Wishing you a Merry Minervois Christmas from Cathar Country!
It is indeed a merry minervois at the moment, and these last few weeks we have been getting in to the festive spirit (hic’) and visiting numerous Marchés de Noel in our local village of Laure Minervois and surrounds. There seems to be something on in every village at the moment!
Festive Fun at Palatz
The local markets feature local artisans displaying and selling their crafts, and there’s quite a different range of produce and goods from what is typically available on the regular weekly events. We’ve just bought some black turnips from the mountains – only found in this area. We also bought two stone owls for our gate posts which are being crafted specially for us and will be fitted in January. Photos to follow soon!
These gatherings also bring lots of activity from the local church choirs and school children selling crafts they have made. Wine flows aplenty and we get plenty of opportunities to practice our french and meet new people. Any excuse!
Truffle Time
Truffle Season is now underway and December 27th marks commencement of the first truffle fare in nearby Villeneuve Minervois. The Marche Aux Truffes takes place on the Promenade des Fossés from 11am. We can’t wait! These “black diamonds”, as they are known locally, are sold by weight and a 25 gram, nut-sized truffle sells for about 50 euros locally. Just a couple of shavings of black diamonds can cost hundreds of euros in a restaurant in Paris. If you are looking for a more exotic accompaniment to the usual Christmas offerings, a big stonker like this will set you back over 1,000€! It’s a really fun occasion though: the band plays, the cooks demonstrate recipes, the visitors taste… and try to buy!
There are five markets in the local area throughout January and early February. We’ll have more news on these truffle delights in the next couple of weeks, so watch out for an update in the near future!
Pigging Out in Carcassonne
A few days ago we had the Foie Gras fair in nearby Carcassonne. The highlight for us though had to be the pig racing: it takes place in a square arena, about 15 metres to each side with haystacks in the middle. Six enthusiastic children all get to pre-pick a pig of their own from an adjoining pen – which, since there aren’t many distinguishing characteristics between them, is mostly a case of selecting a number between one and six. These jockeys-in-waiting are each given a stick with which to guide a little piggie to its destination: around the arena, through the haystacks and then over the finish line. Winner is the first one to get their pig back into the pen!
Simple eh. So far so good, but of course as soon as the pen opens – after some fanfare – complete chaos and hilarity instantly erupts, with kids, piggies and sticks flying all over the place (the children are not actually allowed to hit anything with the sticks… according to the official rules anyway!). We joined the audience in cheering on our cute hog Mr. Percy (number two). Unfortunately we bet the wrong way: Mr. Percy ran in completely the wrong direction and basically did everything he wanted to do instead of what he was instructed! So no winnings for our chosen one, but the plucky lad who stole victory got himself a fancy box of chocolates and much respect from his pig-jockey peers!
Other than animal activities, the annual Christmas market – La Magie de Noel – is also scattered around town and well worth a visit. It has it all: skating rink, big wheel, sleds, carousel, reindeer, Santa’s Castle and winter sports resort with skiing! Carcassonne airport operates all winter so put it in your diary for next year!
I’ll close with a big THANK YOU to all the guests and new friends we’ve made this year, from France, the UK, the US, Australia, Ireland, Holland, Spain and Belgium: You made our first season at Domaine de Palatz such a joy and success, and we had so much fun meeting and hosting you. We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and look forward to welcoming you back in the New Year! Joyeux Noël!
– Denise
