………….And a bon temp was had by toutes!!………………..
Even Friday night in Folkestone set the theme for Le Weekend-fine wines and food, +a little bit of MG, as Chris Sellers celebrated her birthday with the advance guard at “O Rock Salt”. 3 bottles of fine Montrachet were consumed before a few hours sleep at our down market Hotel- But hey it is near the only CTV friendly underground car park!
Le Shuttle carried us under La Manche, without incident, apart from John Morgan’s TC exhaust setting off the fire alarms, oh and Terry and Kath Giles missing our reserved train!
The Shuttle mob met the Montreuil overnighters at our Mayor designated parking display, making a total of 34 participants and 19 cars .We realised we had every Post War MG model apart from saloons, thanks to a late entry from Bruce Mayo, with his pristine MGA-Twin Cam.
A wonderful greeting from our French contact, Martine ,welcomed us to Le Hermitage Hotel, and a 17Euro,beautiful lunch at Le Jeraboam Restaurant. All our French friends were rewarded with “MG 90” pins.
We walked off lunch with a 2hour , Tour of Montreuil led by local guide and Master of fractured English, Jean Marie. We touched on Military History from Napolean to General Haigh.
After a well earned rest, the party split at Leisure,10 Gourmets meeting at the Michelin Starred ,Chateau De Montreuil to celebrate Chris’s actual Birthday with a 7 course tasting menu, climaxing and I use that word advisedly, with 10 perfect Raspberry Souffles!
John Bennett regaled us with stories of his time in America which seemed to consist largely of buying Jaguars, at knock down prices from impoverished widows-allegedly!Hang on this is an Mg Tour! – Sorry, yes on Sunday Morning Mrs Glover Misled us on a scenic drive to the coast and Ambleteuse Via The River Course Valley River!!, turned out to be a stream, maybe it was bigger once!
At Ambleteuse the “39/45” Museum welcomed us with a sombre film of the events leading to D Day. Every mention of Britain got a cheer!
Tableux of every theatre of the Second World War, refreshed appetites for lunch down la rue at “Le Viking”-speciality “Le Welsh”-Welsh rarebit, but not as we know it! And so to Le Shuttle at Calais and a long wait for our train.
All arrived home safely .
We personally didn’t eat any supper!
Awards-
“Biggest Lump stuffed under a bonnet”-Chris Kelly-Midget Frontline conversion.
“Oldest Resident”-Jeff Jeffree-pristine MG TF.
“Newest MG-Future Classic”-Wendy Wooster-MGF
“Miracle of the Raid”-The Man Upstairs, hot sunshine throughout!
Jon Glover
