I'm a Downton fan, are you? And I've always wanted to visit Highclere castle. But I found something better: an immersive Downton experience! And on this side of the "pond"!
This came about when we saw a poster for a French fete: "Spectacle 1900" at Château de Digoine. It was billed as an enactment of life at the chateau in the 1900's. French fêtes are often delightfully hokey, so a group of us who bought tickets weren't expecting much more than a fine day of picnicking when we made the short trip to Digoine.
How wrong we were! The castle was a fine and unusual one, in its beautiful rural setting. We entered the fête through a barn, festively decorated, and headed right for a photo-op setup, complete with fancy hats. After a lovely pique nique, (we were provided with antique rugs, to spread out on the grass), we were taken with a small group across the gardens of the castle, and into an orangerie.
We knew right away we were in for fun when a Thomas-like butler and a couple of giggling maids escorted us across the garden. We passed couples in period fripperie, parasols in hand, taking a turn amongst the roses.
With our group seated in the orangerie, we were treated to a glass of champagne. One of the "servants" circulated among us (a trained actor, as most of the performers were), and from her we learned that the famous actress Sarah Bernhardt was arriving at the château today. She was making a clandestine visit to rehearse a play that was to debut in Paris, and she wanted it all kept a secret from the prying eyes of the media. (This is an event that actually happened here in the early 1900's, and so was the basis for our spectacle.) Our servant shared the wicked gossip: the famous French actress might or might not be having various intriguing affairs. There had been rumors, upstairs and down.
Next we passed through a square just outside of the kitchen, a hub of activity. Vegetable were unloaded from wooden carts, and ladies in bonnets arranged flowers.
Then into the kitchen, a space just as lively as Mrs. Patmore's realm. The cooks and their minions laughed and chatted, putting us more in the picture with their skit about what a character Sarah Bernhardt was said to be. In the laundry room, when the responsable stepped out for a minute, the ladies dropped their duties for an impromptu dance, which was quickly abandoned when she returned, hands firmly on hips.
Then our group left the lively downstairs for the formal upstairs, where we met our châtelains, who were waiting for their guest. They were a bit startled by Madame Bernhardt's luggage for her short stay, which had preceded her; it was stacked to the ceiling and took up most of the grand foyer. And of course a journalist had quietly crept into our midst, antique camera in hand, to try and get the scoop on the play.
At last we heard the actress' motorcar approaching, down the long drive through the allée of plane trees. The servants lined up by the steps, Downton-style. We half expected Mr. Carson to swing the front door open. (Don't ask me about the giraffe. Never did get the story).
After Madame made her dramatic entrance, we were treated to a backstage look at the actors getting into their makeup and costumes, and finally, there was the dress rehearsal of the play.
This was a French château, not an English castle. But the parellels to Downton Abbey were unavoidable, and as we made our way between vignettes, they slyly played that familiar theme song in the background. We learned they had over 300 volunteers for the fête, and it was obvious that many of them were professional actors.
We reluctantly departed, feeling like royalty. Hands down, best French fete we've ever been to. It was like being inside of a wonderful historic movie (apparently the current châtelain is a TV producer). This fête alone is worth a trip to Burgundy!
If you go: They will repeat the Spectacle next year, in July. If you'd like to get a feel for what the spectacle was like, you can watch the teaser on Youtube. The Château de Digoine is worth a visit on any day, though. It's located in the Charolais, not far from Charolles and close to the TGV stop at Monchanin.
In the COMMENTS: Natalia, as a vegetarian, for ethical reasons, I’m right there with you on the chickens. And thanks for the kind comments. Ann Marie, I guess they steam those artichokes, but I admit I’ve never cooked one that big! Mary, bon voyage, and I've sent you a list.
Favorite READS: Check out the website Reflections of a Vagabonde, by one of our readers. See some great pix of the tour de France and Quatorze Juillet celebration right here.
TIP of the week: If by chance you are looking to buy a house in Burgundy, you'll find it to be pretty difficult, as the French have no Multiple Listing Service as we do in the States. In which case I recommend you contact my Dutch friend Marit, who has a thriving business helping expats find their dream house. in particular she helps ex-pats who are not in the country full-time and/or are not familiar with the complicated process of buying a house in France. She can also help you through the whole buying process, even setting up phone and internet service. And she is delightful, as well as being fluent in several languages. See you in Burgundy?
