The association

History:

This association of citizens ( under the 1901 law) was born in January 1996, following the investigation of public usefulness for the extension of the dairy industry in Petit-Fayt and especially about the risks of stocking ammonia.

The different public meetings brought some people living not only in Grand-Fayt but also in the area, to create an association called : "Défense et Promotion du Patrimoine de la Vallée des Faÿts (DPPVF)" whose policy will be the protection and the promotion of the traditions and the hedged farmland.
Its first activities were a walk which aimed at discovering the nature of this hedged farmland and a competition whose principle was to recognize the chapels in the area.

However, quite quickly the association became interested in the traditionnal brick ovens in the “Avesnois” (the name of this farmland), which were most of the time abandoned and ruined and considered as useless. As two members of the association were already making their own bread, the idea of a festival on this subject came up.

The first traditional oven built was made of clay but the six following,most of them based on the Roman example that was used in our farms, were all built with refractory bricks and each oven is movable.

As a result with every festival it is a genuine village of bread that takes shape.

The traditional folk dances have developped ( first with the children and then a group exclusively made of adults was created) so as to run, in an authentic manner, the important moments of the festival.
The bakers’s profession was immediately associated with the animation of the festival and each year some professional bakers bake and sell their own specialities. Their union also take part regularly in some demonstrations.

Since 2004, the topic of a country ( different from a year to another) came up so as to discover other traditions and customs.

The various types of bread made by the members of the DPPVF and other volunteers are “home-made”: a traditional bread made with yeast, a white bread also made with yeast, an organic leavened bread and finally the bread coming from the country celebrated ( Irish soda bread in 2005, Polish bread in 2006 and Scottish bread in 2007). All the flours are provided by a local miller ( from Noyelles-sur-Selle).

The “Fête du Pain” receives betweeen 5000 and 15000 people and the entrance is free.

Contact for the english people and other countries speaking english : Laurine Antoniol (E-mail : Patju2@aol.com)
Or on her father’s blog:
http://blogs.aol.fr/PATJU2/Blogdunprofduterroir/

		Introduction to the association organizing the “Fête du Pain”
		History: This association of citizens ( under the 1901 law) was born in January 1996, following the investigation of public usefulness for the extension of the dairy industry in Petit-Fayt and especially about the risks of stocking ammonia. The different public meetings brought some people living not only in Grand-Fayt but also in the area, to create an association called : "Défense et Promotion du Patrimoine de la Vallée des Faÿts (DPPVF)" whose policy will be the protection and the promotion of the traditions and the hedged farmland. Its first activities were a walk which aimed at discovering the nature of this hedged farmland and a competition whose principle was to recognize the chapels in the area. However, quite quickly the association became interested in the traditionnal brick ovens in the “Avesnois” (the name of this farmland), which were most of the time abandoned and ruined and considered as useless. As two members of the association were already making their own bread, the idea of a festival on this subject came up. The first traditional oven built was made of clay but the six following,most of them based on the Roman example that was used in our farms, were all built with refractory bricks and each oven is movable. As a result with every festival it is a genuine village of bread that takes shape. The traditional folk dances have developped ( first with the children and then a group exclusively made of adults was created) so as to run, in an authentic manner, the important moments of the festival. The bakers’s profession was immediately associated with the animation of the festival and each year some professional bakers bake and sell their own specialities. Their union also take part regularly in some demonstrations. Since 2004, the topic of a country ( different from a year to another) came up so as to discover other traditions and customs. The various types of bread made by the members of the DPPVF and other volunteers are “home-made”: a traditional bread made with yeast, a white bread also made with yeast, an organic leavened bread and finally the bread coming from the country celebrated ( Irish soda bread in 2005, Polish bread in 2006 and Scottish bread in 2007). All the flours are provided by a local miller ( from Noyelles-sur-Selle). The “Fête du Pain” receives betweeen 5000 and 15000 people and the entrance is free. Contact for the english people and other countries speaking english : Laurine Antoniol (E-mail : Patju2@aol.com) Or on her father’s blog: http://blogs.aol.fr/PATJU2/Blogdunprofduterroir/	Membres 62 cotisants en 2007 qui viennent de Grand-Fayt et des environs (Cartignies, Maroilles, Prisches, Avesnes/ Helpe, Glageon…) Président : Patrick Antoniol Vice-Présidente : Christine Largillière Secrétaire : Docteur Maryse Adam-Blanpain Trésorière : Odette Largillière. Trésorier-adjoint ;: Jean-Pierre Crémont Président d’honneur : le maire de Grand-fayt : Claude Gavériaux. Cotisation 8 euros par an.