King of the Birds Renaissance Festival -- Night Camp

A "tent city" was erected for the Renaissance Festival just outside the old city of Le Puy. Meals were prepared in cauldrons over camp fires, and people who were working the festival slept and rested in the tents. Every day during the five-day festival you could smell the camp fires burning as a low cloud of smoke hung over the city.

Here's the view of the "tent city" with the lighted background of the Cathedral.

A "Renaissance-style" meal was on offer. It consisted of sausage, lentils, pork leg, some kind of liver and bread combo, a roll, a slice of cheese, and a cake dessert. 





Some peasant women pose for a photo in "tent city."










  A couple strolls in "tent city" in "Renaissance wear." 

Festival organizers encourage everyone to dress up in Renaissance costumes whether they are volunteers or onlookers. And people do! It felt a lot like Halloween seeing people dressed like this--a far cry from the jeans, shirts, and athletic shoes that they normally wear. 

There were many events at the Renaissance Festival that took place throughout the five days, and they were well-attended. There were jousting matches, wrestling matches, demonstrations of Renaissance tools, plays, music presentations, puppet shows, and of course, the archery contests that determined who would be crowned King of the Birds. Below are the horses that participated in the jousting matches.

The city invites people to volunteer their time for the Festival. Next year I hope to do just that....and to dress in Renaissance wear!