Growing up in Minnesota, I remember going to the Renaissance Festival every summer -- a fake village set up somewhere in an empty field with straw strewn about the grounds and large blond, blue-eyed people named Olson dressed up as wenches. Well, a trip to the town of Provins for its Medieval Festival is something like that, except without the fake village and blonds named Olson. Provins is a real medieval town about an hour outside of Paris that was originally built with markets in mind. For the past thousand years, large markets have been held here, and even though the merchandise has certainly changed (produce and animal skins have been replaced by a whole lot of jewelry stands), the market spirit feels authentic.
I can't vouche for the authenticity of all the costumes, however, and not just because Pippa dresses up for the occasion. There is also a heavy population of elves, sexy wenches (of course), and executioners, and I wonder if people aren't confusing the Middle Ages with the Middle Earth a la Tolkein. Also, people are showered, lice free, wearing comfortable shoes, and talking into cell phones, so that's not too authentically medieval either.
Anthony has a particular fondness for the anachronisms, like the knights in chain mail and shining armor gallantly pushing their strollers, or the renaissance and Victorian costumes for sale.
The setting cannot be beat. It's a real trip to be at a medieval fair in a village like this. We have to convince the children that it's a living town. At first, they think we're pulling their legs.
The girls try everything, from crossbows to regular archery with a host of medieval (or medieval-ish) games and activities thrown in for good measure. They can't be torn away from the stone carving section, and spend about twenty minutes chiseling a tiny dent in a rock. It must give them some idea of the jaw-dropping scope of building Notre Dame with all its statues and gargoyles, by hand, in medieval times.
We buy tickets for a show, held just outside the ramparts, that turns out to be quite elaborate. The cast includes a host of live animals: geese, pigs, donkeys, horses, and even -- oddly -- a camel, used to represent how Provins was a major trading point for exotic spices and goods from afar. The plot line involves magic and more special effects and stunts than you might expect in a medieval show. I think history is being rewritten, and medival times will forever be considered a time of elves, orcs, and truly competent magicians who can stop time.
The audience loves it, and apparently wants to remember it for posterity. I think I am the only person in the audience taking pictures of the audience taking pictures of the show, but I can't help myself.
In case you wonder about the new blond child we appear to have kidnapped and/or adopted, we have good friends visiting us from San Francisco. And while the parents and younger daughter stayed back in Paris, we took Bella (who is Gigi's age, just taller!) along with us to the festival. Tomorrow morning, we are all traveling south together for a week, so we will head from the town of Provins to the province of Provence.
I can't vouche for the authenticity of all the costumes, however, and not just because Pippa dresses up for the occasion. There is also a heavy population of elves, sexy wenches (of course), and executioners, and I wonder if people aren't confusing the Middle Ages with the Middle Earth a la Tolkein. Also, people are showered, lice free, wearing comfortable shoes, and talking into cell phones, so that's not too authentically medieval either.
Anthony has a particular fondness for the anachronisms, like the knights in chain mail and shining armor gallantly pushing their strollers, or the renaissance and Victorian costumes for sale.
The setting cannot be beat. It's a real trip to be at a medieval fair in a village like this. We have to convince the children that it's a living town. At first, they think we're pulling their legs.
The girls get into the spirit, and we are very proud to say that they choose wooden swords in leather hilts as their souvenir for the day. Given all the princessy things and crafty jewelry, and Pippa's get-up for the day, it comes as a pleasant surprise.
In case you wonder about the new blond child we appear to have kidnapped and/or adopted, we have good friends visiting us from San Francisco. And while the parents and younger daughter stayed back in Paris, we took Bella (who is Gigi's age, just taller!) along with us to the festival. Tomorrow morning, we are all traveling south together for a week, so we will head from the town of Provins to the province of Provence.
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