6 May 2006
This is a ceramic dog or lion or something.
6 May 2006
This is a ceramic dog or lion or something. There used to be a huge ceramic museum at Orléans but the WW2 was largely incompatible with porcelain figurines. The lion survived, though.
6 May 2006
Nicole imitates ceramic lions
6 May 2006
There was a procession from the Maison de Jeanne d'Arc to the closest church. The Maison de Jeanne D'Arc ("Joan of Arc's house") is a 1960's reconstruction of the medieval house in which Joan resided for the week or so that she was in Orleans. The original house was destroyed in WW2. The new house uses medieval materials scavenged from buildings destroyed by the war. It houses a museum which, while cheap, could only appeal to a Joan of Arc fanatic.
The procession is a re-enactment from 577 years and which Joan ordered to be repeated (although probably not with the idea that somebody would dress up as /her/) every year thereafter.
6 May 2006
A religious procession featuring a local teenage girl (red outfit with green spots) playing the role of Joan of Arc.
7 May 2006
When Joan of Arc entered Orléans the first time, after sneaking past Anglo-Burgundian troops, she brought with her much needed supplied (food) and many troops. 1/3 of the troops she brought were Scots.
The Scots would go anywhere to fight the English! Also, they were long-time allies of the French.
Hence, there was a Scottish festival going on in town for the fête de Jeanne d'Arc. This is a picture of scottish dancing.
7 May 2006
There was a Medieval Festival and a lot of people were in costume.
7 May 2006
There was an Italian drum corps and flag team that apparently had religious connections.
7 May 2006
I have never seen so many people dressed in funny costumes all in one place in my life.
7 May 2006
I was beginning to think I was dressed for the wrong century
7 May 2006
An Italian drum (and 2 bugle) corps and flag team did an amazing routine in front of the cathedral
7 May 2006
So I bought a helmet and sword...
Ok, that's a lie, but I could have gotten most of a suit of armor at the Medieval market. Mostly, I just consumed beverages made of fermented honey.
7 May 2006
I did buy a pair of coconut halves that I could knock together to imitate the sound of a horse . . .
The armor stands at the Medieval market in Orléans were impressive.
7 May 2006
As a part of the fête de Jeanne d'Arc and the medieval festival, "camps" were set up all over town where different medieval skills could be showcased. The vast majority of these had metal objects on sticks. They were demonstrated by folks who explained how they could be used to pull knights off of horses.
However, one camp was dedicated to music and super fun.
7 May 2006
These folks sang and played a wide variety of instruments. Note the viol (I think) on the far right.
7 May 2006
I have a friend now who plays bagpipes. She should have come with me to see this. I saw more bagpipes than I'd ever seen before or might ever see again.
7 May 2006
Just walking around town on the 7th of May in Orléans, one is likely to run into a group of troubadours or bagpipers or other music makers. The wail of bagpipes and ancient reed instruments echoed through the city.
7 May 20006
Here we have another band of musicians that came through. They later got access to a microphone and demanded that people buy them honey mead. (Well, Hypocras, which is like the same thing but mixed with wine and spices.)
They played while the horses got saddled.
7 May 2006
These guys did a very short re-enactment of the raising fo the siege.
Such re-enactments date from the very first anniversary of the siege being raised.
7 May 2006
Guys on horses fenced with guys on foot. It's apparently very difficult to hit precisely while on horseback, meaning they were very gentle lest they actually hurt their fellow re-enactor.
Also, the need for horse armor is immediately clear.
7 May 2006
It's always fun to see people fighting with swords.
7 May 2006
Hark! a Joan of Arc re-enactor.
7 May 2006
You can tell that she's supposed to be Joan of Arc because she's the only girl and because of the fleurs de lys.
7 May 2006
There was a lot of racing in circles.
7 May 2006
This was so awesomely cool.
7 May 2006
You can tell that she's supposed to be Joan of Arc because she's the only girl and because of the fleurs de lys.
7 May 2006
This is trim on a very old house in Orléans
7 May 2006
This is trim on a very old house in Orléans
7 May 2006
I missed the illuminations because I was getting incredibly slow service in a restaurant with a boar head in it.
8 May 2006
Nicole taught a small boy how to blow bubbles.
