Fête du Citron: Corso - Confetti!

It wasn't until I read Fabrizio's Torino Daily Photo today that I realised it's International Women's Day. Takes a man...

And so, inspired by Fabrizio's beautiful photograph of a little girl (do click on the link) here you see fun and games with confetti at the Corso. May these girls grow up to achieve their full potential.

Tomorrow - meet the clowns!

Fête du Citron: Corso - Madagascar

This char (float) represents Madagascar. If you missed the earlier posts, you can read about how these floats are constructed at THIS LINK.

This year's festival - the 75th - has beaten all previous records with 250,000 visitors. The last 'best year' was in 2003 when the theme was 'Pinocchio.' In a few week's time, we'll know what next year's theme will be.

Fête du Citron: Corso - Polynesia

During the nearly three week long Fête du Citron, there are three daytime Corsos (parades), two night-time Corsos and of course you can visit the Jardin Biovès to see the permanent displays, many of which we've already seen.

The Corsos consist of 10 chars (floats) made in the same way as the permanent displays - ie of lemons and oranges. They are each towed around the 3 kilometre route by a 4 x 4 vehicle. In addition to the floats, we'll be seeing 2000 musicians and dancers who have come from 20 different countries to perform.

In the top photograph you see some of the dancers preparing to perform. They are standing outside the beautiful English church in Menton which you can see if you click on the link. The small photograph shows the same beautiful girl performing later.

Below you see Polynesian musicians, followed by the dancers. The guys on the left holding stools follow them around as every few yards they stop, sit down and perform with their drums.

Fête du Citron - waiting for the Corso

So, here we are - waiting for it all to begin. We don't have tickets for the tiered seating so we'll be standing by the side of the road. I warn you - we need protective clothing. We are likely to be sprayed with water, bubbles, foam, tons of that stuff that comes out of spray cans and forms long dangly coloured sticky stuff on our hair - and confetti - buckets of the stuff that will be shot at us out of cannons. Are you game for it? If so, come back tomorrow - the Corso begins!

And it's not only people who are waiting for the Corso - Canelle is waiting too. Click on the link to take a look.

Walk to the Corso - 2

It's around 1.30 and we are walking to the Corso. Some people are lunching in a restaurant, some on the beach, some are simply sunbathing. These four photographs were taken with 15 minutes of each other yet people have rather different ideas as to how warm it is!

Walk to the Corso - 1

Let's go to the Corso. The Corso is the 'parade of floats' that is a big part of the Lemon Festival. I've never been before and didn't intend going this year but it was a lovely day and I had a feeling you might like to come along.

Parking is hopeless on Corso days so we've had to park a long way away and now we are walking by the sea to get to the Parade. This little girl threw stone after stone into the sea - quite big stones for a small child.

Did you throw stones into the sea or a river or a lake when you were a child?

Do come back tomorrow - we'll continue our walk along the seafront - until we reach the Corso and then we'll have fun.

Orchidée - 2

Following on from the posting a couple of days ago, here we are inside the Palais de l'Europe which is holding the Orchid Exhibition. You can see the outside of this beautiful building on the left.

The Palais de l'Europe was built in the neo-classic style
in 1909 - the architect being inspired by the great buildings of the 1850s - 1880s. It was originally the Kursaal Casino, the fourth casino to be built in the town. In those days opera, ballet and theatre companies performed for the delight of the visitors.

The building was acquired by the town at the end of the 1950s, and after 1961 was known as the Palais de l'Europe. Here you'll find the Tourist Office, the municipal library, a theatre, a gallery and exhibition halls.