Traditional dancing in France à la Vintage Postcards

These vintage postcards feature The Bourrée which is is one of the oldest dances in Central France This merry dancing style of Auvergne is in triple time and is animated and full of drive. These vintage postcard stars are certainly kicking up their heels.

This traditional dance was popular with everyone! Kings as well as farmers danced to this type of lively music. The polka is actually said to be a descendant of this dance.

Both Bach and Handel wrote bourrées as orchestral suites. The more contemporary Chopin wrote a number of pianos bourrées too! But, to me a true bourée dance needs a hurdy - gurdy accordion, sabots (wooden shoes), and gallons of wine!

Are your feet tapping to the music yet?

French Vintage Postcard Shrimping - Pecheuse de Crevettes

The Shrimp by Ogden Nash

A shrimp who sought his lady shrimp
Could catch no glimpse
Not even a glimp.
At times, translucence
Is rather a nuisance.

These French vintage postcards depict hard – working women shrimpers who are proudly displaying their nets. Two of the cards are dated 1898 and 1903.

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Shrimp are feisty ten legged crustaceans. They can flip and jump out of any bucket. But these vintage postcard ladies know their trade. They brought this succulent treat to the market and onto their dinner tables on a daily basis.

These peculiar little creatures are best hunted at night. Bright lanterns held over the water light up the surface and reveal the shrimp swimming in on the tide. They make easy pickings for the long handled nets which are also nicely brandished on these vintage postcards.

During the winter months, an amazing event known as ‘The Shrimp Run’ takes place. The shrimp run is generally more prominent during the three days before and after a full moon due to strong tides. Phenomenal amounts of shrimp can be harvested at this time. You can’t help but catch hundreds of shrimp with each single dip of your net!

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The Miraculous Grotto in Lourdes, France - Vintage Postcards

Lourdes, France has drawn pilgrims since Mary appeared in 1858 to shepherdess Bernadette Soubirous. This year is the 150^th anniversary of those apparitions.

Bernadette was actually beaten by her mother and forbidden to go to the cave where she had had her first vision. Her family certainly didn’t believe her. She was initially shunned and thought to have gone mad. Bernadette described Mary as wearing a white flowing robe with a blue sash. Mary had yellow roses on her bare feet and was the same height as Bernadette.

Mary told the shepherdess to dig where there was a small muddy puddle. A spring gushed forth from this same spot. This spring was not an itsy trickle of water. 100,000 liters of water gush from it daily. There have been small percentage unexplainable cures from people who have bathed in the waters. Of course this lovely parable has been commercialized by our 21^st century’s money making machine. One can buy a liter of the water for 160 dollars online!

Bernadette was visited by Mary on 18 occasions. It is interesting to note that this 14 year old child had been barely educated. She spoke a local dialect yet repeated words from Mary that she didn’t or couldn’t have understood.

I myself am not religious. Don’t tell my catholic Grandmother! But I am curious. Maybe I’ll visit the grotto too someday. i can join the woman in this last vintage postcard who are gathering the 'miraculous' waters at this fountain.

Political Babies Strike Back! - Pouting Vintage Postcards

We want dry diapers! We want Mama’s milk! We want to be protected from flies! Can you pick out and translate another pressing demand from this bold vintage postcard? These babies have picked up the French national pastime of striking lickety – split!

The origin of the word strike in English is fairly obvious. To strike means to assault, assail, besiege, aggress…. The German term is Arbetitskampf which literally means work – fight. That makes perfect sense too. The word ‘grève’ in French baffled me . A ‘grève’ is a gravel bank of a river . Pardon? What in the world does that have to do with striking?

L'Hotel de Ville (city hall) in Paris pictured ob this vintage postcard was called la Place de Grève until 1830. This town square is near the bank of the river Seine. The unemployed would congregate here to look for work. A dissatisfied worker looking for a salary hike would come to this square as well when looking for a better job. The word developed over time to mean 'abandoning your job due to a needed salary augmentation.' Voila! The mystery has finally been solved for me through my vintage postcard collection.

Napoleon celebrates Mother's day by creating the holiday in France - Vintage Postcards

France's Fete des Mères is a holiday that was inaugurated by Napoleon in 1806. Letizia Bonaparte was a harsh mother who actually outlived her famous son by 15 years. She strongly disliked him becoming emperor and refused to attend his coronation!

The tradition of honoring mothers dates back to Ancient Greece and Rome. Mother Goddesses were worshipped in both of these cultures during the spring.

The Roman goddess Magna Mater or Cybele was often artistically depicted in a chariot drawn by lions. There was a belief that lions couldn’t mate or produce offspring. Cybele turned people who didn’t properly pay her tribute into these roaring beasts as a punishment Cybele embodies the fertile earth. She is the goddess of caverns, mountains, walls, fortresses, flowers, and wild animals.

Cybele’s most ecstatic followers were called the Galli. They castrated themselves in her honor during the Spring festival. I think I’ll stick to giving my Mom a vintage postcard as a gift! This is a better present idea!

My favorite Napoleon quote is: Ten people who speak make more noise than ten thousand who are silent.

Au Feu Les Pompiers! - Vintage French Firefighting Postacards

This vintage postcard shows a fine Percheron horse pulling a steam powered fire engine. This breed of horses even existed during the ice age. They are huge, hearty, and perfect for this task! They were bred in La Perche, France (hence the name) for military, farming, and later firefighting purposes.

Napoleon Bonaparte can be credited with creating the first professional fire brigade in 1793. He devised a division of the French army called the, ‘Companie des gardes-pompes which is literally ‘The Company of Pump Guards.’ This little vintage postcard Napoleon is winking at you.

The French word for pumper, "pompier" became the name for French firefighters to this day. Paris was protected with 30 manual pumps by 1800.

The hand pumps had been invented in England in the 1700’s The contraption had long, parallel handles that required many men to pump up and down rapidly draining the water from the machine's tub.

These little boys are budding firefighters! The vintage postcard is labeled Concours des Pomiers (Firefighter Race).

The Golden Age of Saffron Cultivation in France

The thriving saffron markets of Gatnais were producing 40,000 kilos of this spice in 1869 according to archive records. Keep in mind that 150,000 petite purple flowers are needed for one kilogram of dried saffron. Women of this region even adorned their marital bouquets with sprigs of this eye catching flower.

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It is difficult to imagine that a crop whose production could be measured in tons could have disappeared so quickly. I am glad that these tidbits of history were captured in now vintage postcards. The last saffron field disappeared in 1930. Saffron bulbs couldn’t withstand the biting cold winters of 1880 and 1881. The invention of synthetic coloring agents, the rural exodus, and high labor costs also led to the crops demise.

This key element of the region's heritage deserved to be re explored! Farmer’s decided a number of years ago to replant and cultivate saffron again!

The local distiller, Gabriel Boudier, makes a deliciously spicy saffron gin. The ancient recipe also includes juniper, coriander, lemon, orange peel, iris, fennel, and angelica seeds He has created a memorable and complex spirit.

Saffron syrups are also a popular regional product which can be added to bread and pastries. One can also find …… saffron at the saffron fest in Touraine ! Of course!

Vintage Peulh tribe postcards from Senegal

This particular vintage postcard's origin is Senegal, Africa. France had boasted an extensive colonial empire in the 19^th until the middle of the 20^th century . Senegal,Africa was the gem of that Empire. French map making explorers,merchants,and soldiers trekked through breathtaking yet dangerous territories reaching from Timbuktu to the Chad lake which lay thousands of miles away.

This card pictures a serene woman from the Peulh tribe. This prominent tribe has links in most West African countries. She is wearing elegant bracelets and necklaces, some of which were probably made with European imported material. France sadly often traded pearls and other precious metals for slaves.

The vintage postcard is franked with a 1 centime Faidherbe and a 4 centime Group stamp . It only cost 5 centime to send a postcard from Senegal to France in the 1900's!

Here are women from the Peuhl tribe doing a traditional African dance. My foot is certainly tapping to this music. The history and culture is so rich! I would certainly like to travel to West Africa! The flag is reminiscent of the French tri colored but now using the vibrant Pan African colors.

Vintage Moulin Rouge Postcards - Oh la la! I adore gay Paris!

Welcome to the world of saucy cabaret divas! These vintage postcards sizzle with history and life. These feathered ladies dance through my imagination to Jacques Offenbach's 'Orphee in the Underworld ' which is the score most associated with the cancan. It is also nicknamed the 'Infernal Gallop!'



I embedded the music on the sidebar of this post. Click away for uplifting reading music! It is a hilarious and satirical operetta which was written in 1858. Jacques was a German Jew born in Cologne . His name was changed from Jacob to Jacques after immigrating as a child with his family to Paris. His father forced the violin upon him. The young lad rebelled and played the cello in secret. That's not much of a revolt in my opinion!


His 100 operettas were wildly popular before the war between France and Germany broke out in 1870. He was accused of being an agent of Bismark and was forced to flee from his beloved country. The Germans had also labeled him a traitor so he certainly couldn't return to his place of birth either.
Offenbach has been called the Mozart of the Champs -Elysées. He influenced greats including Gilbert and Sullivan. Symphonic pieces need not always be romantic or serious . These grand opera parodies with biting political and cultural satire are right up my alley!

Vintage Postcard Bathing Beauties

These images were quite risqué for the time. Bathing suits had evolved from full body armour made out of wool or flannel and only complete with the proper stockings and shoes to this tight, one piece and scandalous bathing suit.


Women in Victorian times would sew small weights into the hems of their dresses to prevent them from floating up and revealing their legs while swimming.


Women and men had traditionally swum separately. Men swam in the nude on their side of the beach. Woman tended to roll 'bathing machines' into the ocean. The small cabanas on wheels were dragged into the ocean by horses. The modest Victorian lady could then change into her bathing costume and wade completely hidden from masculine eyes.


Swimwear fabrics and times changed. By the mid 1920's Vogue wrote ' the newest thing for the sea is a jersey swimsuit as near to a maillot as the unwritten law will permit!'



I want to splish and splash with these bathing beauties. I don't think that I'll trade in my retro bikini though!

Exotic Menus during the Siege of Paris in 1870 - Jardin des Plantes Vintage Postcards

Starving Parisians butchered zoo animals from the Jardin des Plantes during the siege of Paris in 1870. Prussian forces encirlcled Paris and blockaded it. The citizens were forced to turn to unusual meat sources. They began eating horses to satiate hunger pains. An estimated 65,000 horses were eaten during the siege. The very poor ate rats. Although a famous Jockey club did apparently make a nice rat salami.

 The two zoo elephants were bought by Mr. Deboos of the Boucherie Anglais in the Boulevard Haussman for 27,000 francs . The trunks were sold as a delicacy for 40 or 45 francs a pound. Elephant was not apparently tasty. Thomas Bowele, who was in Paris during the siege, wrote that he had eaten camel, antelope, dog, donkey, mule, and elephant and of those he liked elephant the least.

  

Menus began to offer exotic dishes such as Cuissot de Loup avec Sauce Chevreuil (Haunch of Wolf with a Deer Sauce), Terrine d'Antilope aux truffes (Terrine of Antelope with truffles), Civet de Kangourou (Kangaroo Stew) and Chameau rôti à l'anglaise (Camel roasted à l'anglaise)

I am feeling faint while writing this article. I think I’m going to become a vegetarian now!

Theodore Botrel's history through Vintage Postcards

The 46 year old famed poet and songwriter Theodore Botrel pictured on this vintage postcard was told during the Great War [1914 – 1915] that he was too old for military service. Botrel then raced off to Belgium in order to enlist there. His request was again refuted because he had to be from Belgium in order to fight amongst them.

Botrel realized that his songs were as powerful as any bullet. He decided to take his songs directly to the front as a civilian.


His songs about the humble life of his native province of Brittany were later published along with images on postcards.

''His glance is that of a dreamer and a soldier in it is all the melancholy of the misty Brittany, all the fiery energy of the Breton race. When he coos a lullaby, a mournful and languorous chant his voice sighs with infinite sweetness, becomes caressing like the voice of a mother. When he weeps or intones an ancient and vibrant hymn of battle it rises little by little until it pieces to the inmost depths of your soul like the echoes of thunder.''

Botrel wrote song after song to stimulate his compatriots and their Allies, by voice and pen. He started writing a musical supplement to the military newspaper L’Echo des Armees with all of his songs.

The famous song ''Rosalie'' was in the first issue of this published monthly song sheet. '' The soldiers sing it everywhere, at all times — in the trenches, on the march, in the canteen — for it has a splendid swing, and, further, it symbolizes and glorifies the terrible little French bayonet.''

Here is a much to short video clip of the song:

I especially enjoy this series of vintage postcards!