My first trip to Amiens for the annual Fete Dans la Ville was a great experience. A wonderful city with a beautiful Cathedral and many other charming aspects including the water gardens and small Venice like canals, and harbour area surrounded by good restaraunts. Also the house of Jules Verne, who lived and died in Amiens, is well worth visiting. The Fete was spread over the weekend and was really colourful with floats, singers, dancers, street entertainers, etc., and the highlight is the Sunday morning river parade from the floating gardens, when the locals in their traditioal costumes bring their garden produce in boats for sale on the quayside. We were give a formal Reception by the Mayor at which gifts were exchanged, and were grateful for the hospitality we received.
Visits were also made to Rouen and Arras, and to many of the military graves in the surrounding area.
PARTICIPANTS
Glynis Alder, Floris Allison, Jo Baker, Pat Baker, Joyce Beswick, Don Bristow, Margaret Bristow, Vin Burgess, Marion Flowers, Ray Flowers, Ian Gardner, Isobel Hartley, Sandy Hood, Len Howells, Cliff Jones, Joan Jones, Gill Nutt, Tom Nutt, Jean Pounder, Reg Ripley, Frank Robson, Stella Robson, Hannah Straitton, Betty Taylor, Tom Taylor, Laura Thornton, Margaret Tornbohm.
Report by Tom Nutt June 20001