The ESU Loire Valley meeting Saturday 12 October took the form of two very different, very interesting visits. The first was to ‘Plantagenet Plants’ situated in the small hamlet of Argentay, near Doué-la-Fontaine. In 1997, the owners, David and Bella Gordon, gave up London life working as journalists for the BBC and purchased 3 hectares, which they have transformed into a thriving business. Their original plans to produce and sell plants have expanded into landscaping and lecturing in communes around France. In the greenhouses, David explained the three main methods of plant propagation. Outside, Bella took members on a tour of the gardens, including the wildlife areas so vital in their aim to encourage insect life to help fight plant diseases today.
We then drove the short distance to Messemé where we were welcomed by François David and his mother Annie. François is in charge of the business side of the Domaine while his brother Sebastien runs production. We were treated to a glass of ‘bernache’ as an aperitif, following which, whilst enjoying a light lunch of charcuterie, cheese, and delicious apple tart, François explained in excellent English, the history of the Domaine originally established by his great grandparents in the 1930s. We enjoyed sampling 5 different wines and learning about the changes in production methods over the years, in particular the changes brought about recently by climate change.
The summer barbecue that took place Sunday 25 August in the orchard of Jackie and Simon Reeves’ delightful property was one of the highlights of the ESU Loire Valley 2024 calendar. This informal event brought together over 60 people including members, family and friends, and dancers of the Chacé Country Club.
Following the aperitif, a delicious summer meal was served and enjoyed by all who were seated at tables under the shade of the trees. To add to the atmosphere, many had donned Stetsons and Hillbilly gear. During the afternoon, the dancers took to the floor, dancing to country music before inviting all to join them for a lesson. To quote Miley Cirus’ “Hoedown Throwdown” lyrics: “I’ll … show and tell you how to move, If you’re 5 or 82, this is something you can do”. Great fun was had by everyone – participants and audience alike. It was a perfect way to end a lovely afternoon.
Our thanks to Jackie and Simon for the beautiful venue and for all their hard work, to the dancers of the Chacé Country Club and to all who contributed in any way to such an enjoyable day.
Saturday 20 July, 30 members and friends embarked on the boat “l’Hirondelle” moored in the picturesque harbour of Grez-Neuville, near Le Lion-d’Angers, for an afternoon river cruise along the river Mayenne. Some climbed up to the open top deck of the 26-metre-long boat and others opted to sit in the spacious covered area below.
The captain and crew slowly guided the boat away from the mooring point, past the small boats, past the church, the mill and restaurants along the bank and into the canal towards the loch from where entered the tranquil waters of the Mayenne. We meandered along the twisting river, soaking up the peace whilst admiring the scenery.
The weather was perfect: not too hot, nor too cold, and the predicted rain held off for the 2-hour cruise. For those out on deck, the tranquillity was all pervasive, broken occasionally by the captain who pointed out places of interest along the way: an historic mill, a grand house, a heron, and the ducks and geese, all oblivious to us as we passed by.
Little detracted from the peace. Occasionally a fisherman would wave from the bottom of his garden. Canoes and small boats were tethered along the banks, but few were out on the water. Time slipped by and all too soon we turned to go back to our starting point and the reality of everyday life. A glass of Cremant helped the disappointment as we returned to the hustle and bustle back at the harbour.
Our thanks to the ESU Loire Valley committee for this lovely river trip and special thanks to Fabien at Le Domaine du Moulin for providing such a tranquil and delightful afternoon.
Mix together a stunning location, plenty of sunshine and 30 people determined to have fun, and the result was an outstanding day out for the members and friends who met at the Château de la Boussinière on the bank of the river Loire near Gennes, 23rd June.
The terrace of the 17th century Château was kindly lent to us by the owner, Madame Jouan-Rambeau, who over the past two years has added a magical touch to the property by placing unusual and fascinating objects at every turn, in every nook and cranny: objects that can’t fail to catch the eye and rouse curiosity in all who pause to visit the Château shop and terrace.
Lunch took the form of a bring and share picnic and the large buffet table was covered with a variety of interesting dishes to suite everyone’s taste. A dessert of ice-cream was supplied by the proprietor and was most welcome in the warm sunshine on the terrace overlooking the stunning view down to the river below.
The highlight was the inhouse entertainment. Our thanks to Tony Oakley for providing the sound system and also for entertaining us with his guitar, sometimes alone and sometimes accompanied by his carefully selected backing group. Other members contributed to the entertainment by reciting poems, stories, and singing, and inevitably hidden talents were revealed – Bernard with his musical instruments and Fran with the story of taking her 3-month-old kitten on a London double-decker bus and the ensuing arguments with the conductor and eventually with the police.
All in all, it was a really lovely summer day out. Our thanks to all who contributed. We hope it marks the start of a season of similar outdoor meetings which will be equally as enjoyable.
The annual May Day Walk was kindly organised by member, Tony Oakley. 16 members spent 2 hours following a route approximately 9 km long around Le Sale Village, near Saint-. Georges-sur-Sept-Voies.
Although most of the time walkers were under a light drizzle, this didn’t detract from the enjoyment. The route took walkers past the Dolmen de la Bajoulière and 2 other Menhirs, with frequent pauses to admire the spring flowers along the forest paths. The pace was slow offering the perfect opportunity to chat with others along the way, and to get to know each other better, not always possible at our more formal monthly meetings.
The parking spot was near the entrance to church of le Prieuré where the large porch provided shelter for everyone to enjoy a picnic lunch in the dry. Thank you, Tony, for organising another most enjoyable walk. Where to next time?
34 members and friends were present at the Hôstellerie St. Paul, Vivy, to hear Dr. Claude Richard’s interesting talk about improving our daily lifestyles: “Move well, Eat well and Sleep well, to Age well”. Dr Richard was head of the cardiac unit at Saumur hospital between 1982 – 2014. Now retired, he continues his work there as a specialist consultant in cardiology and sleep problems. His talk was highly interesting and enlightening, particularly with respect to our daily exercise requirements which left many among us vowing to increase our physical activities and take up cycling, walking or swimming again. He encouraged a return to home cooked meals using varied ingredients to produce a diet low in fat and red meat, high in fish and vegetables, and he gave tips to the insomniacs among us to increase our sleep quality, ideally over an 8-hour period each night.
Dr, Richard’s thought-provoking talk gave rise to lots of discussion over a convivial meal in the restaurant of the Hôstellerie: both the food and the service were excellent. Our thanks to all involved for a most interesting and enjoyable event.
The AGM took place on 27 April at le Bon Pasteur in Angers, providing an opportunity for the committee to update members on the activities of the past year. Afterwards those present were entertained by a speaker, Robert Arley, who for many years was the producer of the BBC television “Antiques Roadshow”, a Sunday evening programme as popular today as it was in 1979 when it started.
Robert was based at the BBC Bristol outside broadcasting unit. On a Monday, along with his team, he would arrive on location at a national trust property and spend 2 days preparing for Thursday morning when on average 1,500 people would queue at the entrance, clutching treasured possessions to be valued by a team of experts, all specialists in different subject areas. It took each expert around 3 minutes to value most items. 30 – 40 people with particularly interesting pieces would each be filmed for 7 minutes on average. Back in Bristol the footage would be cut to 2 ½ minutes per item.
Over lunch, Robert answered members’ questions. We would like to thank Robert for sharing many fascinating and entertaining anecdotes. Unfortunately, all too soon it was time to leave. We hope to be able to welcome Robert again to learn more secrets of a producer, and, of course, of the presenters too.
On Friday 15th March, 25 members and guests met for lunch in the restaurant l’Embarcadère in La Menitré, the first time our association had visited the restaurant since new owners took over several years ago. The food and service were both excellent and we plan to return on a summer’s day to lunch on the terrace and enjoy the wonderful views over the river Loire.
Following lunch, we made our way to the brewery La Piautre, where we were welcomed by our charming English-speaking guide. We learned that the brewery was founded 20 years ago by two friends whose original idea was to establish it on a boat on the Loire, hence the name. Using locally grown barley, but unable to source malt locally, it was soon decided that the malting process would take place on site. Members enjoyed a video of the process before learning that different naturally flavoured beers are obtained from varieties of hops from France and abroad: Alsace, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand, included. Ten years ago, experiments began using malted barley to make whisky. Water, malt, and yeast are mixed and fermented for roughly a week before being distilled. Stills similar to those for Cognac are used and today 7 varieties of single malt whisky are produced. The company continues to experiment and has recently produced the first La Pautre gin. Samples were much appreciated during the tasting session that was the climax of an interesting and enjoyable afternoon.
27 members and friends met to celebrate the Chinese New Year together over a buffet-style meal at the “Wok Rainbow” restaurant in Bagneux, Saumur, at lunchtime, Saturday 10th February. Despite having been organised as a last-minute addition to the programme of events for 2024, this informal meeting was a great success. The restaurant offers an “à volonté” buffet with an extensive selection of delicious, freshly-cooked chinese dishes, including several that you can have cooked in front of you.
Our thanks to Patricia N. for having taken time to prepare and distribute sheets explaining the Chinese zodiac signs and outlining the years to which they apply. There are 12 zodiac signs, each of which lasts the entire year. The year ahead is the year of the Dragon and those born over the next twelve months are said to be likely to lead lucky and successful lives.
In the restaurant, people were constantly on the move to replenish empty plates, providing plenty of opportunity to pass around to chat to friends and welcome newcomers. The selection of dishes on offer included something for all tastes. The atmosphere was informal, relaxed, and very friendly. All those present left replete and smiling, anticipating a positive year ahead full of good luck and success, thanks no doubt, to the Dragon himself.
The weather stayed dry the morning of Saturday 24 February when 20 members and guests had an enjoyable walk around Saumur with an English-speaking tour guide, Séverine Drouin, who pointed out architectural features and explained aspects of the history of the town. The highlight of the visit was the “tour grenetière”, built originally to protect the town from invasion from the south. In the 17th century it was used to store grain, hence its name. It has since served as a prison and as a barracks for the gendarmerie. Not all could face the climb to the top, but those who did were rewarded with a unique view over the town below.
Following their tour, the walkers made their way to “Le Trianon”, a landmark restaurant along the banks of the river Loire, where they were joined by other members and friends for a very good meal in a friendly setting. Built in 1889 by Ferdinand Renou, a priest in the Parish of St. Nicolas, in 1939 the building became a bicycle shop before being transformed into a bar-hotel-restaurant by the parents of Monsieur Jacques Gruchy: always known as “M. Jacques”. Before he died in 2016, both he and “Le Trianon” would become embedded in the history of Saumur.
On Saturday, 20 January 2024, 35 members and friends of the ESU Loire Valley branch met to start the year’s programme of events with a light-hearted meeting to include a quiz at the restaurant “Chez Paul” in Doué-la-Fontaine.
Participants were divided into 6 teams ensuring a mix of nationalities on each. Question papers covering subjects such as sport, the body, general knowledge, etc., were distributed and completed over a good lunch at the popular “routier”, in a separate room reserved for private groups. Members of the winning team each received a bottle of Crémant in recognition of their success.
Running parallel with the quiz was the annual photographic competition. Members submitted original photographs and those present were asked to select their favourites. The winning photos will appear on our website over the coming year. The winners were: in first place, Yolande Powell with a picture entitled “the Château de Saumur in Autumn”, in second place, Jean-Paul Paitreault with his photo of “a flotilla of Loire River boats in Le Thoureil”.
A most enjoyable start to the year was had by all those present: winners and losers alike.
ESU Loire Valley members represent a variety of nations, and the Christmas meeting includes various national traditions. This year was no exception. There were Christmas crackers and paper crowns for all. Christmas pudding was on a menu that included Feuilleté Saumurois, Magret de Canard and Millefeuilles au Chocolat. A true festive mixture.
Members were entertained by Tony Oakley who sang and performed a repertoire of Christmas tunes on his guitar. A game based on the song “The Twelve Days of Christmas” caused much amusement for everyone present and the afternoon was rounded off with communal carol singing which blended loud and soft voices and varying degrees of being in or out of tune.
Despite the laughter, the meeting wasn’t all about entertainment. Every day is a school day, and we also learned that “Four calling birds” actually started as “Four colly birds”, originally meaning “Four blackbirds”. We live and learn…
The invitation to attend the St. Andrew’s Day celebration in Saumur 25th November, stated that “St. Andrew’s Day celebrates the very best of Scottish culture with traditional food, drink, music, and dancing”. Thanks to the team who worked hard behind the scenes to prepare the room and contribute to the menu, and to ensure that the day ran smoothly in all respects, the meeting at the Espace Jean Rostand, at the La Maison des Associations, lived up to this promise.
The traditional Scottish fare included a small glass of puréed parsnip, followed by Scoth broth, crusted salmon with rice and mushroom sauce and ‘cranachan’, a traditional Scottish dessert of raspberries, cream, and toasted oats. The only complaints about the meal suggested that there was maybe too much of it!
38 members and friends attended the event. Tables were overlaid with paper Scottish flags; a bagpipe player kept us entertained and a number of people took to the floor to dance the Gay Gordons. A great time was had by all those who were there. New friendships were forged and new members for the ESU Loire Valley.
Latha Naomh Anndra sona dhuibh!
24 members and friends arrived at the village of l’Orbière, hidden in the countryside near St. Georges-des-Sept-Voies not far from Gennes, at around 10h30 28 October 2023. History shows that families occupied the troglodyte village during the Middle Ages. By the 20th century, it is estimated that around 50 people occupied 10 separate dwellings which were eventually abandoned in 1960.
Entering the site, everything appeared to resemble any other small disused troglodyte village in the Loire Valley. Nothing appeared unusual. Some rooms were furnished, some weren’t. However, as gradually the group dispersed and penetrated further into the black holes and underground tunnels that disappear in every direction, we discovered a magical world: a world created in the 1970’s by a Polish artist, Jacques Warminski. The sculptor worked for five years to create the spectacular environment we see today: “l’Helice Terrestre”. Below ground, brilliant blue lighting illuminates his carvings and draws visitors along narrow passageways with uneven lumps and bumps underfoot, towards more amazing creations and incredible sound effects. Above ground, visitors can marvel at the sculptured mound he created and can follow the steps or scramble over the unique abstract shapes to reach the top and view everything from a different angle.
L’Helice Terrestre is the result of the amazing vision of one man. Did he draw up plans or is it the result of an amazing flow of inspiration that encouraged his artistic talent to flourish and grow?
Leaving l’Orbière with these questions, the group drove the short distance into Gennes itself where 25 members and friends, including several newcomers to our group, enjoyed a very good meal at the restaurant “Les Dames Barrau”. The atmosphere was friendly. Staff were helpful. All in all, it was a perfect follow-up to the magical experience of the morning that was so appropriate for Halloween, just a few days ahead.
Always a highlight of the ESU Loire Valley calendar, the Autumn Walk 2023 was no exception. The weather was warm and perfect for the 8 km leisurely walk, planned carefully by member, Tony Oakley, in and around ‘Le Sale Village’ close to St. Georges-des-Sept-Voies.
The walk was full of surprises. The walkers followed narrow paths, passing by the Dolmen de la Bajoulière and two Menhirs, all tucked away in peaceful surroundings. Curiosity was aroused when the group stumbled across a somewhat isolated house and its attached troglodyte dwellings, all surrounded by bags of apples. A young lady appeared who was recognised as the former owner of a shop in Gennes. Striking up a conversation, the walkers discovered that she has undergone a complete change of lifestyle, and now produces cider for a living. She hopes to produce 2000 litres this year and most kindly offered a bottle to the walkers to enjoy with their picnic lunch back at Le Prieuré, the walk’s starting point.
Having enjoyed a convivial lunch accompanied by the cider, members were reluctant to leave after a most interesting and memorable walk on a warm October day.
