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History and tradition
The 15 years of Médoc actif
Médoc Actif has been around for 15 years now. A reason to celebrate? We marked our 5th anniversary with one of our European picnics in the park of the Abbey of Vertheuil and our 10th anniversary at the "Association européenne" award ceremony in Bordeaux. Although we were never a formal association...
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Médoc Actif has been around for 15 years now. A reason to celebrate? We marked our 5th anniversary with one of our European picnics in the park of the Abbey of Vertheuil and our 10th anniversary at the "Association européenne" award ceremony in Bordeaux. Although we were never a formal association...
read more
Saint Vivien de Médoc under the Occupation
In 2022 the National Union of Combattants of Saint Vivien de Médoc - North Médoc, will celebrate its centenary. Thanks to its unanimously
acknowledged social and memorial value it still has 80 members today. Its strength is that everyone, veteran or not, with any memories to
pass on, in the broadest sense, is welcome...
read more
In 2022 the National Union of Combattants of Saint Vivien de Médoc - North Médoc, will celebrate its centenary. Thanks to its unanimously
acknowledged social and memorial value it still has 80 members today. Its strength is that everyone, veteran or not, with any memories to
pass on, in the broadest sense, is welcome...
read more
Cordouan classified as World Heritage Site for Humanity
Saturday 24th July 2021 enters Cordouan’s history! The 44th session of UNESCO, from 16th to 31st July at Fuzhou in China affirmed that Cordouan
was worthy of this distinction and recognition. This classification honours the monument which the Association has been caring for since 1981.
It also honours our country (which supported the original candidature as a lighthouse)...
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Saturday 24th July 2021 enters Cordouan’s history! The 44th session of UNESCO, from 16th to 31st July at Fuzhou in China affirmed that Cordouan
was worthy of this distinction and recognition. This classification honours the monument which the Association has been caring for since 1981.
It also honours our country (which supported the original candidature as a lighthouse)...
read more
Frontstalag 221
Yesterday I was walking my dog in a part of the village that I had never been to before. And there …. I noticed, 50 metres away, and near to
a roundabout that I frequently pass in the car, a stele that I had never noticed. Of course I went to have a look at it and I learnt something
of which I was completely unaware: there were prisoner of war camps in France in WWII. They were called “Frontstalag”...
read more
Yesterday I was walking my dog in a part of the village that I had never been to before. And there …. I noticed, 50 metres away, and near to
a roundabout that I frequently pass in the car, a stele that I had never noticed. Of course I went to have a look at it and I learnt something
of which I was completely unaware: there were prisoner of war camps in France in WWII. They were called “Frontstalag”...
read more
Saving Cordouan lighthouse
The Cordouan lighthouse is at the forefront of our personal memories of the Médoc. When we used to go back and forth for holidays in the Médoc,
and didn’t yet know the region well, the lighthouse marked our passage from the continent to « Paradise »...
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The Cordouan lighthouse is at the forefront of our personal memories of the Médoc. When we used to go back and forth for holidays in the Médoc,
and didn’t yet know the region well, the lighthouse marked our passage from the continent to « Paradise »...
read more
A soirée au Château Beyzac
The empty windows and dilapidated roof of this imposing 18th century building suggest fascinating but sinister stories. The large courtyard
with restored outbuildings and shining stainless steel tanks is evidence of recent modernisation. Why was the castle established here? What
happened here, long ago? What events took place?
read more
The empty windows and dilapidated roof of this imposing 18th century building suggest fascinating but sinister stories. The large courtyard
with restored outbuildings and shining stainless steel tanks is evidence of recent modernisation. Why was the castle established here? What
happened here, long ago? What events took place?
read more
Contemporary witnesses of the end of the war in Nord-Médoc
Along the coast of the Médoc, one can now hardly take in, 70 years after the end of the second world war, the traces of its fateful past. It has almost
vanished from the collective memory: while the older generation remembers the war and its consequences, the young are more interested in planning for
their future. Those who lived through the war when they were children, are today a valuable source of evidence of the history of the Médoc for the
younger generation, for there are few surviving documents relating to this period...
read more
Along the coast of the Médoc, one can now hardly take in, 70 years after the end of the second world war, the traces of its fateful past. It has almost
vanished from the collective memory: while the older generation remembers the war and its consequences, the young are more interested in planning for
their future. Those who lived through the war when they were children, are today a valuable source of evidence of the history of the Médoc for the
younger generation, for there are few surviving documents relating to this period...
read more
Rommel in Soulac
On June 20, 1939 German troops occupied the two Charentes, on June 26 they crossed the estuary by the ferry “ Le Cordouan”. They arrived
on June 26 at Le Verdon and the 27th in Soulac. But the Germans were already in Bordeaux occupying the important and strategic maritime
port. So, there was a column coming from Bordeaux and another who arrived by ferry. ..
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On June 20, 1939 German troops occupied the two Charentes, on June 26 they crossed the estuary by the ferry “ Le Cordouan”. They arrived
on June 26 at Le Verdon and the 27th in Soulac. But the Germans were already in Bordeaux occupying the important and strategic maritime
port. So, there was a column coming from Bordeaux and another who arrived by ferry. ..
read more
1943 : Cattle drive at Saint-Vivien
My brother, who lives in the Charente-Maritime, belongs to a postcard collecting society. One of his friends found this postcard of Saint-Vivien
dating from 1943. There are very few of them which is why he gave it to my brother who scanned it and sent it to me. I asked a 96 year old resident
of Saint-Vivien, who is one of the “anciens combattants” ( war veterans ), and he said he didn’t recognize anyone, but there is Monsieur Egreteau
with his cows...
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My brother, who lives in the Charente-Maritime, belongs to a postcard collecting society. One of his friends found this postcard of Saint-Vivien
dating from 1943. There are very few of them which is why he gave it to my brother who scanned it and sent it to me. I asked a 96 year old resident
of Saint-Vivien, who is one of the “anciens combattants” ( war veterans ), and he said he didn’t recognize anyone, but there is Monsieur Egreteau
with his cows...
read more
The cuvier-theatre
Have you heard of the theatre known as the Cuvier, the renowned theatre of Saint-Seurin? It was in the years 1945-1950... the young men returning
from the war resumed their former occupations. Whatever the business, the vineyard, the trade.. . life went on! It was there that the story of our
how our cuvier became a theatre began...
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Have you heard of the theatre known as the Cuvier, the renowned theatre of Saint-Seurin? It was in the years 1945-1950... the young men returning
from the war resumed their former occupations. Whatever the business, the vineyard, the trade.. . life went on! It was there that the story of our
how our cuvier became a theatre began...
read more
The figures automata Museum in Vertheuil
It is now more than 30 years since Anne Pradère and Dominique Jalabert, in their workshop,”The tree made of bread/The bread tree” envisaged,
developed and brought to fruition a collection of animal-like automata, inspired by the satyric characters of Granville, a caricaturist of
the 19th century, with a little nod to La Fontaine. The collection features scenes of everyday life in which animals mimic humans...
read more
It is now more than 30 years since Anne Pradère and Dominique Jalabert, in their workshop,”The tree made of bread/The bread tree” envisaged,
developed and brought to fruition a collection of animal-like automata, inspired by the satyric characters of Granville, a caricaturist of
the 19th century, with a little nod to La Fontaine. The collection features scenes of everyday life in which animals mimic humans...
read more
The delight of car boot sales
My parents always told me never to throw things away just because I didn't need them there and then. This is where the "hoarding"
instinct begins. This can apply to all humans and some animals. In most households, these things accumulate in garages and lofts.
Then at a later date, with a mixture of memory and need, a search begins...
read more
My parents always told me never to throw things away just because I didn't need them there and then. This is where the "hoarding"
instinct begins. This can apply to all humans and some animals. In most households, these things accumulate in garages and lofts.
Then at a later date, with a mixture of memory and need, a search begins...
read more
New Year's dive at Euronat
It seems that I have always known the pleasure of taking a dive in the sea at the most unlikely moments. Even in october, december or
march the Atlanitic coast offers sunny days that invite you to take a walk along the ocean and sometimes to take off your clothes, put
them over yur elbow and let your skin face the the spray of the breakers while others walk along in thick, warm coats...
read more
It seems that I have always known the pleasure of taking a dive in the sea at the most unlikely moments. Even in october, december or
march the Atlanitic coast offers sunny days that invite you to take a walk along the ocean and sometimes to take off your clothes, put
them over yur elbow and let your skin face the the spray of the breakers while others walk along in thick, warm coats...
read more
The Chateau Gauvin Gates at St Vivien
Many people have asked us to explain the history of the gates to our property Chateau Gauvin in St Vivien. We are pleased so many people have
stopped and praised the gates and the view they provide to the Chateau. . Having purchased the property in 2000 without any gates we were very
keen to provide an entrance which reflected the age and history of the Chateau. Having spent many months searching for pillars and gates both
in France and the UK we finally found both in the SW of England in 2009...
read more
Many people have asked us to explain the history of the gates to our property Chateau Gauvin in St Vivien. We are pleased so many people have
stopped and praised the gates and the view they provide to the Chateau. . Having purchased the property in 2000 without any gates we were very
keen to provide an entrance which reflected the age and history of the Chateau. Having spent many months searching for pillars and gates both
in France and the UK we finally found both in the SW of England in 2009...
read more
Rehearsel in the rembuché
Hunting with hounds to horse, known as the chasse à courre in France ,can be for red and roe deer as well as wild boar and hare, which can be also
either be on horseback or on foot. After that there is the small game hunting such as rabbit and other game as well as the fox which is pretty
well exclusively done on foot.. Here we are in a room, which is called the Rembuché, it is here that the Rally Aquitaine-Gironde
(http://www.rallye-aquitaine-gironde.com) has met for the past for 35 years on the morning of the hunt...
read more
Hunting with hounds to horse, known as the chasse à courre in France ,can be for red and roe deer as well as wild boar and hare, which can be also
either be on horseback or on foot. After that there is the small game hunting such as rabbit and other game as well as the fox which is pretty
well exclusively done on foot.. Here we are in a room, which is called the Rembuché, it is here that the Rally Aquitaine-Gironde
(http://www.rallye-aquitaine-gironde.com) has met for the past for 35 years on the morning of the hunt...
read more