Early on Saturday morning, the 'conscrits' of 2009 rode up to our little hilltop in the Auvergne on a tractor decorated with branches and paper flowers. Accompanied by an accordeon player and hooting and hollering, they woke up everyone. It was their big day, and they rode from village to village to collect money from the inhabitants to party that night. It is an old tradition, that dates from the time when all 18-year old men had to enlist in the army and had to leave their home. This was always the last hurray for the 'conscrits' and it always coïncided with the community's yearly celebration in the summertime.
These days, France no longer has a draft and there are not many 18-year-olds in its villages any more, but the tradition survives. And so it should. It connects these young people to those who came before them, even if they do get a bit tipsy with the money collected. But, oh, the fun they have....
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