Have a happy Halloween at Calais
Just 120 miles from London, Calais is a popular destination, but visitors can also find much to do in the surrounding areas.
In the nearby village of Marchiennes the Cucurbitades fair takes place on the first Sunday of every October and has become a hugely popular annual fixture.
Derived from the French name for pumpkin-like vegetables – such as courgettes, cucumbers or pumpkins – the Cucurbitades celebration adds a supernatural touch to the fun of the fair.
With Marchiennes the last town in the country to stage a sorcery trial, the backdrop of the local Benedictine abbey is the perfect place to bring the family for a fright night without any fear.
With the modern-day witches who pay tribute to their predecessors of a kindly bent, visitors among the 30,000 crowds who flock to the event are thrown thousands of chocolate coins.
Filed under: Calais, Halloween, Cucrubitades, fair, witches
Lille offers eastern promise
Visitors to Lille this autumn will be wowed with the city's paean to the culture of the east.
The northern French city, which is the capital of the Nord-Pas de Calais region, has announced plans to launch lille3000, a festival dedicated to the culture, food and art of all things Indian.
Following on from Lille's success as the European city of culture in 2004, the event kicks off on October 14th and will run right through to January 14th 2007.
A bi-annual event, this year's festival will begin with a Diwali-inspired celebration, featuring everything from fireworks, traditional dance to mesmeric music. The Metamorphoses exhibit, which depicts a visual journey into the history and culture of India, will be among the highlights.
For those interested in more intense entertainment, Lille is also well-known in European circles for sporting reasons, with the town's football team participating in the Champions' League.
With the club boasting scalps including Italian giants AC Milan, catching a game at the Stade Grimonprez-Jooris is a welcome way to spend an afternoon or evening.
Filed under: Lille, Indian festival, culture, football, sport,
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28.09.2006.