THE GARDEN OF FRANCE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3775, 20 July 1926, Page 4

THE GARDEN OF FRANCE.

“ GRANDE SEMAINE DE TOURS.” (From Ore Own Correspondent.) LONDON, May 18. During their wanderings on the Continent, the Hon. W. H. Triggs, M.L.C., and Mrs Triggs happened to be in Tours during the “Grande Semaine de Tours, which in some respects reminded them of Canterbury Week. Thousands of country people flocked into the town, which most of them never visit at any other time. It gave the travellers an excellent opportunity f seeing the type of sturdy peasantry who have helped to earn the name for Touraine of ‘‘The Garden of France.” There has been a great fair in Tours every year, as in other towns of France, but this year there was an especial attempt to make it an agricultural exposition. , , This year’s fair was held under the patronage of the Union of Exhibitors of Agricultural Machinery and Appliances. As an agricultural show it was a disappointment to any one who expected to see an exhibition of stock and produce. There was . hat was called a “Concours de Race Bovine Normande.” when some fine Normandy cattle were shown, but this only lasted two days, an I there were no ohter animals Mbited. The fine Hotel de Ville contained a good exhibition of flowers and vegetables, both of which, in Mr Trigg’s opinion, could have been surpaaaed In Ney Zealand.

There the wine industry, as was to be expected, was well represented. Really sound wine can be bought at Tours for about a shilling a bottle, and everybody as a matter of course takes wine at meals, but no one seems ever to take it to excess. The cuisine in most of the hotels and restaurants is really excellent. The inhabitants recall with pride that it was in Tours that Brillat-Savarin wrote “Le Physiologie du Gout,” and feel that they have a tradition to live up to. The exhibitors of agricultural machinery took full advantage of the opportunity. The principal squares were filled with their stands, which it is nc exaggeration to say occupied miles of the avenues in the chief boulevards. American and Canadian makers of agricultural machinery were represented. The amusements of the crowd are perhaps of the most general importance at these fairs. A grand procession was or ganised in honour of the “queens” of Tours and Sable d’Olonne respectively. Both their majesties and their maids of honour were charming specimens of the youth and beauty of the “Garden of France.” There were concerts galore, special illuminati. a and processions, and the shopkeepers did I roar * n ff rade. In these respects the * Grande Semaine de Tours” was a great success.