With Rachida Dati, camping in France transformed into an “open-air theater”?
Campsites, which are very popular in France, are in the sights of Culture Minister Rachida Dati, who wants to introduce more cultural activities. A campaign that may surprise lovers of pétanque and Beaujolais, jokes the British newspaper “The Times.”
Camping is a rite of passage for any family looking for a cheap holiday abroad. And what better destination than France? It's the ultimate tent country: the climate is pleasant, the cafes are good, the dress code is minimal, and the locals are... well, French. Some 27 million people pitched a tent at a campsite in France last year; two-thirds of them were French, with the remainder mostly Dutch, German, Belgian, British, and Swiss.
However, those crossing the Channel with the aim of greedily drinking Beaujolais under the trees or beating the locals at pétanque * are in for a shock this year: it's quite possible that their chosen campsite has been transformed into an open-air theatre, art studio, dance hall or vast reading circle where Molière, Mauriac or Houellebecq echo into the night.
French campers are the latest target of the campaign [announced on May 23, with the kickoff of “Cultural Summer 2025”] led by Rachida Dati, the relentless French Minister of Culture, to bring art to the masses. Free dance workshops c
Courrier International
