Paris Agriculture Salon

Last week we finished the week long Agriculture Show in Paris at the Porte de Versailles. It was its 50th anniversary this year. Of course, Mr. K and I went.  Please excuse the long post, mostly of pictures, again.

We saw all sorts of animals, but mostly sheep, goats, pigs, and cows. They also had horses, dogs, and cats but we didn't get a chance to go see them.

We decided to start with the sheep (moutons) and pigs (cochons).

They have Merino wool! P.S. lots of people.

Baa baa black sheep...

White sheepies

 Happened across a goat stall.

Awesome goat; I call him Billy Goat Gruff.

Then we followed the crowd (like you do in a large arena) and came to the pigs. Soo cute!  The cleanest piggies I've ever seen.

The Wilbur babies

These are the Basque piglets. Long ears and spots are the markers.

Momma and babies.  It was so warm, these poor pigs just slept through it all.

So after a sweltering time in the sheep/pig hall, we walked across the frozen tundra of Paris to see the cows. Porte de Versailles is great for the showcasing things, but when it's windy and cold, it becomes terrible.

But, we were determined, rather, I was determined to see the cows!  I have fond memories milking cows at UConn for a summer so I could take summer classes with free room. I fell in love with them there. So of course, I said hello to the Holsteins and Jerseys first. If you don't like cows, don't feel pressured to read on.  However, you will be missing some of the cutest babes out there!

(Note: I took no flash photos the entire time I was there and I was a good many feet away from the animals.  The cows are just rather large and so it may appear that I was up in their grills, but I assure you I was not.)

She was not to please to have her photo taken.  I think I got her bad side.

Prim'Holstein is Holstein in French

And these ladies just loved the attention, as Jerseys are wont to do. They're the princesses of the cow world.

Why hello, Mme Jersiase!

The pensive beauty.

Enter the beauty cows of France!

First up: White Blues

Blanc Bleu

Followed by cows that are supposed to be Blue North cows...but they look more like white ones...

Bleue du nord

Brittany Black Pie (pronounced "pee") and a Froment (pronounced "Froam") de Lyon lovelies.  But what is the Froment looking at?

Bretonne pie noir et Froment de Lyon

Her smiling baby of course!

Froment de Lyon Calf

Next up are the Brunes. A pretty Weimaraner cow, I say.

Brune

Mountain cows are the following beauties:

Casta and Lourdaise

And another baby. I love calves, don't you?

Calf of Lourdaise

These next ladies are Mr. K's favorite because they're fuzzy.

Charolaise

Ferrandaise

This is probably not what you think of when someone says "limousine"...

Limousine

I call these galls Mariachi and Sassy.  It's easier to say than they're true names.

Mariochine and Saosoise

Traditional textbook picture cows.

Montbeliard

She looks so sad here, doesn't she? I call her Freckles.

Normand

These lassies are shy, and the end one seems to be saying, "Excuuuuse you. No photos please!" Sorry m'am. Moving along.

Parthenaise

Red field cows. 'Nuff said. They can hide in your fields of red grasses...

Rouge des pres

Red Flemmish cows. Pretty gals, except for the one who is trying to stick her tongue out at me.

Rouge Flamande

This lady is one of my favorites. I've never seen nor heard of this one before. So, she's a first love.

Simmental

And last but not least, the mountain cow with the HUGE bell. Poor thing must go on adventures quite a lot.

Villiard de Lans

This cow's name means "sparrow, dove". Pretty for a little cow, huh? Better than Betsy or Daisy in my opinion.

 And just like in any agriculture show, you have a winner for the best animal.  I think the flowers so becoming don't you?

Well, I certainly hope you had a mooooving experience with the loooovely ladies here.
(I have a love of cows like noooo other and I think I always will.)

Signing off, comme une française! Until next time.
Ciao ciao!