Salon de l'Agriculture 2018

One reason we enjoy coming to Paris in the winter is being able to attend the Salon de l'Agriculture.  We call it France's State Fair on steroids.

It is held at the huge convention center at the Porte de Versailles and is spread over 7 buildings.  We did not even try to cover them all!  Each year they feature a star cow.  This year it was Haute, an Aubrac cow.  Le Royal Jussieu café up the street from us features Aubrac beef.  A sign showed up at the café this week touting their "star" breed at the Salon.

"Haute" our star breed Aubrac was chosen for
the place of honor for the Salon de l'Agriculture 2018

Kelly and I attended the Salon on Monday.  We couldn't believe how crowded it was-much more so than we remembered last time when we were there in 2012.  Maybe the Salon is becoming more popular?  The school winter holidays were this week so that could have been a factor. Kate and Carter arrived from New York City on Sunday morning and we returned with them to the fair.  We were trying to keep them moving and awake to get over the jet lag quickly.
We checked out the building with the cows, sheep and pigs first.  There were so many types of cows.  We watched the breeders parade five large Charolais bulls towards the ring.

Kelly and the Bulls

Charolais Bull

The bovine ring was fascinating.  Five cows of one type of breed would be led in by their breeders while an emcee familiar with the breed described their attributes.  An accordion player provided music in between all the talking.

Charolais in the Bovine Ring

Accordion Player and Platter of
Cheese during the Savoyard Breed Display

The Charolais breed is found all over the world from Australia to Russia to Mexico.  They adapt to any kind of weather.  The bulls in the ring each weighed more than a car.  The Savoyard breed is found in the alps.  The hair is dark around their eyes to protect them from the sun and they have strong legs to do a lot of walking to find food.  It was all so interesting!

I'm sure my Dad could identify this
breed of cow but I don't remember

Kate and Kelly check out a "cure cow"

The cows were all primped before their turn in the Bovine Ring.  We watched this owner use a hairdryer and comb to spruce up his Holstein.

A little Holstein primping

The sheep were also getting groomed for their turn in the ring.

Getting a Brush Down

Shorn Sheep

Kate loves the sheep

Kate and Kelly with Sheep and Pigs

We really loved the pigs and the piglets.  When they were in the ring, their owners guided them around with big boards.  A rope would just slide off the neck of a pig!

Pig and her Piglets

Piglets in the Ring

 

Herding Pigs

Our other favorite part of the Salon de l'Agriculture is the building filled with the food from the regions of France.  So much good food to sample.

Tour Eiffel of Fruit

We love the caramel from Saint Malo and the nougat is out of this world.

Caramel

Yummy Nougat

The raclette sandwich looked yummy and I love the lavender honey from Provence.  And sausage everywhere!  The French love their sausage.

Sausage and Raclette Sandwiches

Lavender sachets and honey

There was also food from the overseas territories of France. 

Reunion Island

Passion Fruit



Spices

We came home with lots of little pots of caramel and other goodies.  Looks like another successful trip to the Salon de l'Agriculture.