This past weekend was a full one with Easter, and the Saturday happenings in the Vieux Port. Then on Sunday afternoon, our friends Jacky and Pascale picked us up and drove us down to the Festival du cerf-volant et du vent de Châtelaillon-Plage. Châtelaillon is a coastal village just south of La Rochelle boasting a long beautiful beach with a promenade stretching out alongside it.
Not too hard to see that vent could mean wind, but I love the word for kite, cerf-volant, which would literally be something like deer-flying or stag-flying. How great is that? There was even a team of four guys that performed a choreographed ballet pour quatre cerf-volants, with four kites “dancing” in tight formation to music.
But this was not just for kites, it was really a celebration of the wind and all the beautiful things the wind can send aloft or set fluttering. Like these:
And these:
This was another event for all ages:
I’ve never really liked the wind, but this event gave me a new perspective. There were hundreds of people who were enjoying the wind and grateful for it and I found myself full of gratitude too: for the colors and the smiles and the laughter of children, and especially for our friends for inviting us to share this with them. How can you not love anything that makes you look up?
Movable Assets 
Now I know why Davey loves me so much – because he looks up to me. . . Keep the posts coming – I love living vicariously through your adventures! – Doug
I have been complaining pretty heavily about our excessive wind these past months–I need to take a cue from the French and appreciate more that life offers, in whatever form. Anyway, it sure seems as though they do from what you have been sharing. It appears to be such a festive place! And on Easter on my way to church I spotted my first hot-air balloon sighting of the season — very special.
That’s exactly what I’ve been struck by. Choosing gratitude as a response to things I have found annoying in the past — like wind, and crowds, and carrying groceries, and having to walk places, and even waiting in line. (I’ll have to talk about the Rochelais way of waiting in another post.) So glad you understand what I was trying to say. Thanks for commenting!
Love it! Great pictures and perspective! 🙂