Vitré Trip September 2024
A taste of the visit to Vitré
19th – 24th September 2024
Twenty-four twinners went by coach to Portsmouth to travel as foot passengers on the overnight ferry to St Malo: a further eight travelling independently. The crossing offered time for Vitré veterans to get to know new members travelling there for the first time. We were met in St. Malo and driven to Vitré by coach where our hosts greeted us with a civic welcome at the Town Hall with drinks and canapes.
As usual, the weekend was largely spent with hosts. The whole group enjoyed a communal dinner on the Saturday evening at the l’Esperance restaurant on the Place du Champ de Foire in Vitré. On the menu was paella.
The group’s day out on Monday 23rd September was a visit to the pretty little mediaeval town of La Guerche de Bretagne, situated between Nantes and Angers. Unfortunately all the shops and cafes were closed and the apparently renowned and ancient market is held on a Tuesday! We travelled onwards to the Robert Tatin Museum in Mayenne. Tatin (1902-1983) truly was a unique artist. As well as painting, he worked in ceramics, sculpture, clothing, architecture and more. In post-war France, he came to interact with the likes of Dubuffet and Breton. We enjoyed, for example, the Allée des Geants (monumental totem-pole like statues), forms strongly influenced by Tatin’s several years living in South America.
On Tuesday 24th we returned on the Ouistreham/Caen ferry to Portsmouth, arrived back home in the late evening. We were grateful for the support of members in travelling on the coach and ferry as the cost would otherwise have been prohibitive. Sharing the journey created a good social atmosphere between old and new members.
(photos from top-left) Uncrossed Swords, Mediaeval ingredients, Sheltering from the Rain, Town Hall Reception, The Group Assembled, Bon Anniveraire Anne Rupin!, Chateaubourg Sculpture Park
19th – 24th September 2024
Twenty-four twinners went by coach to Portsmouth to travel as foot passengers on the overnight ferry to St Malo: a further eight travelling independently. The crossing offered time for Vitré veterans to get to know new members travelling there for the first time. We were met in St. Malo and driven to Vitré by coach where our hosts greeted us with a civic welcome at the Town Hall with drinks and canapes.
As usual, the weekend was largely spent with hosts. The whole group enjoyed a communal dinner on the Saturday evening at the l’Esperance restaurant on the Place du Champ de Foire in Vitré. On the menu was paella.
The group’s day out on Monday 23rd September was a visit to the pretty little mediaeval town of La Guerche de Bretagne, situated between Nantes and Angers. Unfortunately all the shops and cafes were closed and the apparently renowned and ancient market is held on a Tuesday! We travelled onwards to the Robert Tatin Museum in Mayenne. Tatin (1902-1983) truly was a unique artist. As well as painting, he worked in ceramics, sculpture, clothing, architecture and more. In post-war France, he came to interact with the likes of Dubuffet and Breton. We enjoyed, for example, the Allée des Geants (monumental totem-pole like statues), forms strongly influenced by Tatin’s several years living in South America.
On Tuesday 24th we returned on the Ouistreham/Caen ferry to Portsmouth, arrived back home in the late evening. We were grateful for the support of members in travelling on the coach and ferry as the cost would otherwise have been prohibitive. Sharing the journey created a good social atmosphere between old and new members.
(photos from top-left) Uncrossed Swords, Mediaeval ingredients, Sheltering from the Rain, Town Hall Reception, The Group Assembled, Bon Anniveraire Anne Rupin!, Chateaubourg Sculpture Park
- (photos by Cheryl Blamey & Judy Uren)
