The theme for the Comice at Pontigne was Comic Films, and this was reflected in the grand procession of floats on the Sunday afternoon. How many of these great works have you heard of, let alone seen? And let's be clear - some of these are the biggest grossing films in France of all time!
The procession always starts with what they call the Ambassadrices - we would say carnival queens - and the Cadets de Baugeois - be glad there is no sound.
Next came le Vieil Bauge as we will be hosting the Comice next year. Our chosen film was Les Bronzes font du Ski - about a bunch of middle aged swingers who go on Club Med holidays together, this time skiing. I think there are four or five in the series, most of which were huge at the box office.
Vaulandry were next, and I never really got to see anywhere on their float the name of the film, but from the float I would imagine it was Les Enfants du Marais with Jacques Villeret - actually a very nice little film, but the frog fishing scenes were the best. In some ways this procession was an hommage to Jacques Villeret and Louis de Funes, of whom more later.
Fougere decided to look more to Hollywood and Walt Disney and did a fine representation of Herbie - although they don't actually call him Herbie over here.
Following them, were Bauge with the first of the Louis de Funes films - le Gendarme de St Tropez. Louis was kind of the French Norman Wisdom, but funny.
Next up, Le Guedeniau with another Louis de Funes film that is currently also doing the rounds as a musical - so they very bravely stopped every 50 metres and did a dance - Rabbi Jakob - and yes, they are all dressed up as Jews.
Next two pictures of the two floats of Chevire le Rouge, which we were fairly convinced were depicting the Frank Dubosc film Camping (top of the summer box office here 3 years ago - Frank is French Canadian and deeply worrying).
Then Boce - one of the smaller communes - who put on a fine display with another Louis de Funes film, La Grande Vadrouille. I gather it was hugely popular in its time and is often shown on French TV. The bloke who seems to be holding a pumpkin in his hand, is actually holding a water bomb made to look like a pumpkin - he was a very good shot, but it was so hot, no one minded.
Clefs came next with the biggest grossing French film of all time, and indeed the film that had the most ever cinema entrances in France of any film. It is called Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis, starred Danny Boon and came out in 2008.
If you have ever taken the fast road between Saumur and La Fleche, you will have passed through Cuon. This year they came up with a film Le Petit Baigneur - another Louis de Funes film from 1968 and not one I have heard of at all, but a rather sweet float.
St Martin d'Arce was next in line. They did Asterix and Obelix in fine style - but personally I prefer the books to the films. We all cheered until we realised we were about to get "magic potion" thrown at us, which seemed to be dirty dish water (I hope it wasn't).
Then St Quentin les Beaurepaires - a tiny village off the main road - which did what I am told is a great French classic - Le Pere Noel est un Ordure. I never think it wise to mock Father Christmas - you never know, as I saw him finishing his rounds one Christmas morning at Fontain Guerin!
Montpollin had several outriders before the main float turned up as they portrayed the film Mais ou est donc passe la 7eme Compagnie? The French do a fine line in comedy films about the war.
Chartrene is the smallest commune in the Department - only about 50 registered voters and a few more people than that (mostly British). They did another Louis de Funes film, but by this stage, my knowledge of these is totally exhausted (though no one did the Fantomas sequence - happily).
Echimire decided to take on the Jean Reno films - Les Visiteurs - about a rather tetchy medieval knight who gets sent forward in time, and doesn't much enjoy it. I believe his catch phrase in the films was C'est dingue! - it's crazy!
Finally Pontigne brought up the rear, in place of honour with the finest and most highly regarded of all French Comic Films - even more than M Hulot's Holiday - La Soupe au Chou - about a couple of old peasants who make a wicked cabbage soup. The disturbed digestion they get from this makes them fart a lot, which turns out to be an inter-galactic greeting and brings them Denree, who comes in search of cabbage soup, and brings gifts in return. Denree is played by Jacques Villeret in an early role. It cannot be called high art, but does epitomise French films - Truffaut was an abberation.
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