Fete Du Cassoulet In Full Swing

The Fete Du Cassoulet takes place every year in Castelnaudary, the capital of the Pays Lauragais region of Southern France. Made famous to many by the visit of the TV chef Rick Stein who visited the fete when traveling down the Canal Du Midi whilst filming the BBC TV series 'A French Odyssey'. This also became a book of the same name and included many of the recipes that Rick discovered on route; but done in his own particular style.

Rick had his Cassoulet in the Hotel de France restaurant. But the vast majority of the locals adorn a blue and white stripey sweater, and they really are sweaters at this time of the year, then take to the numerous marquees that are erected as temporary eating houses. There are lots of parades, concerts, shows and street entertainments. It is considered a celebration that effectively marks the end of the summer as it always takes place in the last week of August. This year it runs from the 23rd to the 29th August 2010, so we are now entering the last few days of the celebrations.

You can book on line for one of the meals this Saturday via this link http://www.fete-du-cassoulet.com/samedi.html which also gives you the agenda for Saturday's festivities.

For those that like a sedate pastime there is a flower parade at 15.00 on Sunday that goes all through the streets of the town after which the volunteers that help with the festivities get fed and are then treated to entertainment by the band "The Kopin" in the marquee at around 19.30.

The final run down carries on late into the evening on Sunday 29th with music provided by a DJ in the 'Place de la Republic' in the centre of town. After which all that is left to do is the big clear up and the putting of everything away until next year.