From May 11 to 17, 2009, it’s the Festival of Bread! The idea is to honor this healthy, natural product that accompanies each of our meals daily for 7 days.
The Festival of Bread, a traditional event that bakers hold each year throughout France, takes place from Monday, May 11 to Sunday, May 17, starting the Monday preceding the day of Saint Honoré, the patron saint of bakers, (May 16), and ending the following Sunday.
The Union will showcase various typical regional breads, in particular olive bread, but especially La Fougasse de la Riviera, created in 2008 during the “Bread, Love, and Chocolate” fair.
The Festival of Bread in Mouans-Sartoux, Biot, Antibes, and Cagnes-sur-Mer, and Vence… The Union of Master Bakers and Pastry Chefs of Alpes-Maritimes, chaired by Claude BATEL, organizes different activities every year as part of the Festival of Bread, with the support of numerous volunteer bakers among the 430 bakeries in the department, and the municipalities of the department.
Focus on the main events:
On Tuesday, May 12, 2009, in Mouans-Sartoux from 09:00 AM to 01:00 PM at the Place du Lavoir, local artisan bakers will welcome students from 6 classes of Mouans-Sartoux schools to discover the world of Bakery.
The program includes: Bread making in the open air with a bakery oven, communication with the public, and discovery of our profession, our products.
On Friday, May 15 at Cagnes-sur-Mer, the festival of bread with schoolchildren.
A day with the children from La Pinède School in Cros de Cagnes.
The bakers who won the Alpes-Maritimes Best Baguette Trophy, Damien REY, and the Best Traditional Baguette Trophy, Didier LALEVEE, will lead shaping workshops using dough balls and explain their profession to the children.
Each child will leave with the bread they have made.
On Saturday, May 16, 2009, at Antibes, from 09:00 AM to 05:00 PM, at Place de Gaulle, the Bakery House, the Town Hall of Antibes Juan-Les-Pins, offers a large celebration around cascades of bread, with entertainment, film projection about bread making, and especially:
• 10:30 AM: blessing of the bread at Place De Gaulle, and distribution of blessed bread to the public
• Inauguration of the Bread Festival around 11:00 AM by the Deputy Mayor, Mr. Jean LEONETTI, and his councilors
• 11:30 AM, cocktail buffet offered by the City Hall and the city’s bakers to officials and residents
• Drawing contest with students from Antibes schools and award ceremony (visit to the last mill to crush wheat in the department).
• Bread making workshop for children with the award of the “Perfect Little Baker” diploma, where everyone can leave with their creation
Throughout the day, products will be sold for the benefit of a local charity in Antibes, “By Children For Children,” including bread made on-site in the open air by the bakers.
On Saturday, May 16 in Biot, tradition and conviviality will be the watchwords for the program of activities concocted by the Town Hall of Biot, the merchant’s association, and the Bakers’ Union, in the heart of the old town, and around the communal wood oven. This day, until 9 PM, will be filled with giant board games, selling bread baked in the wood oven, gourmet stands around bread, and various workshops (glass engraving, face painting, etc.).
Morning:
Bread baking in the communal wood oven at 8 AM and at 12 PM by the village baker, Mr. BEAUD, and sale of this bread.
10:00 AM: preparation for the 2nd baking, shaping of the dough
10:00 AM: bread making workshops in front of BEAUD bakery (15 rue St Sébastien) and on the Place aux Arcades, near the communal oven.
Afternoon:
from 01:00 PM to 06:00 PM: chocolate fondue
02:00 PM: bread making workshop at Place aux Arcades
03:00 PM: bread making workshop in front of BEAUD bakery
06:00 PM: aperitif tasting of Focaccia and other specialties
A free shuttle to the village is planned from 10 AM to 9 PM in the parking areas.
In Vence from Thursday, May 14 to Saturday, May 16, 2009, an outdoor event with a bakery oven at Place Clémenceau. During these three days, bread demonstrations in front of the public who will be invited to get involved. Bread made outdoors by the bakers will be sold for the benefit of school cooperatives of the municipality.
