A Year of Days: Day 11 - Voeux du Maire - an interesting French custom
At the beginning of each new year it is the custom for the Mayor of each municipality to invite a selected audience to receive his best wishes for the coming year and to give an account of the past year and the intentions for the coming one. This is followed by a 'Vin d'Honneur' and assorted nibbles.
In smaller communes - Paimpont has around 1500 inhabitants - everybody is invited to attend and Paimpont's event took place this morning. Here you see the mayor - Alain LeFeuvre - surrounded by the local councillors addressing a packed hall - around 400 inhabitants attended today. The champagne and the nibbles were very good!
Imagine it is like the State of the Union address given by our President and by our governors each year but without food. This is truly a touch of your personal life.
Sort of "State of the Town." In the US, we have The State of the Union from the President, and the State of the State from each of the state governors.
I love the name of your album for these type of shots... it fits them perfectly. Of many days, we make a life. :) So glad to learn of this custom and have a peek into your village life.
Nice capture! My husband's company (Total) does the Voeux du President at the beginning of the new year. Same idea, and a nice one I think. It was however postponed this year as it had been scheduled to take place on Thursday, the appointed day of mourning for the terrorist attack on Charlie Hebdo.
Ian