It is normal that some residents of south west France want to celebrate their Catalan and Spanish heritage - and bull fights are still a part of that in places such as Nimes and Beziers. But when organisers of the Fiesta Tolosa planned a Pamplona style spectacle of bulls running through the streets of suburban Toulouse they were met with understandable opposition from the local residents.
Manifestations against bull fights are regular occurrences but the tradition carries on. Indeed France 3 TV Occitanie has a regular tauromachie magazine called "Signes du toro", which seems in no way to denigrate the "sport".
Many of us (and our French friends) deplore the influence the chasse has on our daily lives in the country; perhaps just our British squeamishness, but these traditional torturing of animals in the name of sport surely have no place in civilised society?
At least the people of Sept Deniers have managed to ensure no bulls running through their streets next year.
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