We found ourselves in Arras-en-Lavedan, deep in a valley of the Pyrenees, wondering how to celebrate Christmas Eve. Our hope had been to celebrate Christmas with snow but it is not to be, here it is raining and foggy. We decided to attend the local church for the Messe des Bergers (the shepherds' mass) at 9:30 PM which we had read about on a flyer. We had no idea what it was but we were hoping for some Christmas music. The French custom is to be with family on Christmas Eve so we knew that things would be quiet. What we didn't know is how very quiet they would be. Surely, we thought, something would be open in the town at the bottom of the hill. After all, it is bigger than our village, some restaurants will be open . . . we thought . . . mistakenly! After nearly an hour of investigation only to find everything closed, I asked a shopkeeper who was himself just closing up. "I think the hotel is open. Wait a minute, I'll call them." Sure enough, he told them to look out for us and off we went. Their meal was 40 euros, consisted of 6 courses and would take hours. We decided to take one more drive down the old Lourdes road--perhaps Our Lady would hear of our plight? Luck? Our Lady? We discovered a Total gas station, just closing up. It was filled with food, typical of a Canadian gas station (but for the wine and whiskey!): ready made sandwiches (2), chips (1 bag), and for French flavour, some Madeleines. We arrived at the church to see a crowd huddled under the stone porch so we wolfed down the sandwiches and joined them. Suddenly applause, as a young woman came panting up with the key to the church!! We found seats and sat back to admire the interior.
If you search carefully, you can see David looking up at the crowd in the balcony!
Christmas morning dawned bright and sunny. How amazing that Santa Claus had found us in Arras and left gifts under our "tree"!
And then, it was off to the small local restaurant for Christmas dinner. No Total sandwiches today!
Here is the menu: Kir Royale et
Amuse-gueules (consisting of Saumon Fumé, Feuilleté de fruits de mer and of course, Foie gras et toasts). Then Caille farcie avec petits légumes followed by a Salade verte, all accompanied by a Pichet de vin rosé. And to top it all off Bûche de Noël.
The icing on the Bûche was the ability to connect with family via Skype and telephone. Amazing to be able to see our granddaughters, excitedly showing us their new dolls--in real time! This Christmas was, as many of our experiences have been, an adventure full of laughter and emotion. Certainly it is one that will remain a vivid memory in our hearts for years to come.
For those of you who would like to sample the singing of these shepherds, go to:
http://www.starzik.com/mp3/artistes/Eths_d_Azu-452898.html
Click on the "Noel en Val d'Azun" album. Then if you click on the arrow to the far right of each title, you can hear a small sample of each of the songs we heard. Amazon.fr carries the album. At the moment, it is sold out!
The area once belonged to the Duke of Bigorre whose dukedom was created in the ninth century. What the locals call "patois" is actually a language with its roots in Gascon, French, Latin and Spanish called Bigourdan.
"Sounat campanettas, tringlat carillous, Sounat las aubtas, cantat anjelous."
I have read that when the Virgin appeared to Bernadette at Lourdes, she spoke to her in Bigourdan, Bernadette's own language, causing the authourities to scoff! Why would the Virgin speak in this lowly patois? However, 150 years later Bigourdan still seems to be alive and well in the Valle d'Azun. The tourist signs are written in French and in Bigourdan.