Pau Local Customs

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Ah, Carnival, nothing very original, and. . . Rio, Nice, Cologne, etc. . . are so well known, what is special here to put in a VT tip?
Carnaval is :
Singing, dancing and merry-making until you drop
Happiness, laughter and tolerance
Dressing as a woman when you're a man
Dressing as a man when you're a woman
Wearing a mask and disguising your voice
Denouncing unfairness and the world's leaders
Making fun of the sour-pusses, the snobs
Letting go, rebelling, making your fantasies run wild
Showing that you're proud to be Bearnais, should you be born here or elsewhere
It is a bearnese carnival, with special protagonists and lasts about one month long ; the city loves her carnival, and there is “something in the air” during carnival time.

The story of Carnaval Biarnes, programs, past carnivals, are on this website I recommend to look at if you come to Pau during carnival time.
http://www.carnavalbiarnes.fr/
Things are happening in the city here or there, program can also be found at the tourist office, and. . . just ask or follow people, specially on evenings.
mainpicture On one Saturday, many people gathered Place de Verdun (Planta Alta in Bearnese), the colourful disguised crowd is there.
picture 2POMMM-POOOOOM-POOOOOoooMMM, how to “translate” the deep sounds of the helicon, and the drums? Many music bands participate to the carnival. The bands are amateurs, of course, gangs of friends, and lots of other groups either make music, or choose a theme for the parade like on next pictures.
picture 3:Tchancayres (stiltwalkers): these are special ones probably telling about death and hell, given the colours and seen only from back, the wolf head.
picture 4: Dancers with colour ribbons, an example among lots of others (next tip, may be)
picture 5: Who are these princesses behind their masks or paintings?

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As written in the previous tip, the Carnaval happens also at night. Music on the streets and music, dance, drinks, in a big tent on Place de Verdun. Except drinks, it is all free. At night also is the bear hunting (see website), the burning of St Pançard, the evil “patron” of this carnival. I am not tourist here and during day I am supposed to work, and, well, I will try to participate to the bear hunting next time (as a bear, because, it is something like girls try to catch the boys more or less disguised as bears. . . )

main picture % Here at the entrance to the tent at night, lots of nice encounters can be done. . . and it is a lot of fun.
picture 2% a This butcher. . . not sure he drank only water tonight !
picture 3: These are also pigs strolling around during carnival;
picture 4: Ah as the French elections for president are coming soon (well, 2 month), some people even disguise and mock the politicians; the names are written in Bearnese, and I like a lot Sarkozy as Schtroumpf des banlieues (suburbs smurf, as a reference to the unrests in some French suburbs last (2005) winter where he explained his conception of law and order.
picture 5: Some random pictures taken on a Saturday; giant figures, disguised people, good mood, . . .

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Of course, no need to go for a hike if you want to go to the market; just telling that if you want to have a good picnic during the day, I recommend to buy food here early morning, rather than to buy plastic food in a supermarket!
The central market (Halles de Pau) is open every day (except Sunday) from 7:30a.m. to 1:30p.m.
There are two main sections, one for the producers, peasants, gardeners, and another section where you find, meat, fish, and general grocery.
In the peasants section, you find vegetables, fruits, etc, and home made cheese, the wonderful Pyrénées cheese, never the same from one producer to the other, other cheeses, milk, eggs, etc. . .
People there are very kind, always have some kind word or something more to give you (I never buy parsley or celery leaves, but I have always when I come back from the market!).
In the Other section, fresh fish from St Jean de Luz is always available and there is lots of choice; of course, oysters every Saturday during the “R” months (Oysters are good during the months which have a “R” in their names), tuna fish from St Jean, etc. . .
Plenty of butchers, pork-butchers and local specialists of poultry, with fat ducks, geese, and chicken from the Landes.
Some exotic fruits and vegetable vendors are here also, spices, etc, etc. . . it would take pages to describe, I better comment a few pictures.
The main picture, shows the peasant market in September. On picture 2 is my favourite cheese producer, December 2006.
The fish vendor (September 2006) weighting mussels on picture 3 has always a nice smile and after weighting adds some stuff to make “bon poids”! (good weight!).
Delicatessen during Christmas time are shown on picture 4, and poultry on picture 5.
Well, ready for the picnic? Delicatessen, sausages, ham, cheese, fruits, just have to buy some bread, and there we go for a hike, hope the weather god will be kind!

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Easy! It is a soup, a thick Bearnaise soup, the one all restaurants have on their menu, and you never have the same, even in the same restaurant, from one day to the other! Well, you understand there is no fixed recipe, and each chef or family mother (father sometimes, not all Bearnais are machists!), has his own way to cook it, and to choose the ingredients to do it.
As examples, here are 3 recipes you can find on the web, but there are many more:
http://www.cuisine-recettes.com/pages/recette.php/garbure.html
http://www.supertoinette.com/recettes/garbure_daniele_de_in.htm
http://www.meilleurduchef.com/cgi/mdc/l/fr/recettes/garbure_bearnaise.html

You notice they are a bit different in the way of preparation, but there are compulsory ingredients: Tarbais beans (big white beans), garlic, confit duck (duck preserved in its own fat), duck or goose fat, cabbage, . . . etc. A very light meal in fact!
Well, I tell about this because it is a very popular dish and you can even find it on the streets, for instance at festivals, like on the pictures here which were taken during a fair in Pau, and there is some folklore with, with local musicians and singers.
The main picture shows a giant pan where this soup is prepared; garlic is compulsory: (picture 2). The musicians are animating the stand here, (picture 3), and have a rest with a glass of. . . Jurançon probably, (picture 4 and 5).