Our Head Office, Dartmouth House, is open to members and their friends from Monday to Friday from 09h00 to 18h00.
August meetings usually take the form of relaxed summer garden parties providing the perfect opportunity for members to mingle freely and to bring families and friends to share the afternoon’s activities. In many respects, this year was no exception, although due to the heatwave, barbecues had been banned and the garden was abandoned in favour of a cooler, shaded, very lovely barn.
It was somewhat ironic that having prayed for rain for weeks, as 46 members and guests arrived at the beautiful venue, 15 August, the heavens opened, resulting in several among us becoming rather wet walking between the carpark and the barn.
The rain didn’t last long. Tables and chairs were quickly set up, and an aperitif of Crémant de Loire was served. Melon with port was offered as an entrée and a spectacular buffet had been laid out. The food was delicious.
People gave generously to the raffle, profits from which will support the association’s aims and contribute to the costs of the public speaking competition: the regional finals in Angers, the national finals in Paris, and the international finals in London 2027.
Everyone left smiling and replete after the magnificent buffet that had been prepared by our hostess and her family, aided by several of our members. Our thanks to all involved in the planning, organisation and preparation of such a memorable event.
Saturday 25 July, 32 Members and friends met on the Quai Lucien Gautier in Saumur at the boarding point of les Croisières Saumur Loire before embarking on the “Saumur Loire” for what was to be a most enjoyable and interesting 1½ hour cruise.
Whilst appreciating a glass or two of wine from the Château de Parnay and an appetizer buffet featuring local products and a variety of cheeses, our captain steered us through the shallow waters of the Loire, which is not the easiest river to navigate.
As we passed the town, our English-speaking guide spoke of the various buildings and features of Saumur and the river that has played a huge role in its history. In the 18th century the Loire was the major route for transporting merchandise between Nantes and Orleans. Hundreds of boats passed Saumur every day, often having difficulty passing under the bridges. Traditionally, the boats are flat bottomed, and the “Saumur Loire” is no exception: it is only 40cm deep so can navigate in water just 50 or 60cm deep. Red and green buoys mark the sandbanks which at one time were removed to provide sand for building purposes. However, this led to bridges and barrages collapsing so today sand removal is no longer permitted.
We learned much of the history when the larger sailing boats could use the wind to help them navigate the river. Often the smaller boats followed, in particular in order to help navigate the narrow arches of the bridges.
Along with historical aspects of interest, our guide pointed out various features of the diverse wildlife, particularly the birds: we saw herons, egrets, gulls and cormorants, and were even fortunate enough to spot an osprey in pursuit of fish among the sandbanks.
Our thanks go to all the staff present on the cruise for the excellent appetizer buffet, for the captain’s outstanding navigation and in particular for the most entertaining, interesting and educative commentary given by our guide.
Saturday 27 June, 23 members and friends visited the Miellerie Girard. The business has been in the Girard family since 1920. Now run by the fourth generation of the family, it has moved from la Breille-les-Pins to La Ronde on land that once belonged to the Château de Vivy. The visit was hosted by Cyril Girard whose cousin translated for him into English.
The morning was educational and most enjoyable. Following an introduction into the history of the business and the early machinery used, we gained fascinating insight into the construction of a beehive, the life of the honeybee, the remarkable process by which nectar is transformed into honey and the many products produced by bees. We also learned about, and were able to taste, the wide variety of honey flavours produced, each reflecting the flowers visited by the bees from around 800 beehives spread around forests and fields.
Following the visit, we made our way to the Hôtellerie Saint Paul in Vivy, where the group was joined by 6 more members and 2 guests to socialise over lunch. The meal was excellent and the atmosphere most convivial.
Despite the intense heat, the meeting 27 May was enjoyed by all who attended. Lunch was initially planned on the terrace of the Café du Musée, however, the high temperature forced the group inside the restaurant where they enjoyed a traditional English fish ‘n chip and mushy pea lunch prepared by the British proprietors, Darren and Louis Miller.
Replete after lunch, the group walked just a few metres to the Musée Jules Desbois, where our guide, Claire Bourdeau,led us on a most interesting visit, recounting details of the life of Jules Desbois and his success as a sculptor in Paris. The son of the local innkeeper, Desbois studied for 5 years in Angers before moving to Paris, where, apart from a short spell in the USA, he was to spend the rest of his life. He was a close friend of Auguste Rodin, whose influence played an essential role in his artistic evolution.
Our guide gave an insight into each sculpture in the museum, the walls of which are covered with images of Desbois and his studio in Paris, in which many of the statues on display could be seen. Our thanks to Claire Bordeau, for her excellent commentary in English and her patience replying to the many questions put to her by the group. Our thanks also to Anthony Crandon and Patricia Nickels for organising such a very interesting day out.
As several habitual walkers were unable to attend this year, numbers were lower than usual at the traditional May Day Walk. However, the 14 members and friends who joined Tony Oakley 1st May all enjoyed the time they spent together outdoors in the springtime. Starting from Cunault just after 10.00am, they walked through the village, chatting in small groups whilst ambling up to an area of wooded land close to Gennes. They followed various pathways, listening to the spring birdsong and soaking up the ambiance of the woodland setting. The circular route led past the Etang de Joreau before the group set off again on a pathway leading back to the starting point.
The weather was warm and sunny, and the group were joined by more members in front of the church in Cunault to relax over a picnic lunch.
Our thanks to Tony for organising the walk and for creating the friendly atmosphere that always accompanies our walks.
Patricia Curd, chairman of the English-Speaking Union Loire Valley, accepted an invitation to represent the international group at the Mairie in Saumur to talk to 22 students from Asheville, N. Carolina, U.S.A. in the salle du conseil municipal about the ESU and its aims regarding young people worldwide. The students were on an exchange visit with students at the Lycée Saint Louis in Saumur and were welcomed by Judith Grima, 6ème adjoint, and Michaëlla Rahard, Service Démocratie Participative et Relations Internationales, who explained how democracy works in France. They learned how council meetings are run and the 3 essential items present in a formal council meeting: the statue of Marianne, the photograph of the President, currently Emmanuel Macron, and the mayor’s sash which must be worn for a meeting to be legal.
The AGM 2026 took place during the morning of Saturday 11th April in the comfortable surroundings of the Hôtel Saint Paul, Vivy. The meeting was well attended this year. The chairman updated those present over developments at our head office in London, Dartmouth House, and within ESU France, before raising several issues currently proving challenging to the committee and thanking all involved with the organisation for their commitment to the association’s aims and all those present for their continued support to the committee. Reports from the secretary and the treasurer proved interesting and were well received.
After the meeting, the serious business over, attendees were able to relax over an aperitif before sitting down to enjoy an excellent lunch together. We would like to offer our thanks to the restaurant staff.
Thursday 12th March
Les Rairies Montrieux
Thursday 12th March, following a really good, hearty lunch in a warm and friendly atmosphere at the restaurant “La Clef d’Or” in Baugé-en-Anjou, 24 members and friends made their way to the Rairies Montrieux, for what was to be a most interesting and informative afternoon.
Les Rairies is a small village near Durtal, where, in the 19th century local clay was used by many inhabitants to produce terre-cuite tiles. One of these small family businesses developed to become the Rairies Montrieux, a really large enterprise specialising in fabricating bricks and tiles for interior and exterior use to be exported around the world.
The visit started outside where we stood before mounds of raw, red, yellow and white clay, learning that local clay is supplemented with red and yellow from other areas of France and white from Germany. Moving inside, we donned helmets and yellow vests before touring the various production areas. We were guided through all stages of manufacture: from the initial cleaning process, through the clay being moulded and cured for firing, the glazing prior to the second firing, and finally to the finished products. Along the way we saw moulds being shaped, laboratories where products are tested, we entered kilns and were shown the vast range of beautiful colours available for glazing.
The tour was amazing in its detail and lasted over 2 hours. Afterwards we were invited inside the reception area for a coffee by our English-speaking guide, M. Paul-Vincent Diquero, the export sales director, and Emma Nozay, who is in charge of communication and marketing. We would like to thank them both and their employees for the warm welcome we received.
The Rairies Montrieux will be open over the European Heritage Weekend, 19th and 20th September 2026 for visits – visits highly recommended by members of the ESU Loire Valley.
Lunch, Quiz and Photographic Competition
A great deal of fun was had by all those who attended the branch annual quiz and photographic competition, which took place 14 February over lunch at the restaurant “Le Relax” in Longué.
Whilst enjoying an aperitif, 42 members and friends had time to chat and cast their votes in the annual photographic competition. The aim of the competition is to select scenes that reflect the beauty and history of the area we live in to be featured on our website and Facebook page during the year 2026.
It was soon time to settle down in teams to enjoy the excellent meal and answer questions that would tax the brain cells of everyone present. Teams had been formed of mixed nationalities so all would have a good chance of answering the questions. These covered a variety of themes, and had been set by the branch Treasurer, Roy Powell, and Vice-Secretary, Patricia Nickels. Inevitably noise levels rose, particularly when the answers were revealed. Question master, Terry Orner, managed to control the noise and the inevitable arguing over the allocation of marks. The winning team displayed a great deal of general knowledge especially regarding St. Valentine, French landmarks, and the art world. Our thanks to all concerned for their hard work and patience and to the proprietors for allowing us sole use of their restaurant.
Celebrations Marking 50th anniversary of Saumur and Warwick twinning
The ESU Loire Valley is represented by the chairman and vice-secretary on the Groupe Relations Internationales at the Mairie in Saumur: a board consisting of parties interested in assisting in establishing and strengthening links with towns abroad. Together with other group members, they were invited to attend a celebration of the 50 years of twinning between Saumur and Warwick. Over the years, the twinning, officially signed 19th March 1976 by Lucien Mehel, Mayor of Saumur and Paul MacHahon, Mayor of Warwick, has enabled a variety of exchanges between the two towns, based on both their rich medieval history and their shared association with horses and tourism.
Monday 9 February celebrations were held simultaneously in both towns to mark the occasion, and trees were planted by the respective mayors, Jackie Goulet in Saumur and Jackie d’Arcy in Warwick. Photos show the unveiling of a commemorative plaque and the planting of a cedar of Lebanon close to the Château in Saumur.
“MINDSET MATTERS: The Anglo-Saxon and French Educational Influence on Business Behaviour”
28 members and friends met for lunch 17 January at the Acropole Restaurant on the outskirts of Angers, to welcome Edward Archer, an ESU member who had travelled from Paris to talk about the differences between the Anglo-Saxon and the French education systems and the effects these can have on students’ future lives.
Having had experience of three education systems (American, British, and French), and having worked in London, New York and Paris, Edward has firsthand experience of how these different education systems affect the way people work and get business done.
Edward outlined several major differences previously unknown to many among those present. By providing personal family examples, he was able to illustrate effects of different systems on different personalities. Edward’s content was informative and thought provoking, yet humorous and light-hearted, and was followed by a lively question time.
The Acropole provided a warm welcome and good food that was enjoyed by all. Edward is a first-class speaker. The only disappointment was that there were no students preparing for the IPSC 2026 present to listen and learn from him.
The committee would like to thank Edward for his entertaining, stimulating, talk and look forward to welcoming him at a future date.
Christmas Meeting 2025
The final meeting of 2025 was the traditional Christmas lunch which took place Saturday 6 December at the Restaurant “Le Tablier de Marie” in Juigné-sur-Loire. The welcome was warm and friendly. The meal was excellent and great fun was had by all 59 members and friends who attended.
Tables around the room had been beautifully decorated by several members with greenery, baubles and fir cones in abundance: a perfect setting for the entertainment which was provided initially by the musical trio “Swing Coleporteurs”, following which several members contributed readings and sketches and a most original rendering of “The Twelve Days of Christmas”. Communal carol singing, mince pies and Christmas crackers all added to the fun.
A huge “thank you” to all who contributed to the great success of this event that was so enjoyable for all who attended and a huge “Happy Christmas” to all who read this
The ESU Patron’s Dinner
On Thursday, 9 December we were honoured to welcome Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal, to Dartmouth House for our Patron’s Dinner. The evening brought together a wide range of the young people we have been working with, alongside many of our members and supporters. The evening was a wonderful opportunity to showcase the impact of our programmes.
In her speech, Her Royal Highness highlighted the vital importance of speaking, listening and debating skills, noting how central the ESU’s mission is at a time when clear, confident communication is needed more than ever.
This year’s International Council Meeting will be held in London from 13-17 July 2026. Planned to coincide with our International Public Speaking Competition (IPSC), the week will give attendees the chance not only to mix with other ESU members from around the globe, but to experience our work first-hand, too. Tickets cost £550 for the full week (plus transport and accommodation). You can find out more on our website here.
The programme begins with a welcome dinner at Dartmouth House on the Monday evening and includes a range of quintessentially British activities such as tours of London’s cultural landmarks and a theatre performance. The Highlight will of course be the grand final of the IPSC where the best young speakers in the world take to the stage at the Royal Institution. Always an inspiring, high-octane event, it attracts a truly multi-cultural audience and is a great example of our mission to build a more collaborative world. 39 national ESUs are now registered for the IPSC 2026. This year’s national finals are now underway, and it has been wonderful to see the energy and enthusiasm coming through from across the network.
Bibliothèque Anglophone d’Angers
English-Speaking Union Loire Valley
Maison de l’Europe Maine-et-Loire – Europe Directe
The 2026 Regional Public Speaking Competition in English took place in the Salons de la Présidence at the Préfecture, Place Michel Debré, Angers, during the afternoon of 21 March 2026, when 10 candidates presented their speeches on the theme “The light of a candle is transferred to another candle – Spring twilight”, a haiku called “Lighting One Candle” by Yosa Buson.
The afternoon’s proceedings were introduced by Yann Semler-Collery, Prësident de la Commission Culture du Département de Maine et Loire, a firm supporter of the opportunity the competition opens up to young people. Ilona Marx the took the floor. Ilona represented France at the international finals in London 2025 and spoke with great enthusiasm to the candidates emphasising the success they had already achieved.
3 candidates were selected by the jury to represent the ESU Loire Valley in the national finals, 23 May, at the Assemblée Nationale in Paris, when a total of 12 candidates will compete from various regions: the Loire Valley, Aix-Marseille, Taverny in the Val d’Oise, Paris and Strasbourg. One will be selected to represent France in London at the ESU international public speaking competition between 13 and 18 July 2026.
Our thanks to Yann Semler-Collery, to the judges and teachers involved and to our partners, the Bibliothèque Anglophone in Angers, and the Maison de l’Europe Maine et Loire – Europe Direct, for their work prior to, and during the competition.
A major event on the ESU international calendar took place during the week of 13 – 18 July 2026 when members from around the world gathered at Dartmouth House both to support candidates at the annual International Public Speaking Competition and to take part in the International Council Meeting 2026.
Our chairman, Patricia Curd, and member Lucia Dumont were both present for an amazing week of activities organised by our head office at Dartmouth House, Mayfair, London.
Our Head Office, Dartmouth House, is open to members and their friends from Monday to Friday from 09h00 to 18h00.
The in-house catering is provided by Graysons who serve delicious menus with mouth-watering options for breakfast, with an array of tempting small plates and sharing dishes at lunchtime, not to mention cakes and afternoon tea and tipples. There is something for every occasion and every appetite and the excellent food on offer helps make Dartmouth House the vibrant and inclusive setting for the ESU’s charitable work it has always been.
Oracy news
“How to Speak and Be Heard”, the oracy book our Director of Education, Louisa Searle, contributed to last year, has been launched. Providing practical tips for how young people can use their voice to make the world a better place, the book is an essential tool for anyone looking to expand their oracy offering in the classroom and beyond. Use code ESUDISCOUNT10 for 10% off your order.
The International Council Meeting was held on Tuesday 14 July. Delegates from new ESUs in Argentina, the Cayman Islands, Nigeria, and Mauritius were welcomed to the worldwide family. Congratulations to Ela Nicolae from ESU Romania and Nadiya Ivanenko representing ESU Ukraine who were elected as International Council President and Treasurer respectively. A huge thank you to Bolormaa Bella Jamiyansuren from Mongolia for her tireless work and dedication as President over the past 2 years.
In addition to the meeting itself, delegates and guests had an action packed week of cultural activities and experiences which included an open bus tour of London, a production of “Midsummer Night’s Dream” at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, a tour and garden party at New College, Oxford, a visit to Buckingham Palace, an evening celebration at the Sky Garden and the closing IPSC celebration at Dartmouth House.
Awaiting update
Awaiting update.