NEWSLETTER – DECEMBER 2006
CHAIRMAN’S LETTER
Dear Friends,
The year seems to have flashed by but, when we look at the many events organised by the Society, the time has certainly been productively spent. From a memorable visit to the Tate Modern to see the Rousseau exhibition, right through to the Brooks's wine tasting, we have had a rich and varied diet. For me, the highlight was our visit to Picardy, written up by Monica Harper elsewhere in this newsletter. It happened that we were in Picardy just before the national and international commemorations took place, and the combination of our own experiences and the significant timing made the whole thing unforgettable.
Next year, an excellent programme is in course of preparation, with a visit to Cathar country at the end of May. Of course, in France, the political focus will be on the elections in May. We shall all look forward to hearing some insider views as the time approaches.
Thanks to Kate Brayn and her colleagues, the Society goes from strength to strength.
- GILLIAN SHEPHARD
ANNUAL VISIT TO FRANCE: PICARDY, BASED IN AMIENS
To think of Picardy is to recall memorials to the fallen of the Great War, red poppies and the equally evocative song 'Roses of Picardy'. Dr Gamble's illustrated talk in March this year had already added an appreciation of Amiens - Ruskin's 'Venice of France' - and its magnificent Cathedral. We were to discover on our tour that Picardy had much more waiting to surprise, delight and move us.
We set off in sunshine from London on 9 June and, once through the Tunnel, we headed south from Calais to the Jardins de Valloires attached to the beautiful Abbaye. In the 1980s the French Regional Tourist Authority decided to recultivate the gardens which had fallen into disuse when the monastery closed and to accommodate a botanical collection from a local nurseryman. With around 4000 species of plants, the results are spectacular; a classic formal French garden, shaded pathways, meandering waterways, a 'Garden of the Five Senses' and the rich colours and scents of seemingly endless rows of rose bushes, including the special red tinged with pink 'Rose of Picardy'. This rose was presented in 2004 in the presence of the Duchess of Gloucester to celebrate the centenary of the Entente Cordiale. After this delightful beginning, we drove to Amiens and to the comfort of the Carlton Hotel which was to be our base.
We started a full Saturday at Amiens' magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral. The largest in France (Notre Dame in Paris would fit into it twice) and one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture, the Cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It miraculously escaped bomb damage in the last century and, recently cleaned, it stands, sublime, as it has for eight centuries, testimony to the faith and skill of those who built it in just 49 years, and to the ancient wealth of Amiens derived largely from woad (a regional plant much used at the time in dying fabric). With its vast proportions, abundance of carved saints and statues, its beauty is truly 'Gothic pure, authoritative, unsurpassable' (Ruskin).
CHAIRMAN’S LETTER
Dear Friends,
The year seems to have flashed by but, when we look at the many events organised by the Society, the time has certainly been productively spent. From a memorable visit to the Tate Modern to see the Rousseau exhibition, right through to the Brooks's wine tasting, we have had a rich and varied diet. For me, the highlight was our visit to Picardy, written up by Monica Harper elsewhere in this newsletter. It happened that we were in Picardy just before the national and international commemorations took place, and the combination of our own experiences and the significant timing made the whole thing unforgettable.
Next year, an excellent programme is in course of preparation, with a visit to Cathar country at the end of May. Of course, in France, the political focus will be on the elections in May. We shall all look forward to hearing some insider views as the time approaches.
Thanks to Kate Brayn and her colleagues, the Society goes from strength to strength.
- GILLIAN SHEPHARD
ANNUAL VISIT TO FRANCE: PICARDY, BASED IN AMIENS
To think of Picardy is to recall memorials to the fallen of the Great War, red poppies and the equally evocative song 'Roses of Picardy'. Dr Gamble's illustrated talk in March this year had already added an appreciation of Amiens - Ruskin's 'Venice of France' - and its magnificent Cathedral. We were to discover on our tour that Picardy had much more waiting to surprise, delight and move us.
We set off in sunshine from London on 9 June and, once through the Tunnel, we headed south from Calais to the Jardins de Valloires attached to the beautiful Abbaye. In the 1980s the French Regional Tourist Authority decided to recultivate the gardens which had fallen into disuse when the monastery closed and to accommodate a botanical collection from a local nurseryman. With around 4000 species of plants, the results are spectacular; a classic formal French garden, shaded pathways, meandering waterways, a 'Garden of the Five Senses' and the rich colours and scents of seemingly endless rows of rose bushes, including the special red tinged with pink 'Rose of Picardy'. This rose was presented in 2004 in the presence of the Duchess of Gloucester to celebrate the centenary of the Entente Cordiale. After this delightful beginning, we drove to Amiens and to the comfort of the Carlton Hotel which was to be our base.
We started a full Saturday at Amiens' magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral. The largest in France (Notre Dame in Paris would fit into it twice) and one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture, the Cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It miraculously escaped bomb damage in the last century and, recently cleaned, it stands, sublime, as it has for eight centuries, testimony to the faith and skill of those who built it in just 49 years, and to the ancient wealth of Amiens derived largely from woad (a regional plant much used at the time in dying fabric). With its vast proportions, abundance of carved saints and statues, its beauty is truly 'Gothic pure, authoritative, unsurpassable' (Ruskin).
Franco-British Society members, with the Chairman and her husband sitting at the stern, about to embark on a canal trip through Les Hortillonnages in Amiens
Next, we were off to le Crotoy to take the steam train to the charming medieval fishing port of St Valery, from where William embarked to conquer England. We chugged along the scenic coastline of the Baie de Somme, a wild life conservation area with 250 kinds of birds. We saw the sheep, famous for their meat, grazing on the salt marshes. After lunch, the Picarvie Museum gave us a good picture of local life and customs before we drove on to the fifteenth century Chateau de Rambures. With its four massive round red brick towers and pointed black roofs, it is a jewel of Gothic military architecture. In 1412, David de Rambures decided to build the fortress but he and three of his four sons were killed at Agincourt. (He is mentioned in Shakespeare's Henry V.) The castle was completed in 1470 by his grandson and, with many of its contents , has remained, virtually intact in the same family, surviving the Revolution and other threats as a result of the family's shrewd compromises with authority.
Our jolly group assembled on Sunday morning for a leisurely walk round the pretty old town area of St Leu. After lunch we took the road for the 'Circuit de Souvenir' and the WWI battlefields, for so many of which the Somme was the tragic location 90 years ago. It is hard to imagine in the peace of today's Picardy countryside the fighting and slaughter almost a century ago. More than 19,000 British soldiers died on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, making it the worst day in the history of the British Army. We saw the huge Lutyens Memorial long before we reached Thiepval. Close to this Memorial is the Ulster Tower and the Thiepval Wood from which the 36th Ulster Division made its charge on 1 July. We had a fascinating tour led by the genial Teddy Corrigan, caretaker of the Ulster Tower. His passion and knowledge gave us a vivid picture of the soldiers' conditions as he led us through the wood.
We drove on to Beaumont Hamel dominated by the statue of the caribou with its poignant symbolism for the sacrifice of the men of the Newfoundland Regiment. Of 800 soldiers of the 29th Division who went into battle that day, some 700 were killed, wounded or missing. In a message to their Prime Minister, General de Lisle wrote, 'It was a magnificent display of trained and disciplined valour and its assault only failed of success because dead men can advance no further'. Their exceptional bravery was recognised by the granting of Royal to the Newfoundland Regiment. We were given an excellent tour by a young Canadian student, one of several Canadian volunteers who spend a period as a guide as part of their study course. We concluded our Circuit de Souvenir with a visit to the Thiepval Memorial and Visitors' Centre.
Before leaving Amiens the following morning, our final treat was a canal trip on 'Les Hortillonnages'. Our boatmen steered us along the peaceful waterways, bordered by glorious gardens, with commentary and the occasional line of poetry or philosophical thought. It was magical. The group then divided, half went to Vimy Ridge and half to the Headquarters of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission at Beaurains. At Beaurains, The Director welcomed us with coffee and biscuits before we watched the film 'Some Go Early', the story of Jack Banks, the 16 year-old boy killed at Normandy in 1944, and the impact of his death on his family even today. At the end, there was not a dry eye in the room.
Our two groups reunited for lunch and a brief visit to La Coupole at St Omer before we headed for home. Our visit to Picardy gave us much to reflect on, from the brutality of war, the beauty of the buildings and gardens to the serenity of the landscape. The sun shone throughout. We are indebted to our drivers, David and Bryan, for their unfailing good humour and resourcefulness. Finding a French mechanic during a sunny Saturday lunchtime in St Valery who fixed a puncture is quite an achievement - all in the time it took us to eat lunch. Our thanks too to Kate and Brenda for organising such a splendid trip. And to our Presidents, past and present, for their wisdom and charm. On a personal note, I took particular pleasure from this trip in revisiting places familiar to me from five years' diplomatic service in the region and in discovering new places in the company of such a lively and interesting group.
- MONICA HARPER
Former British Consul-General, Lille
César Ritz
In October a very interesting illustrated talk was given by David King entitled César Ritz, the King of Hoteliers, Hotelier of Kings.
Ritz was born in 1850 in the bilingual Swiss canton of Valais. He was the son of a rural mayor, and his first job was as a goatherd. He subsequently worked in a nearby Swiss hotel before going to Paris in 1867, attracted by the Great Exhibition.
After some experience of the restaurant business there he discovered the need to think fast, whilst on his feet. He also held strict views on hygiene. At this time he noted that the finest French wines were exported to Belgium and the UK. He remained in Paris during the Franco-Prussian War, returning temporarily to Switzerland in 1872.
After going back to Paris he met the legendary chef Escoffier and founded the Paris Ritz. He came to London in a supervisory role at the Savoy, which also employed Escoffier, whose kitchens were state of the art, attracting such patrons as the future Edward VII. Other distinguished customers included Sarah Bernhardt and Nellie Melba, who with various other ladies are still commemorated by sundry dishes.
The London Ritz celebrated its centenary in May this year which, like its splendid Paris counterpart, was a source of pride to its founder.
César Ritz returned to Switzerland during the Great War, where he died in late 1918, aged 68. The talk included numerous anecdotes of the Belle Epoque.
- GEOFFREY SMITH
« L’Historial de la Grande Guerre a Péronne et la Somme:
Entre Histoire et Mémoire »
Une Conférence par M. Guillaume de Fonclare, le Directeur
La date de cette conférence le 7 novembre 2006 à Londres a été bien choisie étant si proche des cérémonies commémoratives du 11 novembre.
Elle rappelait aussi aux participants la visite en Picardie du Franco-British Society au mois d’avril.
M. Guillaume de Fonclare était frappé par le port si répandu en Angleterre du « coquelicot » commémorant l’anniversaire de l’armistice en 1918, tandis qu’en France les manifestations du souvenir étaient plutôt d’un caractère militaire, la France préférant tourner la page et oublier la souffrance d’un pays sous l’occupation.
L’Historial, symbole de la Grande Charte et de la défense de la démocratie évoquées à l’époque par Winston Churchill et le Général de Gaulle, a été érigé en 1992 à Péronne, site du front anglo/allemand, avec une architecture contemporaine conçue par Henri-Edouard Ciriani et relié au site médiéval du château de Péronne. Il est financé par le Conseil Général de la Somme, le « Thiepval Project » alimenté essentiellement par le British Legion, l’Union Européenne et les donateurs privés.
L’Arche de Sir Edwin Lutyens à Thiepval a été construite entre 1928 et 1932 et inaugurée par le Prince de Galles en présence du Président de France le 31 juillet 1932. D’une architecture impressionnante, témoin de l’amitié franco-britannique, elle commémore les 73,367 noms des soldats morts au front et qui n’ont pas de sépultures. Chaque année une cérémonie majeure y est célébrée et notamment cette année le 90ème anniversaire de la bataille de la Somme.
L’Historial est le musée de référence de la Première Guerre mondiale et à travers les histoires parallèles de l’Allemagne, la France et le Royaume-Uni, il explique ses origines et ses conséquences et offre une vision culturelle du premier conflit mondial, tel qu’il a été vécu par les militaires et les civils. Il y a ni héros ni victimes. Il rassemble une collection de plus de 25,000 objets quotidiens, civils et militaires, tous authentiques, pour donner un panorama international du conflit.
Le musée se compose d’une salle centrale consacrée à des tableaux du peintre allemand, Otto Dix, représentant différentes scènes de la guerre et de ses horreurs, et des films de l’époque. Quatre autres salles évoquent le quotidien des autres phases de la guerre depuis sa conception jusqu’à l’armistice et l’après-guerre. Personne n’y est épargné, même les enfants, considérés les adultes du futur.
Depuis, le « tourisme de mémoire » s’est développé principalement chez les Britanniques et le Commonwealth et on prévoit que les pèlerinages et les visites de champs de bataille se perpétueront dans le futur par les familles des anciens combattants morts hors de leur pays natal.
- BARBARA STEVENS
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