The Braderie

When wandering uphill yesterday to meet a friend, the Place de la Croix Rousse came into view as well as not just one but two churros vans. My heart sank to my feet. 'But the fair's not due for another month!!' I protested to myself.

Fortunately closer examination showed that it was not the fair but the annual Braderie. This is a mixture of fun and frustration. The second weekend in September the main streets of Croix Rousse are closed off (and the carparks) and stalls are set up selling wares and goods of all descriptions. Also certain areas are turn into giant junk sales aka the Vide-Brocante (The garage sale concept wouldn't work in Lyon as all the garages are underground, and as for a carboot sale - there isn't the space.) People come from all over Lyon as well as the locals who - let's be honest, can't really avoid it. It is quite a party atmosphere.

A walk along the Grande Rue and you pass stalls selling clothes, costume jewelry, cheese & saussison, make up, soaps and lotions, Asian tie dye, baby clothes, handbags, posters, wonder mops (as seen on TV) as well as numerous devices designed to make food preparation easier and prettier - each one with a young man chatting into a microphone while slicing and dicing cucumbers, tomatoes etc, all the while knowing that the product they are selling will be used a couple of times before ending up in the back of the cupboard.

The Braderie is great fun if you have the time to drift along slowly and poke your nose into the stalls as you go past and chatter with your mates, collect leaflets from touts etc. Even better if you can install yourself a table at the pavement cafe and watch it all drift by you while you sip at an apero. It is a nightmare if you just want to 'pop' into somewhere to get something, as the crowds are huge and slow moving. It is also a nightmare to park, as the friend I was meeting found out.

However we did manage to find a table, consume a drink or two as well as chat with various friends and neighbours who walked past. The sun was shining, there was a slight breeze - it was perfect weather and a lovely way to spend the late afternoon. That was until I remembered I had to pop into Carrefour for the missing ingredients for the evening meal!