Les Informations Excessives (Too Much Information)

This weekend I was treated to what was quite possibly my most appalling experience in France so far. I went to a "conference" for the students of the 5 grand schools of vinification in France: Bordeaux, Dijon, Reims, Toulouse, and Montpelier. Really, it was an excuse to drink for 3 days straight. Yes there was an "educational" portion, but most people slept off their alcohol during the presentations.

One of the calmer moments, winetasting in Cahors

It's very difficult to describe the level of wanton bodily destruction that was Oenopiades. But, my one parachute observation, after having attended a US university, is that comparatively, the French students act like a culture repressed who suddenly finds itself able to do whatever it wants, and doesn't really know how to handle it. What made the weekend even more appalling was that I had never seen this side of the French before. I witnessed men peeing in a parking lot in full view of everyone, and into empty wine bottles on the bus, 2 men coming into our cabin at 4AM wasted and passing out on our couch, and things on the dance floor more appropriate to a leather bar in the Castro. It was also mildly a shame because we were first in the historic village of Cahors, and then later in the hill country of Toulouse, both idyllic, natural places where you'd expect lazy river kayaking and walks in the hills, not the implosion of mind, body, and soul.



I do have to gives kudos for one thing, though. The French have an amazing capacity to start drinking at 6:30AM, drink all day, attend a nice dinner (which degraded into people in formal wear yelling and throwing food,) dance and party until 5AM, and then get up at 9:30AM to compete in sports all day, and party again until 5AM. I guess that stamina will come in handy during the grape harvest!

In terms of the grand oenologie schools, there's definitely an attitude of "Us vs. the Bordelais" among the other schools. The other schools cheered the most when Bordeaux lost one of the sports events, and always rooted for the team going head-to-head with Bordeaux. In the end, Bordeaux came in 2nd overall after Montpelier. We handedly won rugby, as well as volleyball and a few other sports, and the academic portion. And in our most embarassing moment, we came in LAST in the barrel competition. It was a pretty good joke for the rest of the afternoon.

Bordeaux in red, Reims in whatever

For me, it was a complete waste of a good three-day weekend. I just don't have the interest in alcohol-sodden weekends of debauchery anymore. I also probably didn't need to see this side of the French people; I thinkI prefer to deal with the snotty, Viva La France side of them! Well, you win some, you lose some.

footnote: No, I didn't include any photos of the less savory parts of the weekend. I don't particularly need to remember them.