June 20, 2008
We spent our second day in Puy du Fou; some of the things that I wrote about yesterday actually happened today, but I just wanted to tie all of it in as an experience as a whole. Tonight we had tickets to the big show that is put on during weekend nights in the summer at Puy Du Fou. It is called the Cinescenie, and it boasts the biggest stage in the world. There are huge bleachers that hold over 14,000 people (it feels like you’re bring crammed in for a championship soccer match) that looks down onto an enormous stage area that includes a man-made lake and causeways, the original castle itself, other moveable buildings and several different grassy areas. The cast is in the thousands and the coordination is amazing. It’s really spectacular with the special effects and everything.
However, the history again is a little lacking in my opinion. If French schoolchildren are presented this type of history in school, it explains a lot that I hadn’t understood about some of the feelings towards Americans, etc. The story was supposed to follow the history of one family from the Vendee region from Medieval times to after WWII. It was at best a selective history of France (and this particular region), and it may have even been on the revisionist side (I’m not enough of an expert on the subject to speak definitively). I just know that if Kit had seen it, she would have been mad. One line that drew my particular attention from the show: “In the Second World War, the French army liberated a third of France.” This was said, but not one word was mentioned about the English, American or any other army. Really? I thought to myself. I’ll have to check the history books again, but I’m not sure what third the French army liberated. I know that the French Free Army certainly helped in the liberation, but it seems like most of the actions were combined efforts with the Allied forces. The way it was presented just seemed to show a very limited view.
Now, please don’t get me wrong. I love the French people and culture; that’s why I’ve brought the family here, but I also think that we have to be a little true to history. When I teach my students about the American Revolution, I always ask them to look at it from the British perspective as well as the American. When we talk about the wars with the American Indians, I try to present information from the point of view of the Indians (In fact, my students probably get sick of this since it’s an area of interest for me, and I think our current text is woefully lacking).
Anyway, I’ll get off of my soapbox now. The show was certainly spectacular, and Becky, Alex and I enjoyed it (Zac and Katie fell asleep since they didn’t start it until it got dark here – nearly eleven o’clock at night). The park and show absolutely have a very European feel to them, and they are a wonderful culture experience even if I am a bit critical of the history itself.
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