France - carnaval

[Othersideofthechannel]

Here in the north of France children have carnaval at school.

They wear fancy dress, parade around the village/town scattering confetti and then back to school for crepes or gaufres. Parents can join in the parade if they wish. People from the village who haven't got anything better to do come and watch.

Is this a purely northern phenomenon?

We have it too ( Rhone-Alpes). Various tractors and trailers are requisitioned and bedecked to carry the polyester clad.

It is on a Saturday though, so everyone turns out, and a band leads the parade through the village.

Yep, same here in South Brittany. Sometimes they burn a funny stuffed man effigy thing too - supposed to represent the end of winter. Never had the crepes (or the tractors) though...

It's alive and well in the Paris suburbs, too, but personally I find the whole thing a bit drab compared to German experience. (Although perhaps I was younger then and free to go on a three-day drinking / partying session. Hardly the case, now!)

This is the children's version we're talking about.

The adult version involves plenty of drink, herrings and lasts nearly 2 months!

They have a watered-down version in the south of France too - basically the kids just dress up, although maybe that's just because we were in a city. I did go to a very scary carnaval parade in a village once and my 4yo was terrified!

Never heard of it!

FC Get your arse back over to Feb 2010 right now

ps It's climber

sorry everyone else, as you were