Three 2CVs in the Big Parade

The third and final day in the gang's madcap adventure in Northern France in which the main event is the Carnival Parade up the main street of La Chapelle d'Armentieres. Prior to that though are many and various festivities around the arrival of a busload of visitors from the twin-town of Birchington.

There is a flower market all around the Mairie (Town Hall), a brass band plays and marches about, pigeons are released from wicker cages and the town's Carnival Queens and court (Les Damoiselles) and Mayor do presentations and handing over of ceremonial keys to the town from last year's court to this years. Dad, Andy and another 2CV-ist (Geoff) show their cars again on the pavement opposite the Mairie and at one stage receive a parking contravention ticket put under the windscreen by a joking Mayor, Bernard Coisne who assures us in heavily accented English "They are not real". Just as well - the fines marked are up to 2500 Euros!

Everyone adjourns to the Sports Centre for a lunch and aperitifs reception to meet the Birchington lot (who the gang know anyway from 2 years ago's 'home' and 'away' visits.

Then the cars must be fired up and driven down to the top end of the high street to meet the assembling carnival parade, which the 2CV's are to lead. Dad's car and the old 1961 girl collect various female locals, their Hostess for the weekend and other 'dignitaries' and family to fill the back and passenger seats - everyone is charmed by the iconic car and wants a ride in the Carnival. All the usual carnival lunacy ensues - noise, marching, line-dancing, baton twirling, horns blaring, music, people dressed as bananas and gorillas etc.

The cars lead the parade back down to the 'Restaurant Scolaire' where at the Mayor and others up on a covered, bunting-bedecked podium review stand. The Mayor says lots of nice things about 'nos amis Anglais et les deux-cheveaux' including joking about how many young ladies you can get in the back. At that stage the gang's work is done. They park up in the central reservation allowing the parade to stream by either side (once reviewed by the Mayor club by club, school by school, association by association.... it will go on for hours)

'Les Anglais' are invited up onto the review stand for a sit down and a watch of part of the parade, but soon they are looking at their watches, anxious to head North and not miss their 20:30 ferry booking. They hit the road, convoying back up through Hazebrouke, St Omer and Ardres till they pull into the Port of Calais and its passport control queues. All grand so far.

So what of this mis-adventure of which I have spoken? This cause of anger and angst in some parties?........ Oooh - Dad's calling me away for a walk and a sweetie, so more on that tomorrow....

Deefs (Whoosh!)