FLOWER APPLE FESTIVAL

The tradition : In January, as Spring is summoned, the young men, eager to respond to the offers of twigs by the village’s maidens, turn their attention to the young ladies of their choice. The “Flowery Apple Festival”, or “O Pom Floit”, used to involve apples, but these have been replaced over the years by oranges, or sour oranges, easier to find at that time of year. Oranges are decorated with a small bouquet of white flowers, a branch of boxwood, and corseted in a medlar tree leaf.
The festivities are celebrated with song and dance. When the celebrations reach their peak, the head abbey cries: “grand round!” (form a large circle!) … At the call to “Form a large circle!”, all the couples stop dancing, hold hands, and form what is called the “Lou roudou”, a large circle around the square. According to the ritual and associated symbolism, when the flowery apple is offered by the young men, it is accompanied by a charming wish for the youth, and a naughtier madrigal for couples.
When the offerings of wine and nougat have been made, they are followed by a farandole through the streets of the village.