From the President

 Dear all,

A big thank you to everyone who took part in our "Moules-frites / chipolatas-frites" lunch, a super big thank you to all the helpers, for setting up the tables, helping in the kitchen and the final clean-up, and finally another big thank you to all of you who said how much you enjoyed the event. It is a real pleasure to have you all by my side. The Pambula Masonic Hall seems to be the ideal venue for this type of event, offering a semi-professional kitchen, a comfortable room and plenty of parking, so all we have to do now is come up with other ideas for events of this type, perhaps with products that are easier to find, no mussels that give you blisters, no sticky garlic cloves and no shallots that make you cry!!!

5 years ago already at around 6:20 pm on Monday 15 April 2019, a gigantic fire broke out in Notre-Dame de Paris, partially destroying the cathedral. The flames caused the collapse of its "forest" or framework, part of which was eight centuries old, its famous spire, the clock and part of the vault, but at the cost of a superhuman effort, the firefighters managed to preserve most of the structure as well as the façade and its two towers.  Today, the spectacular restoration work continues apace, gradually restoring the cathedral to its familiar silhouette in the Parisian landscape… 5 years ago already. Time flies, without us even taking the time to think about it….

 I am pleased to announce that the film Notre-Dame brûle (Notre-Dame on fire) is the film chosen for our first French film night in May. It is an excellent film and one not to be missed.

Before I say goodbye, the French movie Anatomy Of A Fall is playing in a number of cinemas, including Merimbula, so if someone who has seen the film would like to write an article about it, we would be very grateful. By the time you read this, the Easter weekend will be over. I hope you had a great time with your family and friends, and that Maître Chocolat was invited to your table!

I look forward to seeing many of you on the Friday 19 April for our next event, a Normandy-Brittany Talk and Slides.

Sylvie

From the President

 Dear all,

The weather wasn't as kind as expected, but the welcome party was a warm one. Joie de vivre, laughter, good humour, conversation and delicious food made the evening a real success. Thanks again to Lilias and Mike, but also a big thank you to all the participants and the many little hands who helped with the washing up and tidying up. It almost makes you want to organise a Welcome Party every month... !

To make sure you don't miss any of the events that may be of interest to you, we have prepared a list, which you will find on page 2 of this month's newsletter and which I invite you to print and consult regularly.

In this month's French Corner, I talk about pigeon lofts. In this regard, the French army has something unique compared to other armies in Europe. Do you have any idea what it is? It's the only one in Europe that still has carrier pigeons in its ranks. And finally, for fans of French cinema: The 35th Alliance Française French Film Festival will take place in Canberra (Palace Cinema) from March 7th to April 2nd 2024..more than 40 films await you this season! To see the program follow the link:

https://tiptopweb.cachefly.net/affff2024/affff-program-canberra.pdf

I look forward to seeing many of you on 22 March for our "moules frites / chipolatas frites" lunch. A très bientôt,

Sylvie

From the President

 Hello everyone,

Our touristic, historical and gastronomic adventures continue, but the end of our journey is approaching and it is from our last destination in France, Cornouaille, a historical region on the west coast of Brittany, that I am writing this message. I hope you all had a wonderful festive season and that Santa spoilt you. I would like to take this opportunity to once again wish you a Happy New Year and all the best for 2024 and I hope that your New Year's resolutions include another year of membership with the Alliance Française de la Côte de Saphir.

A little birdie told me that the Coupe d’Antibes went very well, despite the absence of most of the committee members, due to holidays or a re-occurrence of Covid. Thanks to all the participants and to Patricia Dive (Trish) for the report and photos that you will find below.

This month's newsletter is packed with Frenchtastique (French & fantastic!) articles and news, including a very interesting article on the Musée d'Arromanches, the first museum built to commemorate 6 June 1944 (D-Day) and the Battle of Normandy, and an update on the repair work at Notre-Dame.

The first recipe of the year takes you to Normandy, but I can't hide the fact that the choice was very difficult, as Wal and I tasted so many good things during our holidays in France, breads, charcuterie, regional dishes, cider, pommeau des Charentes, cheeses, pastries and other delights, including sea spiders (araignée de mer).

You will have received Mike's email about our first event of the year, our traditional Welcome Party, so I look forward to seeing many of you on 10 February 2024.

Bien cordialement,

Sylvie