1986: My Happy Life in Provence

Chapter 384 Slowly descending into madness! Slowly immersing oneself in the revelry
The afternoon flower battle and the evening parade were official events, with Ronan and his party invited by Michelin magazine.

Ordinary tourists can only enjoy this spectacle from the crowded streets, braving the scorching sun in the afternoon, while the artists of Lourmaran can sit in cool indoor spaces, enjoying delicious desserts and fruits, and sipping fine wine.

The viewing room is located in an 18th-century hotel along the famous Place Masséna in Nice, offering the best view of the Flower Battle and the evening parade.

The guests will spend the afternoon and evening here, and will also participate in a private dinner hosted by the organizers.

Although the artists from Lourmaran were incredibly excited, none of them dared to make a sound once they entered the banquet hall. They just wanted to find a quiet corner to sit down discreetly.

They saw many famous French and international figures in the banquet hall!
What have we done to deserve watching the Nice Carnival with these important figures?

"Is that Princess Caroline, Grace Kelly's daughter? I heard that the Monaco royal family attends the Nice Carnival every year, and it turns out it's true."

"Wait, isn't that Tina Turner? The rock diva is on tour in Europe in February, is she here for the carnival too?"

Among the artists, some exclaimed in surprise, while others sighed.

Cotillard's eyes darted among the guests:

"Damn it, these artists are all too famous, I can't afford their work!"

Ronan said that there were quite a few artists among the guests invited this time. Cotillard thought that they were all of the same caliber as Lourmarin, and he was thinking that he would try his best to make friends with them and earn some extra money. But when he came in and saw this, he realized that he was completely out of their league.

Batistuta was also sighing:

"The ladies here are so elegant, it's hard for me to make new friends. I just braved myself and found out that the other person owns eight gas stations in Nice, while I don't even own a car."

He then looked down at his floral shirt with disdain:
"Especially dressed like this."

Vivian rested her chin on her hand and said regretfully:
“Alain Delon also came to the Nice Carnival in 1985 and participated in the float design competition. This year’s King theme suits him so well. Why didn’t he come again? I like him so much.”

Zoe was slightly better off than the others, but she was still extra careful about her words and actions.
"I never dreamed I would have the opportunity to participate in this kind of activity."

This is not the place for them, at least not the place for them right now!

How did Ronan manage to bring everyone here?
Suddenly, the sharp-eyed Paulette exclaimed:
“Look, isn’t that Ronan greeting Princess Caroline? And who’s that white-haired woman next to him? I just saw her chatting with Tina Turner like friends, arms around each other.”

Ronan knew perfectly well that he should find a quiet corner to hide away in this situation, but he couldn't resist Ines's enthusiastic introduction to one of her so-called 'good friends' after another.

From fellow artists to local entrepreneurs, from French stars to international celebrities, from Nice officials to the Monaco royal family, Ronan's face was beaming with joy.

After finally introducing Ronan to his 'friends,' President Ines said to Ronan:

"Alright, let's go see the floats. This year's ladies were selected from France, Spain, and Italy."

Every year, the girls in the Flower Battle have to go through a very strict selection process. They can only be between 18 and 28 years old, over 168 cm tall, and can't have any flaws or tattoos. Most importantly, they must have outstanding looks.

Girls who pass the overall requirements will have to go through a second round of auditions, which include standing on a simulated float for 3 hours while wearing 5cm high heels, maintaining a smile when being hit in the face with flowers, and being able to recite 3 complete historical themes of the Nice Carnival.

The interview process is over, but it's not over yet.
The girls who pass the second round of auditions will walk the runway at Nice City Hall in November of the previous year, and will be selected by a vote of the mayor, previous float girls, and designers.

Do you think this is the end?
No, this is far from over!

Their training period is from November of the previous year to February of the following year, during which they practice facial expressions and physical fitness, etc.

But all the effort is worthwhile. Over the years, 23% of the float girls have entered the entertainment industry, which is a shortcut for girls to become stars.

A group of dancers had already begun to walk down the street, and the music was getting increasingly lively, clearly indicating that the women were about to parade to Place Masséna.

Ines smiled and gestured with his chin towards Ronan.

Go on, this part is what you men love to watch the most.

Ronan didn't rush to look at the woman, but instead lowered his voice and asked the chairman:
"Are any members of the Fox family here? Is there anything I can do with the artists?"

Ronan was very self-aware; he and the artists from Lourmarin were there on a mission.

To put it bluntly, they were actors hired by Ines, who came to Nice specifically to perform for the Fox family.

Ronan's initiative made Ines like the boy even more. He gently patted Ronan on the back and whispered in his ear:
"Don't worry, those old guys are very shrewd. They noticed you as soon as you came in. You don't have to do anything, just have fun."

After saying that, Ines returned to the side of rock star Tina Turner and looked down at the square.

With Ines saying so, Ronan left reassured and went to the location where the Lourmaran artists were watching the performance.

However, on the way, an old friend stopped him.

Llorente greeted Ronan warmly:

"Long time no see, Ronan. I didn't expect to see you here too?"

There are many shrewd people here today, like the one right in front of me.

Ronan is now a rising star among Provençal artists, having sparked a pastry craze in Gordes. His presence at this event is not surprising to Llorente; what is surprising is that Inès introduced him to so many celebrities. This approach is quite intriguing.

Llorente believed that Ronan was now qualified to be his 'friend'.

"You've come too?" Ronan was very surprised.

This gentleman really does seem to appear wherever there's excitement.

Llorente pointed in a direction and said with a smile:
“My wife comes to the Nice Carnival every year, and you know, as a good husband, it’s my duty.”

Ronan followed his finger and saw an elderly woman in a wheelchair near the fence.

"He's definitely a qualified husband," Ronan thought to himself, but what he said aloud was:

"The flower battle has begun. Go and enjoy the flowers with your wife. I'm going to find my girlfriend too."

Llorente stopped Ronan again, smiling as he said:
"I was planning to call you in a few days, but since we bumped into each other today, I thought I'd tell you now. The Provence food festival is starting soon. Would you like to join?"

Ronan was overjoyed.

In fact, he wanted to get to know Llorente because he valued the culinary resources he had and the Vaucluse Culinary Alliance.

Moreover, Mr. Jacques' Michelin-starred restaurant gained its reputation by participating in local food events.

Last year, Ronan asked about this issue several times, and Llorente said that there are many food events in Provence, but they are all concentrated between April and August.

It's already mid-March, so it's definitely time to start.

However, Ronan did not immediately agree:

What type of activity is it?

Ronan shouldn't just rush into it; he needs to make a choice based on his own strengths or the restaurant's strengths.

Llorente spread his hands out and said with a smile:
“Provence hosts more than a dozen food events of all sizes every year, there are just too many types. I think we should find an opportunity to sit down and have a good talk about this, what do you think?”

Ronan readily agreed:

"No problem, I'll come to Gold to find you when I get back from Nice."

Llorente said enthusiastically:
"See you in Lourmaran. I promised to try your restaurant. I'll call you before I go."

Ronan raised an eyebrow in surprise.

He had begged and pleaded, and Llorente had readily agreed, but in reality, he had long forgotten about him.

They actually took the initiative to come and try it this time?
The conversation with Llorente was very brief. By the time Ronan found Zoe, a woman had already appeared under the window and was blowing kisses in their direction.

Several male artists, including Bati, swayed their hips to the music and passionately interacted with the women on the street.

The female artists weren't as excited; some people familiar with the event were explaining to those who didn't know what the Flower Battle was all about.
In 1876, Nice nobles decorated their carriages with flowers to showcase the city's prosperity. This later evolved into a nationwide flower-themed parade. From the 50s to the 70s, many Hollywood stars participated, making the event more famous and larger in scale.

Nice is a city of flowers. During the carnival, dozens of floats, each 10-15 meters long, parade through the city for three hours every afternoon. Each float is hand-decorated with tens of thousands of flowers, all of which are local flowers, such as roses, carnations, daisies, gladioli, lavender, and broom.

The flower girls on the floats, also dressed in gorgeous gowns made of flowers, tossed blossoms at the audience. Viewers could catch or throw them back, creating an interactive "flower battle"—hence the name. Last year, the girls on the floats and the performers below threw a total of 10 flowers at the audience; I wonder how many they'll throw this year.

Although Ronan had become very Provençal, his inherent Parisian detachment would be awakened when faced with bustling scenes.

Watching the lively performances on the street, he initially did not join in, maintaining a reserved smile throughout.

But when the band suddenly started playing a celebratory variation of "La Marseillaise," his body began to betray him.

First, his toes started tapping to the beat involuntarily, then the music's drumbeats lapped against his body like Mediterranean waves, causing him to sway slightly.

Finally, Ronan discovered the betrayal and tried to stop, but the ladies on the float threw a bouquet of dew-covered flowers at them, causing the surrounding guests to scramble for them like madmen.

Ronan didn't know who ultimately got the flowers, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw brightly colored dresses fluttering rapidly around him to the rhythm of the music.

There was Cotillard, Ines, rock stars, and the Monaco royal family. Even an old woman in a wheelchair started shaking her neck.

But what ultimately made Ronan fall for her was the girl who twirled him around by the hand.

“This is insane!” Ronan yelled at Zoe.

Zoe's laughter struck Ronan's heart like a sweet bullet:

"That's not crazy enough. The real craziness happens at night, that's when the real party starts!"

(End of this chapter)