Le Weekend
Without a doubt we owe Norman Payne a huge vote of thanks for arranging the St Lo weekend on 18th/19th September 2004. Gill and I set off on Friday 17th with bikes packed in the old Morris Traveller (just in case we had to tow her) and after landing in France drove down through the lanes directly to St. Marguerite-d’Elle where Gérard and Elisabeth Clément and their two daughters Myléne and Elodie were patiently awaiting our arrival. The rest of the twinning party had met in the Place de l'Hôtel de Ville in Saint Lo at 7pm where their hosts for the weekend gathered round to welcome them and take them home.
After a late night catching up on news we joined the car assisted ride at Périers.The twinning Cavalcade that had ridden from St. Lo joined us here for their morning coffee & cake and more introductions giving us 40 riders with 21 Wessex cyclists. This was hosted by the President of the St. Lo Club, Loic Vaudry.We then cycled west towards the town of Pirou, along the sea front and then on to the Chateau de Pirou.Here all the bikes including the 6 Wessex tandems were lined up against the Moat wall whilst we had our picnic in the old stables.After lunch the sun came out and we began our tour of the chateau by crossing the moat and exploring the old buildings with our guide – this was great fun for all the children who as usual never seem to run out of energy and were always at the top of the stairs first.From the top of the chateau it was even possible to see Jersey!
It was time to make our way back to Périers and on the way we stopped at a large church.There was a choir practising inside giving that magical touch as the music of the hymns rose into the vaults. Meanwhile outside the bride and groom had just arrived for a wedding and were promptly photographed by all of us cyclists.We joined an old railway track that could easily have been a Sustrans route and sailed back to Périers.Whilst we tucked into juice and cake again the rest of the group had to make haste to return to St. Lo.
For this was Saturday night where we met in the village hall of Rampan to be wined and dined by our French hosts.We really did feel honoured as course after course was served up in between bottle after bottle of wine, cidre and calvados.And then it was entertainment time, as each group round the table had to take their turn to sing and have fun. Renditions of “Old MacDonald’s Farm”, “Daisy, Daisy ….. and so it went on as we switched from English (ably led by Chris & Jenny Davison) to French (led by Jean Vivier) tunes with much hilarity along the way.Even the children did their own stand up routine led by Margo and Myléne.
Norman had been kind enough to arrange for a glass pint-sized mug to be engraved with a translation of ‘our thanks and friendship from the Wessex CTC, September 2004‘ with a picture of a young and very fast Wessex cyclist in action.Loic who most was pleased to receive this memento of the weekend was cunning in his own way by distributing a small tea set amongst the Wessex riders and challenging them to travel gently, keep it safe and put it on display when the St. Lo riders return for their own twinning visit to Wessex (this was based on a tale of his fathers from the War).
On the Sunday morning we had another leisurely cycle ride visiting the church of St. Georges Montcocq.At this point I was on my first extended ride on a tandem with Jean Vivier on the front and little Amandine on the tag-along.Romain like the day before was still on his solo – though occasionally swapping with Imelda Loakes for a rest!Back at Rampan it was yet again time for lunch and still the food, wine and calvados flowed.Being the departure point this was a time of joy to remember the lovely weekend that we had spent together yet sadness that all was coming to a close all too soon.We were yet again provided with presents in the form of T-shirts to celebrate the “Fête du cycloturisme et du patrimoine 2004” and proudly displayed these in our send off group photo.
Jimmy Walker
Wessex DA President
Click here to go back to Salisbury Section Home Page