Dear All,
We wish you a Happy New Year.
Very early ,on a dark October morning last year, a coach full of people left Faringdon to visit our friends in LeMele. Some were older, some were younger, some had been before, many were going for the first time. Mike and Ingrid Wise were among the latter and have kindly written an article describing their experience.
Reflections
of a First Timer
Ingrid and I have lived in Faringdon
for just over two years. On the first occasion that we visited the Twinning
Association Open Morning in the Town Hall we savoured a very nice tarte aux pommes and learned
about Le Mêle, but we didn’t make a commitment
because we were still renting: any excuse! Last year we had another equally
delicious tarte, but when Mary Tutt
told us that she needed more people to fill the coach I felt it my duty to
volunteer us both. Now, I’ve been going to
At
an unearthly dark hour one Thursday morning, we waited under the Town Hall for the coach to Le Mêle. We didn’t
know anybody or where we were going. We got to Le Mêle
and it was dark there too, and raining. However, inside the Community Centre it
was bright and cheery and old friends were greeting each other like long lost
family. We met our host, Katrine Collin, who took us
to her home. The rest of the family were out and we chatted politely until her
husband, Jean-Pol arrived with a colleague. Now, Jean
Pol is a large man, with an even larger presence and
within seconds we had tried three new drinks and swapped our entire family
histories. After a visit to his private cellar to select the wine, we had a
splendid meal which went on into the early hours. Next day, at another
unearthly hour, we assembled in the market place for a trip to a ‘teaching
farm’ and learned about milk production and cheese making and, as the hangover
subsided, sampled the very good cheese.
Then to a restaurant-cum-calvados-distillery where we dined in barrels, learned to make calvados and rekindled the hangover. A pleasant, sunny afternoon in Lisieux ensued where we restored the soul with a visit to the Basilica of St Theresa.
We dined with the Maux
family that night and made more friends. Saturday, we had a grand family outing
in Jean-Pol’s van; seven of us. We went to Lisieux to see William the Conqueror and had lunch in his crêperie; then to
That night all the British and French families and friends, about 120 in all, had a grand meal in a local community centre followed by games and dancing until the early hours of Sunday: already? It was time to go home; a lifetime in three days and a very sad parting. Of course we’d do it again.
Czeched Out
Charlotte and Derrick Nash have decided to
step down as Chairman and committee member of the Czech Twinning group as they
now have their home in
If you feel that you would like to continue
their good work and would like to join a committee to promote a twinning
between Libcany in the
Our Proposed visits and events for this year
French Breakfast Saturday 13th March –
Quiz Night Friday 19th March at
Young French Group to visit Faringdon 3rd- 9th April (to be confirmed)
Football Club’s Easter visit to Le Mele Thursday 8th April to Sunday 11th April.
Faringdon Carnival 3rd May We are hoping to enter a float. Our friends in Le Mele have been invited and we are waiting to hear if they can join us.
Young English group to visit Le Mele 10th- 17th July. If you are a teenager and would like to go to Le Mele for a fun packed week , staying with a French family, then please contact us for more information.
Work Experience A group of young people will be going to Le Mele
and a group coming to Faringdon. Dates
to be arranged. If you would like an Au paire please let us know.
Our friends from LeMele to visit
Faringdon
Thursday 28th October
– Sunday 31st October. Please put this date in your diary as we are
expecting a large group!
If you are interested in any of these events or want more information
please contact
Jeanie on Faringdon 240374 or David and Mary on Faringdon 241297