Pierre Perret and Yvonne de Gaulle

I include a shot here of Yvonne de Gaulle as in the sculpture in Calais by Elizabeth Cibot but without her husband as it's not my style to photograph prominent political figures. Rather, I'm more interested in the forgotten, the hidden, the obscure, the middle finger. In September 2020 Europe 1 interviewed the singer Pierre Perret (then 86) and he said a few words about Yvonne in 1966, when she had attempted to ban one of his songs about summer camps, 'Les jolies colonies de vacances', from the airwaves by calling her friend Roland Dhordain, the director of ORTF. Her problem (although she used the word 'nous', implicating the Général himself), was that the expression 'pipi dans le lavabo' ('peeing (probably best translated as 'weeing' in 1966) in the sink') was in the song. Dhordain still, according to Perret, included it in the playlist, and the song was certainly a huge success and went on to sell 200,000 copies: in effect, a huge 'Up yours' to Yvonne de Gaulle, who surely needed to get a life! Pierre Perret was delighted that Yvonne had honoured him in such a way, calling him 'the shame of France'.

Le Dragon de Calais in Calais (62), Pas-de-Calais (62)

As I stated last year when I first saw Le Dragon de Calais, which wasn't at the time operational because this was just a day before lockdown in March 2020, François Delarozière is the artistic director of the company La Machine, and is particularly known for Machines de l'île de Nantes. But today, as we walked towards the promenade we could see indications that there was about to be something happening, so we waited. And the wait paid off because the dragon soon emerged from its home and went for a walk, roaring, smoking from the nostrils, occasionally breathing fire and pissing water from its tail at the enthusiasic crowd. Not being a person for rides, I nevertheless checked the price on the website: €9.50 for an hour*, but then this is France: imagine what inflated prices the National Trust would charge if this were within their field!

*The original time mentioned has been altered following the very welcome comment by La Compagnie du Dragon below: I wasn't looking at my watch!

Auguste Rodin's Les bourgeois de Calais, Pas-de-Calais (62)

This statue, Les Bourgeois de Calais in front of the mairie in Calais, was sculpted by Auguste Rodin in bronze in 1895, and it is the first of twelve originals. The figures are Eustache de Saint Pierre, Jacques and Pierre de Wissant, Jean de Fiennes, Andrieu d'Andres and Jean d'Aire, the six city leaders who in 1347 surrendered to the English king, Edward III, in return for him saving the city during the Hundred Years' War. A very powerful creation.

Sand sculptures in Calais, Pas-de-Calais (62)

Definitely time that I finished the blog posts from our last visit to France (July to August) as I've been spending too much time looking into Marie NDiaye, Samuel Beckett and Éric Chevillard. So here goes with Calais, working back in time in general. Sand sculptor Franck De Conynck was commissioned to make sand sculptures of Calais's principal features. Barriers weren't initially put up to protect them, although they were later, and when the artist returned to complete another sculpture he'd correct the damage that the weather had done. I missed the sculpture of Les Bourgeois (the real bronze sculpture of which I'll make a post of next), and we weren't in time to see Conynck's last sculpture near the dragon.

L'Église de Notre-Dame in front of the mairie.

L'Hôtel de Ville in the Place Marechal Foch in front of le Parc Richelieu.

And the Théâtre de Calais near the Tour du guet, with the sculpture of De Gaulle with his wife Yvonne, who was born in Calais in 1900.

Le Dragon de Calais in Calais, Pas-de-Calais (62)

François Delarozière was born in Marseille in 1963, is the artistic director of the company La Machine, and is particularly known for Machines de l'île de Nantes, part of a re-generation project. He has also worked on Les animaux de la place in Roche-sur-Yon, a temporary project involving two giant 'spiders' in Liverpool in 2008 (when the city was named at the European capital of culture), plus a number of other things. One of those is Le Dragon de Calais, which at the time of my visit wasn't in operation, although it made photography better as I strive not to include people in my photos.

A juvenile seagull, no doubt on the lookout for tourist crumbs, waits patiently (but fruitlessly: a wise sign signals that it is forbidden to feed them).

The 2019 Jardin éphémère, Boulogne-sur-Mer, Pas-de-Calais (62)

And this year in Boulogne-sur-Mer, the theme of the 13th Jardin éphémère is superstition, although by no means all of the examples are obvious. Fortunately, almost all are given explanations, with the single exception of a woman's left leg treading on a turd: too obvious to explain? I think not: the Mairie was probably worried about parents objecting to the word 'Merde !' being used – yes, even the French can be sensitive about the use of strong language. Remember how Alfred Jarry used 'Merdre !' as a euphemism in Ubu Roi? But that was in 1896, and things haven't moved on since then? Apparently not. The overwhelming impression I came away with was of education: Boulogne's Jardins éphémères are something really special.

The Mairie, proudly displaying the number of superstition.

In the Far East bamboo is used for many things: food, tools, housing, scaffolding, etc. Strongly resistant, it is a symbol of longevity, strength and happiness.

Thirteen at a table. Judas was the thirteenth man at the Last Supper. In paintings, a thirteenth plate is often in yellow, with a bag of money representing the price Judas received for his treason.

The four-leaf clover, said to ward off ghosts and evil, and to bring wealth.

The birch tree, with its silvery-white trunk, represents purity. In Russia a small broom made with birch branches and plunged into a bath was said to purify the skin.

The eagle (or imperial) fern, called so because it has the shape of an eagle and is used in heraldic symbols. Fixed to house doors, it is said to be an effective amulet against outside evils. In the Gironde, the fern is placed on house thresholds to keep witches away.

A black cat was said to be the companion of witches and the devil. Black cats were the victims of terrible tortures and persecutions in the 18th century. Even today it is said to be unlucky to cross the path of a black cat (especially from the left).

'Touch wood' ('Toucher du bois') is of course a common expression, even used by the non-superstitious, relating to good fortune. But for many centuries, the positive qualities of wood have been thought to protect people from evil.

Spilling salt on the table is from the same biblical event as before, coming from the Last Supper, in which Judas knocked down a salt pot. It now signifies the announcement of a quarrel, misfortune or a warning of misfortune to come. The antidote is to throw the spilt grains over your left shoulder. (There are also crossed knives here!

Walking under a ladder is said to bring bad luck. For Christians the ladder is symbolic, as one was used for the cruxifiction. In the Middle ages it was associated with death by hanging: a ladder was used to attach the rope to the gallows. Also, because of the shape of a ladder against a wall, it was considered a profanation of the Trinity.

A female foot treads on a turd. The French often don't say 'Bonne chance !' ('Good luck!) as it might bring bad luck: instead, they say 'Merde !' (Shit!). Note that the foot is the left one, as treading on a turd with your left foot is said to bring luck.

Hazel ('le noisetier') is the tree of harmony for the Greeks, fertility for the Germans and knowledge for the Irish.

The rowan ('le sorbier') is noted for its preservative qualities against dangers. In Connecticut a rowan tree was planted near a tomb to prevent the dead from returning to haunt a family, and in Scotland shepherds used a rowan broom to keep their flocks away from evil.

Putting bread upside down is a superstition dating from the Middle Ages and still extant. It originates from the time when the baker placed the condemned man's bread upside down for him to recognise easily: it was thus associated with misfortune.

Sailors of the Marine Nationale in the mid-19th century used to wear bâchis, or hats with a red pompon. Touching the pompom was believed to bring good luck.

Ivy ('le lierre') is linked to lasting emtional ties such as friendship and love. Young women in Pas-de-Calais included an ivy leaf in their love letters in the belief that it would make them marry soon. Ivy on houses in Nordic countries were good luck charms. Heavily pregnant women avoided contact with ivy, fearing a miscarriage: ivy and parsley were used in abortions.

Cradles were not passed from one baby to another because it was believed that a younger baby would catch all the older baby's illnesses. Empty cradles were never swung as it was thought that evil spirits would take refuge there.

At one time, in homage to a dead person, men would place their hat on the bed, and from this practice came the belief that it was an ill omen to put a hat on a bed.

The Romans believed there were evil spirits in mirrors. Breaking one freed the demons and brought seven years bad luck.

A horseshoe, of course, is a lucky charm, and also a symbol of strength and fertility. It wards off evil spirits.

To early Christians the shiny leaves of the box tree ('le buis') appeared to have been watered by Christ's tears. It was also seen as sacred to the Greeks and the Gauls. The presence of a single branch in a house sheltered the inhabitants from evil spells and storms.

Owls symbolised night and death to the Egyptians, and it was also a messenger of death to the Romans. Up to the end of the 19th century an owl, when captured, was immediately crucified on barn doors.

Garlic is a magic vegetable with many beneficial (particularly medicinal) qualities. The workers on the Great Pyramid ate it regularly to improve their immune system, and in India they put several cloves of garlic in front of the door of their house to frighten evil spirits. In Rumania garlic is the enemy of vampires.

The superstition surrounding the bad luck that carnations ('les oeillets') bring was particularly widespread in the theatrical world, where directors hoping to re-employ a female actor would send roses: sending carnations meant she would not be re-employed for other roles: the flower signalled bad luck in their career. By extension, sending carnations to a woman indicates bad luck.

Lily of the Valley ('le muguet') is a lucky charm, and to give this flower on 1 May is the norm: but never before, as that indicates bad luck.

Charlie Hebdo in Saint Martin, Boulogne-sur-Mer, Pas-de-Calais (62)

A tribute to Charlie Hebdo, no doubt made in the year of the assassinations (2015): 'Nous sommes tous Charlie.'

Jean Teulé: L'Œil de Pâques (1992)

L'Œil de Pâques is Jean Teulé's second novel, and is far from being his best. It begins fifteen million years ago, then cycles closer and closer to the  present until it begins the story proper about halfway through. Up to then we encounter many recurring words and themes, one of the main ones being Calais and the Channel tunnel, which incidentally was first mooted (but without success) to Napoleon in 1805 by the engineer Albert Mathieu-Favier: and there are his designs of it online to prove it.

It would take a long time to say what it's about, so instead I'll try to describe some of the characters and action. Pâque is the central character and she escapes from her hippie mother, who is French but living in India, but thinks she's being spiritual by giving herself sexually to the locals: towards the end she realises that she's just being used and blows up herself and about a hundred Tamils. Stainer is the cop who's hopelessly corrupt and steals a fair amount of the cannabis he confiscates, who fires a gun repeatedly at his damp walls to get rid of his frustration, and who lets Louis off a potential murder charge because he can fix his walls. Lucy teaches Pâque music, but she's out of her mind, living on seven eggs a day and polishing her gold and silver, which she hides in a drawer – she also has twenty-seven locks on her flat door. Those are just a few of the eccentrics. It was only on reading this book that I realised that obsession is a major theme in Jean Teulé's work.

The novel is almost entirely set in Calais and just a few of the repeated words, which underline continuity, form linkages, etc, are 'Simple Vice', which is a river and also the name of Pâque's (and her half-brother Thomas's) father: yes, I've not made a mistake there; Stainer's damp-swollen walls can be twinned with Pâque's silicon-swollen lips; the name Lucy relates to the Beatles 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds' (or LSD, as drugs are frequent here); Pâque's nails are maquillés, and on two occasions Teulé uses his own expression 'made up like an English woman'; etc.

Looking at some of the reviews of this novel I can understand why it confused some people: it's far too clever for its own good.

My Jean Teulé posts:
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Jean Teulé: L'Œil de Pâques
Jean Teulé: Le Montespan | Monsieur Montespan
Jean Teulé: Le Magasin des suicides | Suicide Shop