September 24, 2007

Breizh Parade

This little extra post is especially for our blogger friends from Brittany ; Breizh = Britanny in local language.

There have been some important activities in Paris the last couple of days to promote the Britanny region and it was yesterday concluded with a parade on the Champs Elysées. Some 3000 musicians and dancers performed, mostly form Britanny, but there were also representatives from the other former Celtic nations (Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Galicia, Asturia…). There was a lot of bagpipe music (I love it). With the enormous crowd watching (and my late arrival) it was rather impossible to take some good photos from along the Champs Elysées, but I went to one of the side streets from where the parade started and managed to get few. A big popular success!

14 comments:

Shionge said...

Gosh, wish I was there to soak in this parade :D

Cergie said...

Bien sûr, je savais qu'il y avait cette parade ce week end sur les champs, mais j'ai eu l'originale à lorient. Et ce week end, nous étions dans l'Aisne. Un événement unique aussi...

Elles sont gracieuses, les "celtes", non ?

alice said...

C'est drôle...quand j'étais petite fille, on avait honte de tout ce qui avait trait à la Bretagne. Et j'ai vu les choses changer, oh, très doucement, avec un renouveau musical tout d'abord puis une redécouverte progressive du patrimoine. Et aujourd'hui, on peut suivre sa scolarité en breton grâce aux écoles Diwan (même à Paris!). Mais ceux de ma génération n'ont pas appris le breton...Merci pour ce post, Peter!

Cuckoo said...

Thank you so much Peter for once again making me relive the moments spent on Champs Elysées.

I could recount all the good walk, music, the shopping and all other good things like the Arc de Triomphe etc.

Anonymous said...

I have seen a lot of parades going that your famous street. From German occupation forces to the photos of your parade this day. And history has seen a lot more than me. It is a famous street with much history. It is like your tower. Without the name it is nothing but with names they become something in my memories. Nice photos and good commentary,

Neva said...

This looks like a great parade....love the kilts....

Peter said...

shionge:
Do you have some dress that you bought in Britanny? If you participated, I guess that with your look people would notice you! ... in a very positive way of course!

cergie:
Oui, elle sont gracieuses les celtes - aussi!

alice:
Merci des ces commentaires positives d'un bretonne!
Bevet Breizh!! (Correct?)

cuckoo:
So, you know the way!

oldmanlincoln:
You are so right! Wise words - as usual!

neva:
So, you love the kilts! And the bagpipes?

stromsjo said...

If I'm not mistaken France participated with a song in Breizh in the Eurovision Song Contest some years back.

Cheers from Stockholm!

Peter said...

per:
I believe you are right. These last years the Eurovision Song Contest is hardly followed in France and our representatives are completely unknown here. (This is not said against songs in Breizh - I adore the Celtic music!)

Anonymous said...

Nice pictures Peter !

lyliane six said...

Je pense que c'est la bretagne qui garde le mieux ses traditions et ses costumes. J'ai vu cette manifestation à la télé. J'ai assisté à une fête de village en Bretagne et mon voisin d'en face joue très bien du biniou, ça anime le quartier, j'aime beaucoup.

stromsjo said...

Over here the attitude towards EuroSong varies sharply. Every year before the contest there is a lot of speculation and even major betting going on. If Sweden does well that is treated as some kind of normality. When Sweden ends up in the southern end of the results table many vocal commentators begin criticizing the event itself: other countries are secretly conspiring, the rules are unfair or people are generally stupid and we shouldn't be a part of this since obviously you can't really compete in music... blah-blah and so on. Until next year of course when the interest surges again. Much like kids always expecting a party and with no patience whatsoever when things "go wrong".

Peter said...

catherine:
Thanks again for your kind words!

lyliane:
Je pense que tu as raison!

per:
I know that it's still a big issue in Sweden. ... and even in France - or anywhere - we will never forget Abba!

black feline said...

it will be good to soak in the fun once in a while...just for a day!