Le 14 juillet

Alain bombed us with kisses and bonhomie as we got to the square.  We were heading beyond the square to the alléé des soupirs but had to stop every few seconds while he accentuated a point he was trying to make in an Ariège accent that would cut the Belesta pines in to little shards. 

At the Allée des soupirs the air smelt of beery grass and night heat.  The band was playing French variété, with some better morsels thrown in. The fireworks threw sulphur into the air and the band stopped playing until the last spark died in the night sky and then cranked up Gloria Gaynor and the crowd started dancing again.