From the President

A big “MERCI” to everyone who made our French visitors, Magalie and Rodolphe, feel most welcome at our Alliance Française de la Côte de Saphir. After joining us for a number of functions, they have returned home to Paris, and we look forward to meeting the next of Simon and Brigitte’s visitors in August.

As one of seven participants in last month’s French Conversation for Beginners, I would like to congratulate Robert for a most enjoyable and informative session. The new format proved to be well structured, practical and instructive; thank you Robert, I look forward to the next gathering.

Once again, the Film Night proved popular with about forty members and guests attending; although I hear there was a mixed reaction to the film itself, “Etre et Avoir’. I hope it stimulated lively conversation at the dinner which followed.

Your Committee is endeavouring to provide a variety of events for your entertainment and we thank you wholeheartedly for supporting them. Please see the upcoming offerings further on in this edition.

Gai Jacobs

Chasse aux oeufs de Pâques et de pique-nique français

On Easter Monday 28th March, 14 members and guests gathered at the beautiful Bald Hills property of Alliance Française member Narelle Sheridan for a French pique-nique and Easter Egg Hunt.

The garden and surrounds provided a challenging hunting ground for this group of intrepid chocoholics and Mike Warren had done a great job, placing coloured paddle-pop sticks (in lieu of chocolate eggs, due to possible pilfering from one little dog or other random wildlife) discreetly amongst the rocks, garden beds and branches of trees.

This event proved to be highly competitive with a certain degree of stealth being employed by some egg hunters!

There was a pause for morning tea, after which searching was resumed to find the last of the missing sticks, which were then exchanged for chocolate eggs. Some physical exercise was definitely required after morning tea and/or chocolate egg sampling and so an impromptu game of pétanque was organised on the lawn next to  the house. Playing on grass with its dips and furrows, a totally different playing surface to Mandeni, proved to be quite a challenge and created much entertainment. Due to the small number of boules available everyone played with one boule each, men versus women, with the women proving victorious.

Despite the overcast and cool weather everyone was able to enjoy their self-catered picnics on the lawn while appreciating the lovely garden with roses, lavender and other varied shrubs and trees surrounding the house and colourful birdlife coming to visit.

Our guests for the day, a delightful young French couple from Paris, Magalie and Rodolphe joined in the fun with good humour and often bemused expressions as they tried to come to grips with our local interpretation of a French styled pique-nique!

Sincere thanks go to Narelle Sheridan for so generously agreeing to host this event and also to Mike Warren for organising the Easter eggs and hunt and also the necessary correspondence and publicity.

Julie Welsh