My Ban-Cheile* and I took a trip into Cognac to catch some of the ambiance of the Blues Festival. The festival runs from July 2nd -July 7th and attracts people from all over the world and not just France. The one hour drive north from Bédenac took us through undulating vineyards as far as the eye could see, interspersed with the red-roofed houses that created a panorama that might have been unchanged for centuries. The festival itself comprises of a headline act in the Centre Ville and a scattering of other performance in a variety of locations from public parks to bars and on the doorstep of restaurants. The crowd consisted of all age groups from children, through teenagers, to young parents herding their over-excited children, but if pushed I’d have to admit there were more…