Feux D'Artifices 1

I think I need the 'X' & the 'S', (anyway, there were lots of them, over 2 weekends.)
This is like homework: have I spelt it correctly? Gotta get it posted before we go back to the UK for 2 weeks...
To whom am I handing it in, though? Who is reading this, red pen in hand?

Anyway, the fireworks.
For years we came to France in the summer holidays, expecting to celebrate Bastille Day with cheering, merry French Republicans, but we must always have been in the wrong places. Campsites on the Loire & Ardèche, small villages, central squares in medieval towns were more deserted on the 14th July than normal. Where did the celebrating go on?
In 2005, we heard distant crackling & saw golden showers from our isolated garden, so in 2006 we headed for our local town. We had to queue to get in, at a crossing, as every child under 10 crossed in front of us, dressed in frills, pastels minature suits & ties, spotless socks, each carrying a candle lantern & accompanied by a proud adult, holding their hands as they progressed to the Chateau. There was a fairground set up in the centre, ( not a very big one as it isn't a very big centre.) Stalls full of gaudy gewgaws lined the streets, so we retreated down the steps to our favourite bar. I'm not sure why we prefer this place as we must double the average age, anyway, we got a drink & joined the groups standing in the road, looking up at the chateau waiting for the fireworks.
Well, there were 3. One was red. 2 were gold. Between them they created, oooh, 10 stars & 1 bang? We drank our drink. We went home, yes, waiting first for the 100+ children to cross back over the crossing. All that finery for 3 feu(x) d'Artifice(s) in 10 minutes! They didn't seem too disappointed, but I bloomin' was.

So when a friend from Bergerac said, 'Come to dinner & we'll walk to the old Port to watch the fireworks', I thought, 'Well, it will be nice to go to Bob's for dinner, anyway' And so it was. Afterwards we walked through a warm evening towards the Port. More & more people joined us. The streets were lined with cars, one wheel on the pavement, de rigeur parking but VERy politically incorrect, probably why they do it. When we got to the bridge, there were hundreds of people, excited, chattering, the children carrying those little multi-coloured flashing things that look like neon sparklers... Amazing! We settled on the cobbles of the Port, the place was packed. Before long the PA started, telling us that the Ville & Commune of Bergerac welcomed us to their celebration of le Quatorze, that the theme was 'cinema' & they wished everyone good luck for the coming twelvemonth.
With that began the most amazing firework display I have ever seen. We tried to 'spot the Movie' as clear, loud stereo sound blasted wonderful themes, from Gladiator to Brief Encounter, from James Bond to Top Hat, with perfectly choreographed & coloured rockets, starbursts, wheels, rains & shooting stars crackled & banged across the river. Wonderful.
And afterwards, several thousand people, with no marshalls & few Police in evidence, got themselves & their children from the port, along the narrow streets & alleyways of the old Town, to sit in delightful bars beneath plane trees & eat an ice-cream or drink a beer. A lovely evening, so civilised, so elegant, & I thought with sadness of what happens these days in English town centres....
(to be cont.)