Fete des vendanges, 2006

Ahhh we plunge deeper into the culture of Neuchatel! Fete des vendanges (as I may have discussed this time last year) is the high point on the Neuchatel calendar. It's 2 days and 3 nights of partying, Neuch. style. A few months ago we decided we'd like to sample the night life, sans children, so I started asking around about baby sitters. A couple of times people honestly laughed in my face! Apparently, everyone over the age of 16 is at the Fete, and if they're not then they're babysitting their grandchildren. We did find a good babysitter who we use regularly now, but she flat out refused to do anything for the Fete. She did recommend a friend's sister who's 14... and really quiet. She saved our A@#*s, and we went out on the Friday night (last weekend). This is supposed to be the best night. Everything's fresh and only the Neuchatelois go. Saturday, everyone from every other canton comes, and Sunday night is somewhat the same. The whole of the center of town was closed to traffic. The bus lines were re-routed, and according to Walter the CSEM bulding was completely empty by 4 pm. We got the bus at about 7 and it was packed with jolly people who all knew each other. There was a lot of Swiss kissing all round. When the bus got to the end of the line, we all got out and headed towards the "thumpthump" noise. People were streaming into the center(rather like rats) to where all the stands were. Just before that was the fair ground, which we didn't feel up to trying. The Fete is all about the grape harvest and the beginning of wine season, so there were plenty of wine stands. We've been there and done that, so we headed to the (one on every corner) Brazilian booze stands, and sampled all those easy on the gullet coconut and lime drinks. We then started ambling around the streets, sampling some Thai food and pork (straight from the pig which was just sitting there...). Somehow, we ran into every one of our neighbours and some parents form Allie's school. There were pleasantries exchanged and quizzical looks when we tried to reply in French after a Caipirinha, then we would move on. The atmosphere has got to be one of the nicest, least tense that I have ever encountered in a street fair. Supposedly, there were ~250,000 people there over the weekend, and only a couple of minor fights! Another big thing of the Fete is confetti. Unbelievable amounts of milticoloured confetti gets thrown around all weekend. They were lucky it didn't rain till the Sunday night. In the big parades on Saturday and Sunday, large trucks with manned confetti canons trundle along, blasting it at people. They also aim for open windows in the apartments along the way. Children are given free reign to throw it in one's face also. Anyhoo, on the Friday night the "Guggenmusik" bands parade along for a practice run... interspersed with the 'canon trucks'. As parades do when there are loads of people around, it stopped. Right in front of me. I was fired upon and am still finding confetti in my clothes. That's supposed to be a sign that one has been "Neuchatelised" or something. Finding confetti in your house for 6 months after Fete des vendanges. We moved slowly through the heaving crowd once more, listening to all the different types of music coming from all the stands (representing every small club and business in the canton) and made our way back to the bus. Here's happy Walter ;)


On the Sunday, we ventured in with the wee boys. Allie had been going on about trying candyfloss (or Barbe a papa), so what better way to get it. They were allowed a bag of confetti each to throw at anyone they wanted. Allie meted out conservative handfuls at people's bottoms and Toby threw gobs of it everywhere. Lucky for him his brother has a kind heart and gave him some of his.



They consumed some candyfloss and then decided it was too much, leaving me and Walter to try and finish it... with no luck. I seem to remember gulping the lot down as a child and enjoying it!



We also saw the grand parade from afar (as we didn't buy tickets). I do believe I saw a Loch Ness Monster float and a bunch of kilted men. I certainly heard piped Scotland the Brave! This is the only pic we have of the floats. I'm sure the rest were lovely too.




After some more walking, the crowds were getting a bit too much for the boys, so we went home. It was a smashing fete, though. I've booked the babysitter for next year.