Festival des Hermits

... as in Hermit the frog. Bizarre, all of it. In among the April showers that bedeviled the market, the carnivalistes deftly waylaid all and sundry (blocking the roads and importuning car drivers) for some sous which they then take to the cafes and drink. There were about 150 of them gathering this morning so it'll take a bit of work to keep them oiled; when I heard them last, about 3.00, the band were playing the traditional air - tump de de de tump tump tump tump, la la la, diddle diddle de dum - at twice the traditional speed, very impressive.

What it all about??? A miller who saved the area from the plague, way back? erm... there are lots of stories, unprovable by now. But its a good ruse for the joyful young to get out and be bad on Easter Sunday.