On Friday 31st March an assortment of 12 Leicester Rotarians , Rotoractors, soon-to-be Rotarians and partners assembled in Bordeaux at the invitation of the Rotary Club of Bordeaux-Ouest for a weekend of dinners, lunches, golf and fellowship as well as some sightseeing.
With many of our hosts speaking English and some of our party speaking French, to varying degrees of fluency on both sides, communication was itself entertaining over and above the content and meaning of the words exchanged.
On Friday night we were entertained to dinner in a restaurant on the right bank of the river overlooking the city centre on the left bank, after which we repaired to our hotels or our hosts homes for a good night’s sleep.
Those of us who were playing in the golf competition were up early on Saturday and off to the Golf Bordelais club, France’s 2nd oldest golf course.
Others were taken on a tour of the city, including sight of the charred Town Hall door famously set on fire in the current unrest.
Following an excellent lunch, time to ourselves until the Gala dinner at the racecourse next to the golf course. Speeches from President Arnaud, Horst Frankenburger of Lübeck-Burgtor Rotary Club, our President Nick and our Past-President Parmdeep.
On the Sunday morning, we were taken to explore the Cité du Vins, a fascinating ‘museum’ of wine.
Another lunch, this time at a café run by people with disabilities.
It was then time for most of us to head home and ponder the wonderful hospitality that we had been shown over the weekend. We will be hosting representatives of the Bordeaux-Ouest RC in May 2025.
