The festivals, the choule

For a local historian, studying a village’s festive calendar is like decoding the very soul of a community. Up until the mid-20th century, in Mont-Cauvaire as elsewhere in Normandy, time wasn’t a straight line but an unchanging cycle, governed by Christian faith and the demands of the land.

Winter and the Land’s Repose

The cycle kicks off with Epiphany. During this "dead season," work in the fields grinds to a halt. It’s a time for rural sociability: the master shares the galette (king cake) with his labourers. A touching custom of solidarity was observed: the "God’s share," reserved for any passing pauper, serving as a reminder that the festivities should never overlook the needy.

Next comes the Choule, on the Sunday before Shrove Tuesday. Under the influence of local figures like Placide Alexandre and the Pruvels (the village schoolmasters), this festival blended folk culture with traditional games. People played "Toton," a dice game where walnuts were wagered. Notably, during the Second World War, the Choule became an act of civil resistance, with proceeds used to send parcels to prisoners of war.

The Spring of Blessings

The return of spring enlists the sacred to protect future harvests. During Rogationtide, the vicar and the faithful would walk the paths at dawn to bless the crops. On Ascension Thursday, devotion led parishioners to the chapel of Bosc-Théroulde, a rallying point for all the neighbouring villages.

Whitsun (Pentecost) offered a unique interlude with the "Leopard Festival" at the Collège de Normandie. It was the only day of the year when villagers passed through the institution's gates to watch sporting displays like cricket and fencing—a brief but significant bit of social mixing. Two weeks later, Corpus Christi transformed the village into a sanctuary with floral altars and solemn processions.

Summer: Between Republic and Tradition

Summer marked the shift towards civic life. Bastille Day (14 July) was embodied by the joy of the public dance outside the grocer’s and the torchlight procession—with a special mention for 1945, when the Victory celebrations lasted three days. Before the harvest, the Prize-Giving Festival celebrated academic success, with children selling lime blossom from the schoolyard to benefit their cooperative.

Finally, the cycle draws to a grand close with Saint Fiacre, on the last weekend of August. As the patron saint of gardeners, Saint Fiacre remains the emblem of Mont-Cauvaire. This festival, which has stood the test of time, still combines the procession of offerings (wheat and flowers) with secular merrymaking, including a funfair and fireworks.

These celebrations weren’t merely entertainment; they bound the generations together, structured the village identity, and reminded everyone of their belonging to a shared terroir.