 'It's a strange one it is because 10 years ago that we met at them, it was one of those nights that neither of us were meant to go to. 'It was a last minute thing for him and I arrived at the awards late because of work. We were sat on tables next to each other.' The couple welcomed their first child together, a daughter called Patricia - named after his late mother who tragically passed away in 2008 - in September 2018. Frank also has daughters Luna, 19, and Isla, 17, with his former partner Elen Rivas, but they went their separate ways in 2008. Christine previously told how she thinks the secret to her marriage with Frank is that they are still each other's best friend. She said: 'We're still absolute best mates. He'll be the first person I'll pick the phone up to sort anything out with. And the biggest thing for me going back to my love of comedy, is he makes me laugh. 'And that is such a powerful thing to me - I have to be able to have a giggle… We just have proper laughs. We have the same points of view on things. 'We don't argue over parenting or how things run in the house. We sort of sing off the same page and that sort of makes everything flow… 'The basis is, there's love, we've got each other's backs and we're supportive. And if he suggests that some job is happening and he wants to do it, we'll make it work.'
The Sun
11 hours ago
- The Sun
Inside Paris & Tyson Fury's new gypsy wagon which comes complete with light-up bed, traditional carpet & golf-leaf decor
PARIS Fury has showed off the extravagant new 'toy' her family are loving - a gigantic gypsy wagon with gold interiors and a sleeping area. The glam mum-of-seven uploaded a series of clips to Instagram showing off her kids enjoying the swanky caravan. 11 Boxing legend Tyson, aka the Gypsy King, could be seen tucking some cereal inside the wagon, which came with its own stove. Meanwhile, the kids looked delighted as they reclined on the bed inside the decadently-decorated wagon, which had velvet curtains, LED lights and a gold decor. Paris added the caption: 'The boys new toy. 'They really thought they were gonna stop in there and got scared when me and their dad walked out.' From the outside, the Bill Wright wagon looks like a traditional gypsy caravan, with the steps leading up inside the beautifully-decorated home. Although it hasn't been confirmed what Tyson and Paris paid for the wagon, if they bought it, a similar Bill Wright lodging, which dated back to 1910, sold for $44,000 (£32,576). While this number seems eye-watering, it is just peanuts for the Fury family, with Gypsy King Tyson estimated to have a staggering net worth of £110m. The couple appear to be making the most of their wealth recently, with the couple enjoying a child-free bank holiday to Monaco and Lake Como. During the luxury trip, they flew by private jet, watched the Formula 1 and went on a superyacht. It is not just mega-money fights where Fury - dad to Venezuela, 15, Prince John James, 13, Prince Tyson II, eight, Valencia, seven, Prince Adonis Amaziah, five, Athena, three, Rico, one - makes his millions. Inside mum-of-seven Paris Fury's glam bank holiday weekend away from the kids - from travelling in a private jet to night out partying with Tyson He also has his own Furocity energy drink, owns a number of bars, has three best-selling books and is endorsed by brands like Lucozade. Tyson and Paris were also well paid for his Netflix reality TV show " At Home with the Furys". Despite their riches, Tyson has revealed he will not be giving his seven kids a penny. 11 11 11 He explained: "I want my kids to get their own money, do their own things and be their own people. "I don't believe in just giving all your money to your kids but it will make them weak, spoiled and not value anything, worthless. "They'll end up getting to 35 and never having done anything for themselves, apart from spending dad's money." 11 11 PARIS' WEALTH Her husband may be worth £110m, but Paris isn't resting on her laurels when it comes to topping up her own bank account. Instead, the savvy mum-of-seven's secret private company, Paris Fury LTD, has recorded a yearly profit of almost £200,000, meaning Paris, 35, is raking in an incredible £3,800 every week. These assets are likely to include her book How Does She Do It, big money clothing collaborations with the likes of New Look, magazine deals and social media adverts. 11 The Fury family live in a £1.7million mansion in Morecambe, which has The Gypsy King logo emblazoned on the tarmac drive. Inside Tyson and Paris Fury's love story WITH world champ titles, multiple kids and a beautiful wife by his side, Tyson is much-loved by the nation, but his romance with Paris dates back to their teenage years. Paris met Fury when she was just 15 at a mutual friend's wedding. However, it wasn't until a year later, when their paths crossed again on a night out in Doncaster for her 16th birthday, that they began dating. Paris explained: "He was my first boyfriend as I was not allowed a boyfriend until the age of 16. He is the only boyfriend I have had. 'Tyson would train in boxing during the week and then come and see me at the weekend. I would always be so excited at the thought of seeing him.' In 2008, they tied the knot in front of 400 guests and slept together for the first time on the night of their wedding. In 2016, Fury's mental health issues, cocaine and alcohol abuse, and intolerable mood swings threatened their seemingly unbreakable marriage. On occasion, Paris would even contemplate leaving - packing her bags and getting into her car. However, she'd just stop herself - admitting she couldn't leave Tyson to "crash and burn".
