The Dance Lime Tree in Jaure

In October 2011 the Ariane society offered the village of Jaure (population 146) a splendid 30 year old Dance Lime Tree. It was the first Dance Lime Tree to be planted in the south of France.
The tree was grown and pruned to three stories by a Dutch nursery. It is now growing in the centre of Jaure, near its castle and 12th-century church. It is now a child in a village where a tree several hundreds of years old once grew.
The tree’s inauguration took place on 30 October 2011, a bright, sunny day, in the presence of one hundred inhabitants and local authorities. The Mayor of Jaure cut the inaugural ribbon and displayed a plaque featuring the Jaure coat of arms. A spontaneous dance, accompanied by Pierre Albuisson on his nickelharpa, was followed by drinks sponsored by the town hall.
A lantern festival has already been celebrated for the winter solstice in 2011, accompanied by traditional dishes. A May Dance, during which children will dance around the May tree and bury the effigy of winter is in preparation. A summer solstice event with a bonfire, preceded by a market of local organic products, is also in the offing. And this is only the beginning of the tree’s long life as part of the community. The Dance Lime Tree will become a vital link in the village of Jaure, enabling the community to renew its identity and customs.