Conscrits festival in Létra en Beaujolais 2026

This weekend was the festival in our village, Létra en Beaujolais. I was supposed to take part and was going with Brian. (I was running upstairs to book the tunnel tickets when I slipped and fractured my coccyx).

This year was the class of 6 ie everyone who was born in xxx6. Our friend Robert is 70 and carried his latest grandson, born this year, You can  see him with Hector front right in the class photo. 

It’s a real inter-generational festival, and I have fond memories of dancing with uncle Claude (great-uncle of our goddaughter, Alexia) at the last one, in 2006, and he was 90. Sadly he died earlier this year. 

For the Saturday, we all have hats and rosettes with the colour of our year. I adore the baby one Hector’s wearing. 

 I was sad not to be there but our goddaughter and family were there and kept us in the loop. 

This is how those who’re the same age as me this year were dressed for the Friday night fancy dress parade. 

There were different western themes for each age. 

That was followed by a disco in the village square. 

On Saturday, there was a mass, a visit to the war memorial to remember all those classmates no longer with us, and then the great formal parade to a brass band, where we swing down the hill year by year. 

My year, those born in 1956

 

A “vin d’honneur’ and the class photo at the cooperative winery and then all go back up to the decorated sports hall for the banquet. 

I was so pleased to take part in the preparation of the festival. I came up with the initial design and then Séverine took it over. Many were happy to follow my idea for them to be our photos as kids. 

Someone made a brilliant take on it, I’ve a picture of my grandmother and her sister doing something similar!

Alexia was happy to show me all the posters, I was so pleased, she’s looking so beautiful.

Here’s the menu. A rough translation follows

Panna cotta with choux pastry, a gel of crayfish and coriander

Millefeuille of foie gras with pear, 

Dry-cured ham with gingerbread 

Beetroot chutney with balsamic vinegar and zaatar brioche

Soft roasted scallops with grilled chorizo, a Parmesan tuile and a carrot risotto with watercress juice

A house sorbet with a mandarin and lemon balm liqueur 

Beef fillet with teriyaki, sesame and wasabi sauce

Sweet potato with turmeric , and a fan of carrots and wild pleurotte mushrooms 

Cheese course 

A trilogy of desserts 

All together with local wine

In the evening there was a charcuterie board 

And very late (2am) they have onion soup. 

Ah well, Alexia’s father, Roger (centre) and his 

twin Roland have their festival next year so it doesn’t have to be 10 years till we get another chance. 

Hugs

Lynne xxx