Spring
With the dawn of spring comes the anticipation of Easter, the holiday of new life and new beginnings. Around us, birds are singing, the bees are back in the garden, lambs and calves abound. The grocery stores are full of plants and gardening supplies, and Easter chocolate for celebrating Easter in France.
Chocolate
Chocolate is a big deal in France. The grocery store has slightly less that at Christmastime, but it is all themes for bunnies and spring. This is a secular Easter though, focussed on chocolate, eggs, and bunnies. After all, France is a secular state, so Christmas, Easter, Ascension are more about the traditions than the religion.
Easter Egg Hunts
The kids are asking: will there be Easter egg hunts? The answer is an emphatic Yes, but it is not clear if they will be hunts for chocolate eggs, plastic eggs, or some kind of treasure hunt. There does seem to be some sort of larger present/basket/prize involved. Many of the surrounding castles are holding special events.
Château du Rivau
For Easter, Rivau is having Easter egg hunts. The younger kids hunt for chocolate eggs, while the older kids go on a guided adventure to find the goose that laid the golden egg, from Jack and the Beanstalk. They have to solve puzzles and are rewarded with coupons to exchange for chocolate eggs.
Château de Cheverny
Cheverny is famous for its hunting dogs and furniture, but for Easter they are having a hunt for tulip bulbs hidden by a monkey. We'll have to go and report back, because we don't really know what to make of that one. Why didn't they send the dogs to stop the monkey?
Brocantes
There are brocantes (flea markets) in Chinon on Easter Sunday, and Richelieu on Easter Monday. Shopping at markets of all kinds is very popular around here.
Futuroscope
Futoroscope is open for Easter, and we've had a number of visitors who use Jaulnay Gîtes as a base for a day trip to Futuroscope. It's an easy 30-minute drive if you take the autoroute from Chatellerault to Poitiers, and Futuroscope is right at the autoroute exit.