French medieval ritual alive and well

The speaker Giny Humphry was then introduced.

Giny was brought up in France about ten miles from Lille.

She described how, even today, people still gather whatever grows in woods and fields and they also shoot hare.

Every year in September there are festivals. Huge giants made of wicker work with heads made of paper-mach are the highlight of the parades, dating back to medieval times.

People also wear national costumes on those occasions.

Cafs, streets and squares are buzzing with adults and children.

Giny also explained that the towers around northern France are belltowers. The wealthier the area the more elaborately the towers were built.

R Bernhardt thanked the speaker for widening horizons on life in northern France.

There was an exhibition of bookmarkers.