French Founded Association 1989 3035 Events, activities, news & reports for members AUGUST 2013 GT 2013 Calendar - Sunflowers at Sunrise in Newsletter Clussais GT Website www.getogether-france.org CALENDAR OF EVENTS Book Club/Library Mon 5th Aug 2-4pm Saint-Jean-de- Kate & Grant 05.49.50.84.77 Sauves Sangster Walk Sat 10 th Aug 10.00am Souvigné Bob Seager 05.49.29.54.12 Summer Garden Sun 18th Aug 12 noon Exireuil Annette & Leslie 05.49.33.41.90 Party Green Reading Circle Tue 20th Aug 2.30pm Oroux Bernie Smith 05.49.63.41.09 Book Club/Library Mon 2nd Sept 2-4pm Mazières en Carol Andrews 05.49.63.18.87 Gatine Walk Sat 14 th Sept 10.00am Sanxay David & Margaret 05.49.07.43.51 Boardman History Group Thur 19th Sept 3.00pm Menigoute Robert Pierson 05.49.95.43.73 Horse Racing Sun 29 th Sept 1.15pm Niort Rebecca & David 05.49.95.43.73 Afternoon Hippodrome Sewell Next Committee Meeting Wed 14th Aug 10.30am Chez Buckley Final Copy Date for Newsletter Items Fri 23rd Aug FORTHCOMING EVENTS Book Club/Library Mon 5th Aug 2-4pm Saint-Jean-de-Sauves Kate & Grant Sangster August Book Club/Library is to be held chez Sangster, 18 route de Mazeuil, 86330, Saint-Jean-de-Sauves. Directions: - From Thenezay take the D738 towards Mirebeau turning left at La Bourrelière onto the D40, through Mazeuil and onto St- Jean-de-Sauves. No 18 Route de Mazeuil is on this road on the left just after the newish bungalow. It is double fronted with a green front door, opposite the silo and just before the railway crossing. Tel No: 05.49.50.84.77 Please park behind the concrete railings at the silo opposite. Please do not obstruct the silo entrance as it is very active in August . Walk Sat 10 th Aug 10.00am Souvigné Bob Seager This walk offers two possibilities. The main walk is about 8km, and includes one significant hill, while the 4km alternative avoids this. Both walks are on quiet roads and tracks. It is unlikely that there will be any mud, but the stony tracks suggest the wearing of robust footwear. A lot of the route is shaded, which we hope will be necessary – though perhaps not as hot as last year's August walk. The walk will start from the car park at the Stade at Souvigné, situated on the D10 about 6km south of St Maixent l'Ecole. GPS ref N46°22.47', W0°11.12' Lunch will be on off er at the Commerce restaurant in the centre of La Mothe St Héray, four courses with wine and coffee for 15€. Please note the revised map reference and there are no toilets at the start. Entries must be advised by Sat 3 rd August, stating whether meat or fish is required, email [email protected] or phone 05.49.29.54.12. Please ensure your booking is confirmed by Bob either by email or telephone. Emergency phone on the day 0044 7954 608321 Summer Garden Sun 18th Aug 12 noon Exireuil Annette & Leslie Green Party This years Garden Party/picnic will be hosted by Annette and Leslie at 2 La Gaconniere, Exireuil, 79400 about 5 minutes north from St Maixent L'Ecole. Please provide your own food and drinks, as well as crockery, plates and glasses. You will also need to bring along tables/chairs, sunshades and any other creature comforts you may need on the day! To add a little 'je ne sais quoi' to the day, we will be offering a 'cream tea' with authentic clotted cream, two home made scones and jam + tea/coffee for 1.50 euros. In addition we have invited - recommended by a GT Member - Wine producers from the Loire region, Domaine de L'Argaruy. There will be wine tasting and an opportunity to buy if you so wish. Prices start at 2.20 euros for a Cabernet d'Anjou to 5.90 euros for a Cremant, with plenty of variety in between. Directions: For TomTom etc - GPS N 46 26.354 W 0 09.918 (rural farm house) - If no satellite device please see below for detailed directions: Anyone wishing to attend should contact Annette or Leslie on 05.49.33.41.90 or email [email protected] Directions to: 2 La Gaconniére, Lieu dit La Gaconniére 79400 Exireuil Situated just North of Saint Maixent L'Ecole From Parthenay or North West using the D938 (Parthenay to Saint Maixent l'Ecole road). As you travel towards St Maixent L'Ecole you pass the junction with the D524 (sp Menigoute etc), you will pass through a very small hamlet ( les Grands Ajoncs ) and AFTER 800 METRES TURN 2 nd LEFT (2nd turn on the left (small sp La Pailliere ) off the D938) onto an unlisted road. After 1.3km TURN LEFT onto the D121 (Fomperon to Saint Maixent L'Ecole road). After 60metres TURN RIGHT onto another unlisted road (sp La Gaconniére etc). After 700metres TURN RIGHT at the crossroads (sp La Gaconniére). After 400metres TURN RIGHT (sp La Gaconniére) onto a local lane). After 300metres the house is on the right. From St Maixent L'Ecole or the South. Take the D611 from the main roundabout at Place Denfert (by the two large car parks) towards Poitiers. After 200metres TURN LEFT (sp Exireuil) onto the rue de Béchereau. After 4km TURN RIGHT (sp La Gaconniére etc) onto an unlisted road. After 700metres TURN RIGHT at the crossroads (sp La Gaconniére). After 400metres TURN RIGHT (sp La Gaconniére) onto a local lane). After 300metres the house is on the right. From Poitiers or the North East . Take the D611 through Soudan (you pass junction 31 of the A10) towards St Maixent L'Ecole. After 3.4km you enter Belle Vue with a large water tower on the right – pass the Menigoute turn off D58 on the right, but then immediately TURN RIGHT onto rue de Grippault ( WARNING - this is a very small road between a house and a garden ) onto an unlisted road. (DO NOT take the Fomperron road which is just before this turning). After 2.2km (twisting country road passing La Boutiniére) TURN LEFT (sp La Gaconniére) onto a local lane). After 300metres the house is on the right. Reading Circle Tue 20th Aug 2.30pm Oroux Bernie Smith This month we shall be reading "The Scheme for Full Employment" by Magnus Mills which although it sounds like it, we are reliably assured it is not a textbook on Keynesian macro-economics. Just as well as something light-hearted and fun is exactly what is required during this lovely summer weather. Please don't forget to look up the reading list on the GT website to catch up on our latest reviews. Book Club/Library Mon 2nd Sept 2-4pm Mazierès en Gatine Carol Andrews The September Book Club will be held at the home of Carol Andrews in Mazières en Gatine. Directions: from Mazières, take the D743 towards Niort. At the end of the golf course approx 4kms from the village there is a slip road to the right (direction L’hirondelle and La Blanchetiere). Carol is the 4 th house on the right with a clé vacances sign on the fence. Tel No. 05.49.63.18.87 Walk Sat 14 th Sept 10.00am Sanxay David & Margaret Boardman The walk starts at the swimming pool/campsite car park in Sanxay. The long walk is 8.6km with a shorter version of 5km. The countryside around Sanxay is rolling so there are a couple of moderate climbs. Strong footwear is recommended. The car park (with toilets) is situated next to the pool. From St Maixent take the N11 (D611) towards Poitiers. Shortly after crossing the autoroute near Soudan turn left just after La Guittiere on to the D5 which becomes the D62 into Sanxay. In Sanxay turn left onto D3 signed for piscine campsite and site Gallo Roman. From Lezay take D45 towards Chey. At the crossroads turn right on D950 passing through Chey and continuing for approx. 12km then turning left on to D26 towards Rouille. Pass through Rouille crossing N11 and 200m later turning 2 nd right after crossing still on D26 towards Sanxay. Follow D26 towards Sanxay which involves one left turn and one right turn at junctions. In Sanxay turn left onto D3 signed for piscine campsite and site Gallo Roman. The meal is at Les Voyageurs in Menigoute at 12.30pm. Cost is €14 to include 4 courses with wine and coffee. Bookings please by Sept 7 th (indicating meat or fish main course) by emailing [email protected] or tel David or Margaret Boardman on 05.49.07.43.51. Emergency No for use on the day only is: 06.02.27.76.03. Please ensure David or Margaret acknowledge your booking. History Group Thurs 19th 3.00pm Menigoute Robert Pierson Sept Topic: Joan of Arc Is there anything worse than death? It’s debatable. One might list a range of alternative misfortunes, if death were a misfortune. Worse than death might be emblazoned betrayal by those to whom life itself had been confided. This was the time of the Hundred Years War between France and England. At the age of twelve, maybe, thirteen, Joan of Arc heard, she said, the voices of angels, which would change her life, and the fate of France, forever. An illiterate peasant girl won over a sceptical, royal court including the dauphin whom she would see crowned Charles VII.