The Class of 2010
Categories: life-in-general
Tags: Village Life
Date: 05 June 2010 10:50:30
No, not graduation day, but "La Classe"...I don't know if this is only a Rhone-Alpes, or even Departement 42 (Loire), thing but every year there is La Classe. Everyone whose "decade" it is (they are 10, 20, 30 etc in that year) parades through the streets and has a meal together. As Mr D and I were both 50 last year, it was our Classe...but for reasons too long and complicated to go into, we didn't take part.
But today is this year's Classe. There was a Mass for those who wanted to take part - by the state of the 20 year olds, I'm guessing that they spent the time tanking up rather than celebrating Mass - followed by much joyous bell ringing. Then the parade. First there was the brass band from Cremaux (just up the road)
followed by the younger element:
(sorry about the not very good photo!) There was only one-year old. I guess any born after today will have to wait 10 years before they can celebrate!
The procession went past our house and on to the Maison de Retraite - the old people's home - where the band played and bouquets would have been presented to those whose Classe it was. The 20 somethings didn't go up to the MdR - they stayed and danced on their float.
They really were very rowdy, and this is before their official aperos and dinner!!! It was good to see that everyone who could join in, did:
...even the 90 year olds!
But when the procession started to go up the hill, there were some problems with the 20 Y-O's tractor...
The procession has come to a grinding halt as the tractor pulling the wagon has run out of steam! You can see how each group is wearing a different coloured hat, and each person had a matching rosette too.
I'm a little sorry we missed out on our Classe last year, but hopefully in another 9 years we'll be still here and will be able to process through the streets...Nous verrons...