Fête du Citron - Corsica

Today's float represents Corsica. Note the sanglier (wild boar) in the foreground. When you drive around the centre of Corsica you see families of wild boar wandering across the road.

In 1929, Menton, with its micro-climate, was the number one lemon-growing region in Europe. An hotelier had the excellent idea of organising an exhibition of flowers and citrus fruit in the gardens of the Hôtel Riviera. It was so successful that the following year, the event moved into the streets, with carts covered with orange and lemon trees along with beautiful local girls. Wishing to develop tourism, the municipality sought to give its Carnival a typically local colour - and so the Lemon festival was born in 1934. Two years later, the first exhibition of citrus fruit and flowers was launched in the Biovès gardens. Floats were designed and decorated with lemons and oranges. This has continued to this day and each year with a different theme.

If you look at the second photo, you can see how the lemons and oranges are fixed - with rubber bands. Tomorrow - another island - and we'll learn how the floats are constructed.