Bonne Anniversaire Red Hatters Everywhere

Do you remember your tenth birthday party? If you’re anything like me, you don’t, unless it was especially memorable in some way. However, the tenth birthday parties being celebrated around the world today by many thousands of women ‘of a certain age’  will be long remembered, as they continue to live their lives in the spirit of ‘fun and friendship, freedom and fulfilment’.  

Today is the 10th birthday of the Red Hat Society, which began in the United States, when a small group of women met to take tea, dressed in the now familiar purple outfits and red hats. Their intention to enjoy life to the fullest has been embraced by many thousands of women, not only in the US but around the world, even in our little corner of France.

Sue, the founder of the Normandy chapter, based in Domfront in the Orne, told me how she first became aware of the Red Hatters and why she chose to start a chapter here.  

The first I ever heard about the Red Hat Society was while I was on the way to New York on board the QM2 in 2004. It was the evening of the Royal Ascot ball and I happened to have chosen to wear a red hat for the occasion. An American lady came up to me and asked whether I was a Red Hatter? Being London born and bred, I knew the old expression ‘red hat no drawers’, so I looked rather puzzled and said, ‘No’.

Once we arrived in the US, I began to see Red Hat merchandise in many of the shops we visited. On my return I got online and found out more about the RHS and found I could join as an online member. That was my first step. I was then invited to join a group called the Purple Princesses of Poole, near where I used to live, and I started attending their gatherings. 

I realised that setting up a chapter in France would be a great way of getting to know people. I was going to be spending much of my time here and was keen to make new friends as soon as possible. I put a message on Anglo Info just to test the water. I had a great response and heard from about 30 women within a matter of days. So I registered the Red ExpHat Society in February 2005 and let all the interested ladies know we were ‘in business’.

Sue went on to say that the women who were initially interested in joining came from all over Basse Normandie.  Many of them didn’t want to travel too far, so the half dozen or so who lived within easy reach of Domfront, became the founding members of the chapter. Sue explained some of the benefits she believes members gain from being Red Hatters here.

It can be great fun and I have certainly achieved the objective of making new friends. Many of the members have also thanked me for introducing them to people who live very close to them but they had never met. Some very close friendships have come out of this little group.

Although we are in no way a business group, I know that many people find it an ideal place to network, and we certainly all try to help each other out with untangling the French red tape. Partners of members have made friends, indirectly, through red hatting, too.

I asked Sue about the membership of the group. As founder of the group she is the Queen, a Red Hat tradition, and she has her vice-queen, known in this chapter as the Snow Queen of Vice. Six of the founding members, are now honorary queens, in recognition of their loyal support.  Sue went on to tell me:

The group is currently around twenty strong. This is an ideal number and I do not promote membership nowadays. We are still on Anglo Info in their social group listings and occasionally we get ourselves into the newspapers and I get phone calls from people who are interested in knowing more about us. A new  member found us recently on the ‘what to do in La Ferté Macé’  website, although I have never approached them – so our reputation is spreading!

All the women in the Orne chapter are expats, though some have lived here for some time. Most are now retired but going out in friendship groups is a familiar concept to them. I wondered if Sue had ever tried to interest french women in joining. I asked her if cultural differences, the french still prefer to socialise in family groups, and the language made it difficult.

I would love to have French ladies in the chapter. I was told some time ago that French women do not go out in groups of women. They prefer to go out with men! When we appeared in the ‘Publicator Libre‘, my French neighbours were very excited. One said she thought we looked like great fun, but the other said she thought we were ‘frightening’ and we would all speak English. They are both very much older than the average age in our group.

Some of the French ladies who go to the Groupe Franglais are more of our age group, and they like to practise their English, so I am working on them! I have suggested that we include an afternoon tea in the programme where everyone tries to bring along a French guest to see how it goes.

Finally, I asked Sue about what she would like to see happening in France for Red Hatters. She told me that she would like to help other chapters to get started here and she would like to see a European Red Hat Society convention held in Paris. She says:

 I think it is such an easy and inexpensive place for the UK, Dutch and German chapters to get to, the Americans and Canadians would love Paris, and I think we would look such a wow at the Moulin Rouge! 

What a picture that conjures up! Bonne Anniversaire to the Orne chapter and Red Hatters everywhere!

Tuesday talking point

It’s said, not without foundation, that the English talk a great deal about the weather. When you first move to France, if your French is sketchy, you can find yourself talking to your French neighbours about nothing else. Today, I thought I’d talk about the weather, specifically April weather, since that is the month we’re in.

                                                 

This photo, of orange tulips and white daffodils, was taken last April (2007) when the sun shone for most of the month and temperatures went up to 30 degrees C on our patio. This April, the same planting has produced one daffodil head (two flowers) and half a dozen or so tiny (6 inches!) tulips which haven’t even opened yet. And this pattern has been repeated, to a greater or lesser degree, all over the garden.

Needless, to say, for those of us living in the Orne, (and elsewhere, I know) the April weather has reverted to the usual mix of sunshine and showers, interspersed with snow and frosts. And the temperature has rarely gone above 12 degrees C. Yes, we’ve had a few lovely, balmy days and thought that spring was really here at last. But, too often it seems, the following days have brought rain and a drop in temperature.

Last year’s summer was dreadful! Can we hope that a more usual April will usher in a better summer this year?

Orne’s Hidden Treasures – La Tour de Bonvouloir

This is the second article in the series, ’Orne’s Hidden Treasures’. Many thanks to GW for the photographs. Look out for an article, focussing on something especially for the children, coming shortly.

 

In Basse-Normandie, between the tiny village of Juvigny-sous-Andaines (about seven kilometres from Bagnoles de l’Orne) and Bagnoles de l’Orne itself, you will find La Tour de Bonvouloir. Steeped in both historical fact and misty legend (aren’t all the best places?) if the sight doesn’t raise a ‘Wow!‘ as you drive between the hedges at the entrance, I’ll be very surprised. Frankly, no photograph can do it justice.

Originally, the tower was part of a chateau built by Guyon Essirard at the end of the fifteenth century, on land gifted to him by René, Duc d’Alençon as a sign of the Duke’s ‘goodwill‘, hence the name, Bonvouloir. The high, thin tower (also known as a phare) stands atop an open area which was formerly the huge courtyard. Featuring a cloche roof, cornicing and a stone staircase, La Tour de Bonvouloir is still an amazing sight, situated as it is in the quiet Orne countryside.  

                                     

All that remains today of the original chateau (partially destroyed during the revolution) are the tower itself and the smaller, wider tower to which it is attached, a pigeonier and a well. In spite of the absence of stonework, you can still get an impression of ramparts from the earth banks surrounding the site.                              

                               

 

                              

There is also a small house with the date 1658? carved into the lintel, perhaps originally the chapel which was a seventeenth century addition. During the same century, the ’chateau’ became a farm. 

                                

Why the tower takes the form it does, is the stuff of legend. You will find the story recounted in many places, including the history of the spa in Bagnoles de l’Orne. The legend is that the master of La Tour de Bonvouloir, being married to a young woman and unable to produce an heir, bathed in the waters at Bagnoles de l’Orne. Some time afterwards his wife presented him with a son. He built the tower in gratitude for the return of his youth and vigour.                              

                              

Today, the site is free to visit and an ideal spot at which to picnic and walk. Even from ground level, there is a great view of the surrounding countryside. While you are there, you could pick up a leaflet with details of locally produced, regional products and where to find the producer and add another interesting place to your list for visiting in this lovely and productive region.

 

Give your family a treat during your stay in the Orne, or even elsewhere in Basse-Normandie, this summer by visiting a site of both archaeological importance and scenic beauty. You won’t be disappointed.  

 

A final note. La Tour de Bonvouloir is also the first stop on the suggested tourist route of 25 kms through the forest of Andaines (Circuit 7).

 

Orne Archeology

Are you an avid watcher of Tony Robinson and ‘Time Team’? Then, like me, you may be interested in an exhibition of archeological finds in the Orne over the last 250 years or so. I first read about it when it was in Alençon and was interested to note that it was to come to Flers in April.

The exhibition, called ‘Exposition Arché-Orne’, is being held at the museum in the château at Flers (the château itself is worth a look, if you’ve not been there) until the end of August. The exhibition, according to the accounts I’ve read, covers 50,000 years of human occupation in the Orne region. As this is where some of us now live or have second homes, it behooves (isn’t that a lovely word) us to know something about the historical past of our region.

I plan to visit soon, given the variable nature of our weather at the moment it’s nice to have somewhere to go under cover, and will update this post when I have. If anyone else has already done so, I’d love to have you comment.

Wandering about the Orne

                   

One glorious Sunday recently, we decided to go for a drive. We started out in search of a particular church, but with only the vaguest of notions about where it was, we just followed the road and enjoyed the scenery.

The Orne is full of wonderful views, especially the area known as the Suisse Normande, on the edge of which we are lucky to live. From Briouze, we headed out through St André de Briouze and then followed the road towards Putanges Pont d’Ecripin.

We continued on through narrow winding roads, passing tiny hamlets, some of them very pretty, until we dropped down into the valley through which the Orne River runs. I’d forgotten just what a large river it is. I’m used to seeing it from the bridge at Putanges, where it meanders gently. We crossed the bridge near the Rabodanges barrage , and parked on the other side of the river to enjoy the view. Breathtaking.

Crossing back over the river, we took the road towards the Roche d’Oetre. Wending our way through more picture postcard villages, we finally arrived at the visitor centre at Roche d’Oetre. Now I know where so many French people go on Sunday afternoons – the carpark was full.  After stopping at the restaurant for a coffee, which we drank sitting outside as the sun was so lovely, we walked up to the lookout point above the restaurant. The views down into the valley (over a hundred metres) are amazing, though not for the faint hearted.

Leaving the Roche d’Oetre, we headed towards home on another road, through Sègrie-Fontaine, which took us down into the valley. As we dropped down towards the river, (La Rouvre) we passed through more wonderful scenery. I recall seeing a sign for, I think, ‘Maison de la Riviere’. We didn’t stop but afterwards wished we had, as I’ve read since that many activities associated with the river and the natural surroundings take place there, as they do elsewhere in the Suisse Normande. 

The Orne and the Rouvre rivers are famous for canoeing and kayaking activities and there are many places where you can walk along the riverbanks. Now that the weather looks as though it may be starting to warm up, the weekend’s snow not withstanding, it’s time to start planning some outdoor activities.

A brief list of websites giving information about this area can be found here . They are mostly in French, (could help improve your language skills) but fairly easy to navigate and follow. Hope to see you out and about in the Orne this summer.

‘Antiques and collectables’ – where to find them in the Orne

If you feel like a trip out at the weekend to a vides-greniers or suchlike in the Orne, look here for some information. It hasn’t been particularly pleasant for these events in recent weeks, in our part of Basse Normandie at least, but the weather looks as though it might be improving.

My friend (the one who is very fond of rummaging around at vide-greniers) and I visited Champsecret the weekend before last. We went to this event last year and had to take sunhats. The streets were full of people and there was a great buzz about the village. This year it was umbrellas, only a few hardy souls had stalls (mostly covered with large pieces of plastic sheeting) and there were few people about. Such a shame when it is a yearly event. The weather was so dismal last weekend, we didn’t even attempt to go to La Ferrière aux Etangs, which, according to our neighbours, has been great fun in previous years.

Still, the number of such events is building each week, so let’s hope the weather improves as well. Do visit, if you can.