A drink with the Mayor

There were a lot of people packed into the salle de fête last Saturday night for the annual drink with the mayor, It always happens at the beginning of the new year, although not normally being here at this time, we hadn't realised. Don't know how many Cravantais there were, but it was heaving. We walked down with our neighbours Jacqueline and Norbert and caught up with some others inside. It was a very useful evening - one good networking opp. Suddenly realised how many people we now know, how many we recognise and there were some people we've never even seen before. Spotted around eighteen wine producers and various festival committee members and hunt committee members, Some people are on both. Wines and fizzy supplied by various wine producers as always and terrific food as always. It's done with real style, but of course everyone is used to it or perhaps expects the quality.

Not sure if Cravant viewed 2013 as a particularly difficult year weather wise compared to others. From our point of view, it seemed to have had some difficult moments, particularly with the flooding.In his address to the collected group of villagers in his review, there was a huge amount of repair work to be done. Cravant is looking good again. Both our 'home' towns have a bad time. In Bradford on Avon some restaurants lost their entire Christmas and New Year trade. That's a devastating blow and not one you can easily recover from. The Fat Fowl that is in prime position in the centre of town, which we often go to, had a metre of water inside and is now shut for the foreseeable future, while repairs are done. They want flood defences put in understandably. Financially it's an awful position to be in.

So with the village apéro party, festivities have really come to a close. The next big event will be at the end of this month with the annual St. Vincent 'do'. It's already sold out. There's a bigger marquee this year thank goodness. It's really built up a fantastic reputation over the years. Takes a huge amount of organising, which the festival committee are used to. But it's maintaining the quality of the event that's so important. We have British friends coming over for St. Vincent this year, which we're really pleased about. It will be a great day - given it starts about 12.30 and doesn't finish till about three or four in the morning.