Our visit to St Aubin this year marked 40 years of the existence of the Emsworth/St Aubin Twinning Association. I got up very early in the morning by my standards to be at the ferry port by 6:00. The ferry was to depart at 8:00. We don’t usually leave for France so early but there you are. That’s life. I paid £20-50p for my taxi in cash!
We had reserved seats on the ferry so I was able to try and get some sleep. I certainly shut my eyes for several hours but I’m unsure whether I actually got any sleep. I can’t remember whether I had breakfast and/or lunch on the ferry, both probably.
Our St Aubin friends had set up this official schedule which one may read in French or English:
Jumelage Saint-Aubin Sur Mer/Emsworth Vendredi 08 Mai au Lundi 11 Mai 2026
Programme Du Sejour
Vendredi 08 Mai
– Arrivée du Ferry à 15h00 en Gare maritime de Ouistreham
– Prise en charge par les families d’accueil (voir liste jointe)
– 18h30 : Accueil à la Salle Aubert par le Maire de Saint Aubin pour <<Pot d’Accueil>>
Buffet apéritif offert par la Municipalité
Samedi 09 Mai
– Départ de Saint à 9h00 pour Le Parc des Marais du Cotentin
– 10h30 à 12h00 : Promenade fluviale dans les cannaux
– 12h30 à 14h30 : Repas au restaurant << La Guinguette des Marais>>
– Après-midi : Option 1 : Possibilité de visite de la Maison des Marais ( 1 heure – Entrée à la charge des familles)
Option 2 : Programme libre
– Ver 17h/17h : Retour à Saint-Aubin
– Soirée en familles
Dimanche 10 Mai :
– Journée dans les familles
– 19 h 30 : Repas de << gala >> à la Salle Aubert
– I’ll est demandé à chaque familles d’apporter des amuse-gueule pour 5/6 personnes et une entrée (salade ou charcuterie)
– Le Comité prend en charge le PLAT CHAUD et GÂTEAU d’ANNIVERSAIRE
LUNDI 11 MAI
– Matinée dans les familles
– 11h30 : Rassemblement pour Déjeuner/Buffet léger (Le lieu reste définir)
– 14h45 : Départ pour Ouistreham
– 16h30 : Départ du ferry
The Above translates to:
Saint-Aubin Sur Mer/Emsworth Twinning Association
Friday, May 8 to Monday, May 11, 2026
The planned schedule:
Friday, May 8
– Ferry arrival at 3:00 PM at Ouistreham Ferry Terminal
– Pick-up by host families (see attached list)
– 6:30 PM: Welcome at the Aubert Hall by the Mayor of Saint Aubin for a “Welcome Drink”
Appetizer buffet provided by the Municipality.
Saturday, May 9
– Departure from Saint Aubin
at 9:00 AM for the Cotentin Marshes Park
– 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM: River cruise in the canals
– 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM: Meal at the restaurant << La Guinguette des Marais >>
– Afternoon: Option 1: Possible visit to the Marsh House (1 hour – entrance fee at families’ expense)
Option 2: Free program
– Around 5:00/5:30 PM: Return to Saint-Aubin
– Evening with families
Sunday, May 10:
– Day with the families
– 7:30 PM: Gala dinner at the Aubert Hall
– Each family is asked to bring appetizers for 5-6 people and a starter (salad or cold cuts)
– The Committee will take care of the MAIN COURSE and BIRTHDAY CAKE
MONDAY, MAY 11
– Morning with the families
– 11:30 AM: Gathering for Lunch/Light Buffet (Location to be determined)
– 2:45 PM: Departure for Ouistreham
– 4:30 PM: Ferry departure
Saint-Aubin Sur Mer/Emsworth Twinning Association
Friday, May 8 to Monday, May 11, 2026
The planned schedule:
Friday, May 8
– Ferry arrival at 3:00 PM at Ouistreham Ferry Terminal
– Pick-up by host families (see attached list)
– 6:30 PM: Welcome at the Aubert Hall by the Mayor of Saint Aubin for a “Welcome Drink”
Appetizer buffet provided by the Municipality.
We got to Ouistreham and Lydie picked me up. She had parked her car in what is probably her favourite spot just outside the ferry terminal. The spot is very close to the exit from the terminal. One has to go down a steep slope but a short one to get to the car where she parks it.
There are lots of details which I can’t remember with certainty but I think Lydie took me straight to Salle Aubert for an aperitif dinatoire – a cocktail reception. It was held with speeches by Alain Tranquart, Keith Richardson, the mayor of St Aubin all of whom had their own translators. Keith may have translated his own speech into English or he might have let Carol do it – it’s all a bit hazy now. Keith spoke a bit about the 40 year history of the Twinning Association We then helped ourselves to numerous small food items to eat, so many in fact that I decided that they must comprise our evening meal. So I helped myself heartily. There were savoury items and some sweet ones. As it turned out that was indeed our evening meal and I can’t complain.
My “Birds” present for Lydie
May 9
– Departure from Saint Aubin
at 9:00 AM for the Cotentin Marshes Park
– 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM: River cruise in the canals
– 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM: Meal at the restaurant << La Guinguette des Marais >>
– Afternoon: Option 1: Possible visit to the Marsh House (1 hour – entrance fee at families’ expense)
Option 2: Free program
– Around 5:00/5:30 PM: Return to Saint-Aubin
– Evening with families
The Emsworth and St Aubin twinners all set off for the Contentin park in different vehicles. Lydie and I were in a group of eight and were driven there by Vincent of St Aubin in a mini-van. There was a restaurant at Contentin where we had a meal before cruising in the canals. There were no professionals involved. Somebody volunteered to steer each boat. Our boat was handled by Simon of Emsworth. The steering wasn’t too difficult; one had to avoid tree branches and ensure that we followed the marked route. At various places the canal split into two. Following the right signs was important. As far as I could tell the restaurant La Guinguette des Marais was on an island amongst the canals, so eventually we got back to the start point near the restaurant. According to the schedule above we had lunch after the boat ride, not before. Who cares – we ate well.
Lunch before the boat trip
The boat trip with with our own steerer, Simpn
In Bayeux after the boat ride all Emsworth members except our guide Vincent, second from right
Bayeux Cathedral – I think it’s prettier than our own in Chichester
People had varying activities the rest of the day. Vincent took us to Bayeux where we wandered around for a while. I thought Bayeux cathedral was more beautiful than the one in Chichester near Havant where I live. The party in the picture are from left to right me, Jerry’s wife, Jerry, Lydie, Lorna (Simon’s wife), Jean a well established Twinning member, Vincent and Simon. From Bayeux Vincent drove us back to St Aubin.
That evening we went to Sylvie and Daniel’s place – I have been there in the past. They are good friends of Lydie’s. Simon plays a guitar and we are usually sure to do some singing with him. This occasion was no exception. My records say there were eleven of us including Vincent and Cecile(St Aubin) Jean, Hazel and Gary, Simon and Lorna, Lydie, Sylvie and Daniel and myself of course.
On hearing my impression of Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World” Daniel insisted that I should join the concert following the gala dinner. It was a very entertaining evening
Sunday, May 10:
– Day with the families
With Lydie’s friends in the Costil Garden Centre Restaurant.
Isn’t it pretty in the Garden Centre?
Lydie and arranged lunch with friends at a garden centre with restaurant facilities for the first half of the day. I went there with her and was very happy to meet her friends most of whom I hadn’t previously met. None in the group apart from Lydie spoke English so I had plenty of opportunity to hear and speak French. Lydie and the others must have paid for the meal but I did contribute a bottle of wine which like the others was fully consumed.
The gala dinner took place that evening, one of the few occasions on which I wear my dinner suit. Alain Tranqard made a speech with Carol as his translator. The food was excellent as usual but I dropped my veganism for the evening! Towards the end of the evening Daniel started the singing session and insisted that I join. We sang in English and French and I participated with the songs I knew.
The finale was “What a Wonderful World” whose script Daniel had written down. But unlike the others I had to sing in my Louis Armstrong voice. Later, in private I gave Daniel a rendering of Louis Armstrong’s C’est ci bon” and said that that is what I would like to sing at the following year’s gala dinner.
– 7:30 PM: Gala dinner at the Aubert Hall
– Each family is asked to bring appetizers for 5-6 people and a starter (salad or cold cuts)
– The Committee will take care of the MAIN COURSE and BIRTHDAY CAKE
Alain’s speech at the Gala dinner, Carol translates
Lydie and I at the Gala Dinner
MONDAY, MAY 11
– Morning with the families
– 11:30 AM: Gathering for Lunch/Light Buffet (Location to be determined)
– 2:45 PM: Departure for Ouistreham
– 4:30 PM: Ferry departure
We all met up at Salle Aubert again for a light lunch. Then Lydie took me back to Ouistreham ferry port for my return journey. She parked in her favourite spot! I either got a lift back to Havant from Portsmouth ferry port from Emsworth friends or shared a taxi with them. Who cares!
.
In conclusion that was another happy visit to St Aubin sur Mer
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