Bonsoir les bichettes 🙂
I’m delighted to be back at the keyboard to tell you about a great weekend I spent in Germany at the end of September, taking part in Munich’s famous Oktoberfest. Yes, ever since I was a little girl, I’ve regularly been to Bavaria, and more specifically to Mertingen, because the commune of Sainte-Pazanne where I grew up is twinned with it. So, when we welcomed our German friends last year, we promised ourselves that we’d come and visit them in Germany to take part in this very popular festival.
We spent 3 incredible days there and really didn’t regret the trip! Because even if I don’t like beer, Oktoberfest is a must-see at least once in your life. What’s more, Munich is a great place to visit. Here’s a look back at our Bavarian weekend 🙂
We left on Saturday afternoon from Nantes via Lufthansa. Frankly, I really liked this airline. We received regular information before our trip and once on board, the service was perfect. I appreciated the typical sandwiches (cheese and salami) they offered. Once in Munich, our friends picked us up. Mertingen is about an hour from the airport. It was so nice to see them again! On Sunday, we stayed in the commune. You shouldn’t go to Munich at the weekend, because it’s too crowded and impossible to enjoy the city, especially on the 2nd weekend, known as the “Italian weekend”. Italy is very close, and crowded buses arrive every year during this period. Monday is the day chosen by the locals.
Getting to Munich
The next morning, bright and early, we were on the station platform. Yes, another piece of advice from our German friends: don’t come to Munich by car!
If you want to spend the night directly on site, make sure you book VERY EARLY! Every year, between 6 and 7 million people make the trip in two weeks :). Hotels, Airbnb and youth hostels are very popular, and prices are bound to soar.
Alternatively, to keep costs down, you could go a little further afield and choose a town with a railway station, such as Mertingen. Frankly, it’s the best solution, and it’s fun! All the Germans are in the carriages, dressed in traditional costume (more on that later), with the first beers in hand! The tone is set, and it’s clear that this is going to be a fun party.
You can’t get lost at the station! Oktoberfest is marked on the ground, and all Germans go to the same place! It’s about a 20-minute walk to the square.
Here we are at last!
Oktoberfest, or October Festival in German, is THE beer festival. Historically, it began in 1810, with the wedding of the future Ludwig I. of Bavaria and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. To mark the occasion, major festivities are organized in Munich, and these are subsequently repeated on each anniversary of the royal wedding. It takes place every year from the first Saturday of the second half of September to the first Sunday in October.
So what do we do at the Oktoberfest?
Oktoberfest is best enjoyed with friends or family, as the atmosphere is convivial.
Late morning to 4pm:
- Stroll between the 14 marquees of Munich’s famous breweries. In front of the shop windows, you can admire the horses pulling their decorated carriages. Inside, we applaud the youngsters drinking their liter of beer, admire the waitresses carrying a dozen mugs and enjoy giant pretzels with a beer OR a sparkling apple juice :). For the record, beers are served by the liter called “maß” and the price changes every year. It’s around 10 euros (it goes very fast :)). Frankly, it’s hard to say which tent to choose, as each one is more incredible than the next. Especially when you consider that they’re set up just for the occasion and then taken down! The biggest tents can hold up to 10,000 people! However, once the quota has been filled, for safety reasons, the tent is closed. That’s why I told you above to enjoy the party until a certain time, because after that, without a reservation, it’s very hard to get a place!
- There are rides and attractions of all kinds. If you like to have fun, you’re in for a treat. Oktoberfest is the biggest funfair in the world 🙂
- We take a walk through the “Oide Wiesn”.
For locals, this is where the REAL Oktoberfest is! After paying a few euros, you can enjoy a beer in a more traditional, authentic atmosphere. The games and merry-go-rounds are vintage and have retained a friendly spirit.
Snthe “Tradition” tent, you can sample culinary specialities to the sounds of brass bands and the whip-snapping of Bavarian dancers in folk costumes. Beer is served in traditional “Keferloher” gray stoneware mugs.
If you’d like to take home a souvenir, think of the gingerbread and sugar heart, it’s so cute and there are lots of inscriptions available to please 🙂
From 4:00 pm, the challenge: find a table in a large tent
It’s maximum time to try and get into one of the big tents for the evening! Our friends weren’t paying attention, so we couldn’t get into the tent they’d originally wanted: the“Augustiner Festhalle“. Luckily, we were able to find a table in the“Hacker Festzelt“. It’s important to be seated, as beer purchases can only be made at the table. And don’t expect to be able to make a reservation – it’s very complicated, not to say very expensive!
And here, believe me, the atmosphere is well worth staying for a few hours. It’s simple: everyone stands on the benches, sings and dances in harmony to the rhythms of the orchestra, sometimes shaking the mugs! You mustn’t be afraid of crowds, otherwise it’s complicated 🙂 The music is not just German, but international. It’s really great! A real communion between the participants. With the help of alcohol, everyone is very welcoming and will drink with you!
Before ending this article, I must warn you!
Don’t be surprised, almost all Germans wear the traditional costume: puffed-up dresses for the women, with an emphasis on cleavage, and skinny breeches and checked shirts for the men? Personally, I hesitated to invest in a typical suit because I really like them. As I’m not very busty, I didn’t feel like wearing a dress. On the other hand, I find skin shorts too cute and sexy for women 🙂
In short, I chose to select something fun and stylish from my wardrobe 🙂 I opted for a checkered shirt, denim shorts and for bottoms, I wore my favorite high socks with my Adidas superstar wedges (the Claudie Style according to my friends! 😉
I hope I’ve whetted your appetite for Oktoberfest! You should know that the next one will take place from September 22 to October 7, 2018. So don’t hesitate and go for it! Unfortunately, we didn’t stay long enough to visit the city, but if I have one last piece of advice to give you: take an extra day or two to enjoy Munich. The city really does have a lot to offer: the Königsplatz, the Frauenkirche, the Marienplatz, the Olympic Park and the BMW Museum (for car lovers like me 🙂
If you have any questions about the party or the preparation of the trip, don’t hesitate to ask me, I’ll be happy to answer them.
I send you my love. See you soon for new articles on our favorite restaurants in Nantes, an article on a photoshoot we did for a Nantes-based designer, and very soon a feature on our stay on the Amalfi Coast: it was toooppppp 🙂
