Lulu Lundi* Civry en Montagne, Antiques and the Fete du Pain (Bread Festival) 
A short commercial on TV promoting the Fete du Pain (Bread Festival) in Civry en Montagne (Burgundy, 20 minutes drive west of Dijon), grabbed my attention last week so we headed over to it yesterday. I was really looking forward to sampling all kinds of breads and seeing how it was made (They’d mentioned on the ad that they would focus on the methods passed down from generations ago. They even showed a baker kneading and preparing bread using ancient (well ancient to me) tools.) I imagined the heavenly smell of freshly baked bread wafting throughout this tiny village of 76 inhabitants.
Upon arrival, I kept waiting for intoxicatingly delicious aromas of bread and other baked goods, but I didn’t smell anything of the sort. As we approached, I could smell only one thing: a musty, pirates of the caribbean (the ride!), oldish, dungeony, damp odor. You know that smell? It’s sort of unpleasant.
While thinking “What the?!” We looked everywhere for bread. We didn’t find any at first. Instead, we found ourselves wandering this tiny village of well preserved buildings and artifacts dating back to 1930 through 1950, and some pieces from before 1900.
The buildings were open to the public to wander freely and we found ourselves in an ancient hair salon, school room, cafe, general store and found antiques of sabot-making machinery, early laundry machines, egg incubators, butter churns, toys, and many more antique items from household appliances to farming equipment.
This is a dental drill!
Sabot Machine
Most of the antiques and buildings are owned by one person, Monsieur Florent, a long time collector. He’s been collecting artifacts for 34 years and the collection is rather amazing. M. Florent also owns the village bread oven and we must’ve come too late because there was no more fresh bread!
Here’s the village oven that baked the bread we didn’t get to eat!
The village of Civry-en-Montagne is magnificently well kept and all the proceeds from events like this go to an association, which helps the village by restoring or repairing buildings and keeping them sufficiently maintained. It was pretty cool and I wasn’t really disappointed by the fact that there was no bread because it was fascinating to see all the artifacts, people in traditional costume and the general upbeat environment.
It was a pleasant surprise, plus there was a band playing original antique instruments and some dancers. I think I saw a hurdy-gurdy in there, antique French bagpipes and accordions.
I noticed a booth of basket weavers making beautiful handmade baskets, so we bought one made of chestnut tree bark and wood. It’s made in France! I feel I must seize upon these opportunities as more and more handmade items are being replaced by cheaper quality, machine made items in China, then sent back to France. There’s a group of 35 basket weavers from this area and they are part of another association. Their mission is to carry on and to preserve the old traditions of arts and crafts.
Back to the Fete du Pain and Civry en Montagne. Let’s admit it: it’s not REALLY a bread festival but rather, a way to get people to the village to see all the neat old things. That was fine with us; the collection is really incredible. If you miss the festival, Mr. Florent offers guided tours of the village’s antiquities and buildings from April 15 to October 15. The tours are by appointment only (telephone number is below) and cost 2.50 euros per person (However, I hope you’ll consider making a donation to the village’s association.)
Note: M. Florent is continuously in search of other artifacts, furniture, equipment, etc. – to add to the collection, so please contact him if you have anything pertinent to donate.
La Maison des Outils d’Autrefois
Contact: M. Florent
Grande-Rue
21320 CIVRY-EN-MONTAGNE
Tel. 03 80 33 42 51 (French only)
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Lulu Lundi* features our Boston Terrier, Lulu, somewhere in France every Monday.
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