The French celebrate food and wine with annual festivals.
Food and wine are important to the French. French chefs and winemakers have very high standards. The rest of the world benefits from France's culinary passion, and the citizens of this European country celebrate their food culture with annual festivals feting everything from pigs to pastries, and wine to sparkling water.
Festival du Boudin/The Black Pudding Festival
The March festival is held in Mortagne au Perche, Normandy, France, and hosted by the Brotherhood of the Knights of Blood Sausage. Also known as blood pudding or black pudding, it isn't a pudding at all; its fourth name, blood sausage, best describes the final product. A combination of blood (cow, pig and sometimes goat or sheep), meat, grain, yam, and meat fat may also be used. Prizes are given in many categories.
Festival du Boudin/The Black Pudding Festival
Mortagne au Perche
Normandy, France
011-33-2-37-52-17-62
boudin-mortagne.com
La Pourcailhade/Festival of the Pig
Each late July or early August, this festival celebrates everything that is porcine with breakfast sausages, piglet races, pig art exhibits, pork tapas, booths purveying pig delicacies and apparel, and a pig-calling championship.
La Pourcailhade/Festival of the Pig
Trie Sur Baïse
Hautes Pyrénées, France
011-33-5-34-44-18-18
pourcailhade.com
Coupe du Monde de la Patisserie/World Pastry Cup
In its 21st year in 2010, and held in conjunction with the SIRHA/International Hotel and Catering Exhibition in Lyon each January, this event hosts teams from all over the world (France is proud to have won the Cup in 2009). Teams are judged for presentation, taste and difficulty of execution in a number of categories including chocolate, ice sculpting, desserts and frozen desserts.
Coupe du Monde de la Patisserie/World Pastry Cup
SIRHA , 3 Avenue Lake Contance
Le Bourget du La 73370 France
011-33-4-78-17-62-26
cmpatisserie.com
Chicken Festival Saint Sever/Clôtres Jacobins, Saint-Sever
This festival, held each December in Saint-Sever, celebrates the region's chicken farmers and chicken recipes, especially the roast chicken. The event has a medieval theme and market. It is free and welcomes everyone.
Chicken Festival Saint Sever/Clôtres Jacobins, Saint-Sever
Saint Sever Tourism Office
Saint Sever, France
011-33-5-58-76-34-64
saint-sever.fr
Roanne Festival Open Table
A fete of area restaurants (60-plus of them), this October event gives visitors an opportunity to sample the offerings of these establishments---food and beverage---see cooking demonstrations, attend cooking workshops, partake in wine tastings, and enjoy music and live entertainment.
Roanne Festival Open Table
Office de Tourisme du Grand Roanne
Route de Seigné
Villerest 42300 France
011-33-4-77-69-67-21
roannetableouverte.com
Fête des Fromages/Cheese Festival
Featuring the cheeses of France, this event includes sampling, an open market, petting zoo, cheese judging, outdoor dinner, and music and dancing. Over 40 cheese makers exhibit.
Fête des Fromages/Cheese Festival
Rocamadour, France
Tourisme Rocamadour
L'Hospitalet
Rocamadour 46500 France
011-33-5-65-33-22-00
rocamadour.com
Tags: Saint Sever, annual festivals, Black Pudding, Black Pudding Festival, Boudin Black, Boudin Black Pudding