JERSEY VISIT TO COUTANCES - SEPTEMBER 2007 - click here to return to News page
Forty Seven members of the Club recently travelled to France to celebrate the 21st anniversary visit of the CLub to the Loisirs Corporatifs Coutances.
After being well wined and dined by their hosts on the Friday Night, the weekend proper began on the Saturday morning with a reception at the Coutances Town Hall, hosted by the Mayor, Mnsr. Yves Lamy at which Past President and Founder of the club, Tony Allchurch was presented with the French National Bronze Medal for Youth & Sport.
l-r Peter, Margaret, Josianne, Ken, Mnsr. Lamy, Christian & Others Tony receiving the Medal from Christian
The" Red Army" Article from Coutances local paper
After lunch, the serious part of the weekend got under way. Twenty teams from each side played four games each in, for the first time, a doubles format. Through a combination of skill and good luck, Jersey managed to win each round and retained the trophy that they have won in five out of the last six years.
The usual Saturday night dinner and prize giving was held in Blainville-Sur Mer. Top Jersey pair were Pru Vibert & Mick Rondel, second were Dave Le Moine and Doug Woodley, third were Trixie & Lawrence Moulin and fourth Tony Allchurch & Derek Hart. The top team for the local Club were Madelaine Chaplet & Christian Sauvage.
First - Mick & Pru Second - Dave & Doug
Third - Lawrence & Trixie Fourth - Tony & Derek Top French team - Madelaine & Christian
On Sunday morning, the Jersey group were encouraged to try their hands at Boule Lyonaise, also known as Sports-Boules, a forerunner of Petanque which was created in Lyons at the end of the nineteenth century. The Jersey Player's efforts were met with a varying degree of success. The French team will be back next June, hoping to avenge their latest defeat.
Boule Lyonaise - the VP tries her hand Georgette has a go - that looks good - no - oh la la (or worse!)