Montmartre Grape Harvest Festival , Paris
We usually don't follow the playbook for tourist when we go on vacation, so we knew right off we were doing two touristy things at the most while we were in Paris. And then out of the blue a twitter friend, @krsg clues us in on a wine festival, or more specifically the Montmartre Grape Harvest Festival.
What I found out about it on google,
In 1937 the Mayor declared the day marking the end of Montmartre's Grape Harvest as a day of celebration. He sought to prohibit construction of more housing on the hills of this neighborhood to maintain the cultivation of vineyards and in this way promote the continued existence of this exquisite wine, famous the world over.
What I can tell you is it was craz-eee, think Mount Adams x 50 then add Oktoberfest and Taste of Cincinnati together and mix them all up. At first the shear amount of people almost scared us off, but we didn't travel the whole way there just to back out when the going got tough. And boy did sticking around pay off. I found a liter beer, locally brewed for 4€ and Ms 5chw4r7z found a bottle of wine for 6€ The only thing left?
Something to eat, so what are the chances we run into a Mass. high school French teacher to help us order food? I don't know what the odds are but that's exactly what happened.
These guys got a big cheer. No idea what it was all about.
Yeah, that stay off the grass sign is on the wrong side of the fence, there were about 2,000 people on the front lawn of the church by time it got dark.
OH CRAP, the State Department said to avoid large crowds.
Too late.
We just shrugged and went back to drinking.
Wine and motorcycles, the universal language, you can make friends anywhere with those two things.
Didn't understand anything they said, but we waved our arms wildly and it kinda worked.
We just hung out with thousands of others drinking wine, eating and watching the sun set and the lights come on in Paris.
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2 comments
Montmartre’s reputation might presently be all about sex shops and windmills but, starting from the Middle Ages, this area is also famous for Grape harvest festival. It seems like you people had an awesome time.Who are those guys who are dressed in white.Looks like they are for cheering.
ReplyDeleteThis type of festival are special in Paris.
Eating cheap in paris
SEX SHOPS???
ReplyDeleteThings people should have told us a week ago.
Someone could have clued us in on this a little earlier.