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French Festival Is a Little Bit Country, a Little Bit Wine ’n’ Cheese
NY Times ^ | August 5, 2009 | MAÏA De La BAUME

Posted on 08/06/2009 10:35:14 AM PDT by a fool in paradise

Alain Ribaut does not speak English, claims to hate American food and has few personal connections with the United States.

But he thought Mirande, his sleepy hometown in southwestern France, needed a little something, perhaps even a glimpse of the American dream. So in 1992 he set out to organize the “festival de country music de Mirande,” which has grown into an annual event that now attracts more than 160,000 people, 40 times the population of Mirande....

Harley-Davidson motorcycles fill the parking lots, and speakers blare country music. Some people are transformed, too. Mr. Ribaut described how in this year’s festival, a local doctor “didn’t shave for four days so he could look like a real cowboy.”

...The French may sneer at what they call “American culture,” but there is deep affection, even fascination here, for the American West. They still have a special place in their hearts for spaghetti westerns and American television shows.

Mr. Ribaut even invites the stars of classic American television series like “Walker, Texas Ranger” to sponsor the festival, and country singers from America — most of them unknown here — come to perform. One year, the actors who portrayed the Ewing family in “Dallas” came to Mirande for the event.

“It’s just like in a western movie,” said Gina Debinska, a homemaker born in Poland who comes here every year and dreams of owning a ranch in the United States, even though she has never been there...

...Not surprisingly, the annual invasion of cowboys “à la française” is not always welcomed by all the natives. “Mirande needs this event; otherwise it would disappear,” said Carmen Azam, 60, who was born here. “But it doesn’t really fit this land. I’d prefer it if they revived the myth of d’Artagnan, our local hero...”

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Cheese, Moose, Sister; Music/Entertainment; TV/Movies; Travel; Weird Stuff
KEYWORDS: cheeseeating; culturewar; napl; snobs; surrendermonkeys

"Line dancing at the country music festival in Mirande, France. The annual event also attracts faux cowboys and John Wayne fans."


1 posted on 08/06/2009 10:35:14 AM PDT by a fool in paradise
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To: Slings and Arrows; Revolting cat!

What I think of when I think of French cowboys.

Not a bad read actually...

2 posted on 08/06/2009 10:36:45 AM PDT by a fool in paradise (There is no truth in the Pravda Media.)
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To: a fool in paradise

I was in Germany when John Wayne died. The headlines in all the papers were enormous.


3 posted on 08/06/2009 10:45:08 AM PDT by 1rudeboy
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To: a fool in paradise
“It’s just like in a western movie,” said Gina Debinska, a homemaker born in Poland who comes here every year and dreams of owning a ranch in the United States, even though she has never been there...

I wonder is she realizes there is also a huge country festival in Poland every year.

4 posted on 08/06/2009 10:46:58 AM PDT by dfwgator
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To: dfwgator

She could move into Texas’ hillcountry (which I’ve been told resembles part of Poland), hear Czech polka bands, drink Texas beers and eat fresh sausage, as well as owning a Texas ranch, and listening to country music.

Life is good.


5 posted on 08/06/2009 10:48:25 AM PDT by a fool in paradise (There is no truth in the Pravda Media.)
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To: a fool in paradise; MeekOneGOP; Conspiracy Guy; DocRock; King Prout; Darksheare; OSHA; ...
Vous pouvez dire le monde que vous n'étiez jamais ma fille
Vous pouvez brûler mes vêtements quand je suis allé
Ou vous pouvez dire vos amis au juste ce qui ont été un imbécile je
Et rire et plaisanterie au sujet de moi au téléphone

Vous pouvez dire mes bras de retourner sur le téléphone
Vous pouvez dire mes pieds de frapper le plancher
Ou vous pouvez dire mes lilps d'indiquer mes bouts du doigt
Ils n'atteindront dehors pour vous pas plus

Mais ne dites pas mon coeur, mon coeur breaky achy
Je juste ne pense pas qu'il comprendrait
Et si vous dites mon coeur, mon coeur breaky achy
Il pourrait faire sauter et tuer cet homme
Ooo

Vous pouvez dire votre mA que je me suis déplacé en Arkansas
Ou vous pouvez dire votre chien de mordre ma jambe
Ou dites votre falaise de frère qui est poing peut dire mes lèvres
Il jamais vraiment m'a aimé de toute façon

Oh dites votre tante Louise, vous disent à quelque chose svp
Moi-même sait déjà que je suis bien
Oh vous pouvez dire mes yeux d'observer dehors pour mon esprit
Il pourrait marcher dehors sur moi aujourd'hui

Mais ne dites pas mon coeur, mon coeur breaky achy
Je juste ne pense pas qu'il comprendrait
Et si vous dites mon coeur, mon coeur breaky achy
Il pourrait faire sauter et tuer cet homme
Ooo

Mais ne dites pas mon coeur, mon coeur breaky achy
Je juste ne pense pas qu'il comprendrait
Et si vous dites mon coeur, mon coeur breaky achy
Il pourrait faire sauter et tuer cet homme
Ooo

Ne dites pas mon coeur, mon coeur breaky achy
Il pourrait faire sauter et tuer cet homme
Ooo

Ne dites pas mon coeur, mon coeur breaky achy
Il pourrait faire sauter et tuer cet homme
Ooo


6 posted on 08/06/2009 10:48:46 AM PDT by Slings and Arrows (Crazy is the new sane.)
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To: a fool in paradise

Besides Tejano music is nothing but Polka with a Spanish accent.


7 posted on 08/06/2009 10:50:06 AM PDT by dfwgator
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To: Slings and Arrows

Trying to translate, look here!

A stereotypical french curse that is actually never used by real french people. Same as the mustache and the beret - something only non-french people think is typical of the French.

Non-French Guy trying to be French: Sacré bleu! I hev left my béret and stripy chemise in zee Café.

Real French Guy: *rolls eyes*

x: Sacre bleu! The cat has washed the dishes!

y: I knew she would if I asked her enough times.


8 posted on 08/06/2009 12:09:44 PM PDT by LucyT
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To: Cincinna; AdmSmith; Berosus; bigheadfred; Convert from ECUSA; dervish; Ernest_at_the_Beach; ...

A niece of mine once visited Nice.


9 posted on 08/06/2009 1:48:58 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/__Since Jan 3, 2004__Profile updated Monday, January 12, 2009)
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To: Slings and Arrows

Bravo! I never would have thought to translate that into French.

People actually do line dance to that song.


10 posted on 08/06/2009 2:13:34 PM PDT by FreedomOfExpression
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To: LucyT

You might be happier leaving it untranslated and helping the cat with the dishes.


11 posted on 08/06/2009 2:39:43 PM PDT by Slings and Arrows (Crazy is the new sane.)
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To: FreedomOfExpression

Thanks!

Translation was thanks to Babelfish.


12 posted on 08/06/2009 2:40:45 PM PDT by Slings and Arrows (Crazy is the new sane.)
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To: Slings and Arrows
It's no wonder you thought it best to leave it untranslated. I ran the entire thing through Babelfish, and here is one line:

And if you known as my heart, my heart breaky achy It could make jump and kill this man Ooo You can say your my that I moved in Arkansas Or you can say your dog to bite my leg

13 posted on 08/06/2009 3:04:01 PM PDT by LucyT
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To: LucyT
Here's the original song, w/lyrics. You've been warned.
14 posted on 08/06/2009 7:36:03 PM PDT by Slings and Arrows (Crazy is the new sane.)
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To: Slings and Arrows

I’m afraid to click on the link.


15 posted on 08/06/2009 7:57:13 PM PDT by LucyT
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To: LucyT

You’l live. You’ll just have a nasty earworm for a while.


16 posted on 08/06/2009 9:03:17 PM PDT by Slings and Arrows (Crazy is the new sane.)
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To: a fool in paradise; nctexan; MassachusettsGOP; paudio; ronnie raygun; Minette; fieldmarshaldj; ...

*** FRENCH POLITICS AND CULTURE PING LIST *** FREEPMAIL ME IF YOU WANT TO JOIN ***

Thanks for the post, Thanks to Sunken Civ for the PING

There is a part of SW France called La Camargue which really is cowboy country. The wild horses of La Camargue are world famous.

This sounds like a charming French town festival. It highlights the love/hate relationship that the French have always had with America and American culture.

Just as the French stereotypes of the American South are stuck in the past, Alambama ca. 1956, their stereotypes of the West, and cowboy culture,ranches,come right out of Amrerican B movies and TV shows They still worship John Wayne, and almost believe that JR is real.

All in all it sounds like fun Loving line dancing can’t be a bad thing.


17 posted on 08/06/2009 10:10:49 PM PDT by Cincinna (TIME TO REBUILD * PALIN * JINDAL * CANTOR 2012)
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To: a fool in paradise

You gotta love the French :)


18 posted on 08/07/2009 3:59:20 AM PDT by aimee5291
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To: a fool in paradise
And I thought we were strange!


19 posted on 08/07/2009 4:44:32 AM PDT by AnAmericanMother (Ministrix of ye Chasse, TTGC Ladies' Auxiliary (recess appointment))
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