Paris is a wonderful place to live for those who enjoy the finer things in life. It is also a great place to live for those who want to know what those finer things are. France's biggest claim to fame (not counting the Concorde, which was half English anyway) is their luxury items. Wines, cheeses, meats, breads; it all tastes better in France. And let me tell you this, these guys know how to show it off.
Paris hosts many expositions to highlight their incredible ability to produce luxury consumables called Salons. Think of them as festivals in South Carolina except replace "Poultry" (Leesville, SC; http://www.batesburg-leesville.org/poultry/indexp.htm) or "Chitlin' " (Salley, SC; http://www.chitlinstrut.com/) with "Independent Vineyards" (http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2004/nov/13/france.paris.travelfoodanddrink) or "Gourmet Food and Drink" (http://cultureetloisirs.france2.fr/cuisine-recettes/actu/30751124-fr.php). Unlike SC, you do have to buy a ticket to get in, but you can always con the merchants at the booths inside to give you free tickets. Also unlike SC, once inside there is a plethora of free tastings. Thousands of them. And we are not talking about a morsel or two of crumb cake. Foie gras, pate, dried meats, and, of course, the finest wines in the world await your palate. For free. Let me repeat that; you get inside, you drink wine and eat foie gras at hundreds of booths, for free.
Miles and miles of anything that is "luxury food and beverage" is at your disposal. You can see people walking around buying cases of fine wines at grocery store prices, ready to fill their cellars with all that is good about France. I am a big fan of French cheese (former WWII General and then President of France Charles de Gaulle once said that it is impossible to govern a country with 365 different kinds of cheese) and these salons are where it is at! Cow, Sheep, Goat, Blue, White, moldy, soft, hard, perfumed, and stinky mingle together waiting to be paired with just the perfect red, white, or bubbly.
If "luxury" isn't your slice of pie, then why not visit the "Salon d'agriculture"? It is basically the State Fair of France. Every beast that happens to be born (or happens to be slaughtered) in
France is on display at this event. And yes, it smells just like home, if your home is a farm that raises cattle. One of the best things about this salon is that you get to walk through and see enormous animals, then walk into the next building and eat them.
France is on display at this event. And yes, it smells just like home, if your home is a farm that raises cattle. One of the best things about this salon is that you get to walk through and see enormous animals, then walk into the next building and eat them.
Animals are selected for blue ribbons (like Saphir here on the right, the biggest doggone bull I have ever seen, weighing in at a mere 3549 lbs). You can also see the Presidential Cock. Don't think Sarkozy, think the national symbol of France, the male chicken. Each year the president himself comes down to the salon to pick out the best looking bird and gives it his special award. Well, he does more than that. The agriculture vote here in France is like the moral majority vote in the States. 
Since all these events are held in Paris, you can eat, drink, and look to your hearts delight, and not worry about being over the limit. Just head home by hopping on the subway, which incidentally smells just like home. If you home is a pig farm.
1 comment:
this is good stuff! let's hear more about that presidential cock!
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