Saturday May 21

 We left for our usual cafe ole and croissant (I have given up on a healthy breakfast—the chocolate croissants are just to good) for Cucuron hoping as always the GPS will get us there. The roads are scenic but VERY narrow—I can’t look. We got caught in a tight spot and I along with some neighbors had to get out and direct R’s driving. In Cucuron, we arrived on the day of their centuries-old tradition where the people of the village go out and find a poplar tree at least as tall as the church (24m/80ft) cut it down  and carry it back by hand with a boy riding it and waving a flag. This is done in thanks to the village's patron saint for saving Cucuron from the plague in 1720. It was a silly tradition but fun to watch.

Scenery along the way

This is  a very old door

Nice window in Cucuron

The town is full of excitement

This horseshoe is upside down

More scenery

Love all the flowers

This was growing inside a public toilet!

  

These tree roots are amazing

Our view of the pond at lunch

We noticed yellow flowers everywhere

The picturesque streets

   

Little did we know there was a festival going on to cut down a tree

And then the Festival began with the cutting of the tree

It had to be higher than the church

They pulled it down

Lots of folks were there

And then they brought it up the hill

All the men

And even the boys

Then they stopped for Beer

We wanted to see them take it to the church, but we had to go

They were still drinking beer when we had to leave.

I am certain it was tall enough