Posted by David Lebovitz - 02 Mar 2014
Every year, beginning in
mid-February, thousands of farmers, wine makers, cheese makers, sausage makers,
and an arks’-worth of animals, makes it way to Paris for the annual Salon de l’Agriculture.
The salon began in 1870 in a country that was, and still is, justly fond of its
agriculture, which is celebrated on tables, in steaming cauldrons, on picnic
blankets, in restaurants, and ready-to-slice on cutting boards, all across
France.
The best of France converges on
Paris and last year, there were nearly three-quarters of a million visitors,
filling up the massive, grand halls of the Porte des Versailles, on the edge of
Paris.
There are exhibitors from twenty-two
countries in addition to France, as well as foods from tropical French regions.
And four thousand animals are trucked to Paris from the provinces to bring the
taste – and smell(!) – of the country, to Paris.
Like many agriculture fairs, there
are competitions, too, honoring everything from the liveliest livestock to the
best wines in France. But to me, it’s really an astounding place to enjoy the
best of France in one hectic visit. However, it’s impossible to see it all in
one day unless you have the stamina of one of those massive bulls in the pens,
or the men who stir (and stir and stir and stir) the giant pots of cheese and
potatoes.
Continue Reading Salon de
l’Agriculture...
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