ECC French Tour 2018 Tuesday May 29 th Sunday June 3 rd, 2018 The idea behind this tour has been to set up an exchange with Ristretto, a similarsized chamber choir of French and English singers based in Nice in the South of France, directed by Errol Girdlestone. We are currently planning Ristretto s return visit to Devon, hopefully in Summer 2019. Concerts 1. The first concert (ECC only) will be at the end of our 3 days stay in the refuges, in the small town of Guillaumes (24km south/35 mins away). 2. The second, on the Friday evening, is a joint programme with Ristretto, in the hilltop town of Cabris, 15 mins west of Grasse, 3. The final concert will take place in the village church of Chateauneuf, 12 mins east of Grasse, after spending the day rehearsing with Ristretto. Tuesday 29 th May Tour Itinerary 10.50 RV at the check-in, Bristol Airport Departures. 12.50 Fly Easyjet Bristol Nice EZY 6113. 15.55 Arrive in Nice. 16.30 All tourists RV in Nice Arrivals, Terminal 2 (except Bruce, Charlie & Lisa, and Keith & Sylvia). Collect hire cars. 17.00 Depart Nice Côte d Azur Airport in hire cars for Refuge La Coquille- Estenc, in the mountains behind Nice (2hrs 4 mins north). c.19.30 Arrive at the Refuge La Coquille : La Couguglia, 06470 Entraunes N.B. @1732 m so there may still be some snow around. 1
The Refuges La Coquille & La Cantonnière Refuge La Coquille (accommodating 14 tourists/4 cars) This refuge (tel. 04 93 05 54 90) has a purpose-built rehearsal room and regularly welcomes groups to work together here. This is where we will all meet to rehearse in the mornings. We will also have our evening meals together at La Coquille. Our hosts are Robert and Fan. 3 x double rooms: Rowena & Simon Milner, Ian & Sue Campbell, Phyllida Brown & Andrew Richards 1 x twin Room : Nigel Guthrie and Steve Vercoe 1 x 6-bed dormitory : Sue Gunn-Johnson, Susie Howells, Rachel Jermyn, Helen Sargent, Abby Smith, Henrietta Vercoe Refuge de La Cantonnière (accommodating 20 tourists/5 cars) This refuge (tel. 07 78 19 05 12) is just a short distance to the north of La Coquille, on the other side of a small lake, and is run by Cathy and Jean-loup. 3 x double rooms: Keith & Sylvia Wainwright, Bruce & Charlie Hebbard, Martyn & Sue Daldorph 1 x 4-bed dormitory : Andrew & Sally Daldorph, George and Imogen 1 x 5-bed dormitory : Jill Green, Lisa Hebbard, Sally MacIver, Alison Toogood, Margaret Thomson 1 x 5-bed dormitory : Graeme Barnell, Nicholas Kellagher, Simon Murray, Stephen Toogood, Norman Waldron 20.00 Evening meal - all together at La Coquille. 2
Wednesday, 30 th May 7.30 8.30 Breakfast (in separate refuges) + collect packed lunch 9.15 11.15 Rehearse at La Coquille 11.30 15.30 Walk/ free time. Our host at La Coquille, Robert Gasaglia, is a mountain guide and will plan our walks and supply maps. Mercantour National Park 15.30 Return to La Coquille for tea (please bring your own tea bags and snacks) 16.00 18.00 Rehearse at La Coquille 18.00 Rest and change 19.30 Drinks at La Coquille Wine and beer is available to purchase from the Refuge. 20.00 Evening meal + social time. 3
Thursday 31 st May 7.30 8.30 Breakfast (in separate refuges) + collect packed lunch 9.15 11.15 Rehearsal at La Coquille 11.30 13.30 Walk/free time 13.30 Change and collect music etc. 14.15 Travel to Guillaumes by car (24km/35 mins) 15.00 Rehearse in St. Etienne Church 17.00 Explore the town/find a café 18.00 Concert in St. Etienne Church 19.30 Evening meal in Guillaumes, at Café Le Central. A reservation has been made and our menu includes wine, starter, main, cheese and dessert. Guillaumes Église St. Etienne 4
Friday, 1 st June 7.30 8.30 Breakfast (in separate refuges), pack bags + collect packed lunch 9.15 11.00 Rehearsal at La Coquille 11.00 13.00 Walk/free time 13.15 Leave refuges and drive to Cabris (153 km, 2 hrs 34 mins via Route de Grenoble) Find Église Notre Dame de l'assomption, 06530 Cabris, where we will be met by Ristretto s Exchange Co-ordinator, Karen Davie, and Spéracèdes Festival organiser, Laurent Fevrier. Cabris Église Notre Dame de l Assomption 16.00-18.00 Rehearse 18.00 Ristretto arrive. Greetings + sort out concert logistics. 18.30 Free time to walk around Cabris/find a café (while Ristretto rehearse). 20.00 Meet at the Mairie next to the church to change. 20.30 Concert with Ristretto, as part of the Festival, Les Heures Musicales de Spéracèdes. The programme will be divided between the two choirs (Ristretto 45 mins/ecc 30 mins). 22.00 A light buffet reception, provided by the festival. Drive to accommodation with Ristretto hosts/studio appartments in Chateauneuf. 5
Saturday, 2 nd June Breakfast & Drive to Chateauneuf with hosts. 10.00 RV at Salle Pontis, next to the church, St Martin. 10.30-12.30 Rehearse with Ristretto shared repertoire will include the Frank Martin Mass, Spiritual arrangements by Errol Girdlestone, and three Daldorph arrangements. The rest of the programme will be ECC only. 12.30 Shared picnic lunch, provided by Ristretto. 13.30-15.30 Rehearse with Ristretto 15.30 Tea break/free time 16.30 ECC only rehearse in church 17.00 Sort out positioning etc. with Ristretto in the church. 17.30 Warm up 18.30 Change in the Salle Pontis Chateauneuf Église St. Martin 19.00 Concert a free event for the village. 21.00 Meal with Ristretto: Restaurant Le Capriccio, 20 Chemin de l Hubac 06740 Châteauneuf-Grasse, where a reservation has been made. Drive to accommodation. 6
Sunday 3 rd June Very early breakfast with hosts. Drive to Nice Côte d Azur Airport and return hire-cars. 08.40 RV at Check-in, Terminal 2 Departures, Nice Airport 10.40 Fly Nice Bristol EZY 6112 11.50 Arrive Bristol ------------------------------------- APPENDIX A Please remember to bring: 1. Walking boots + small back-pack 2. Waterproof + warm fleece 3. Clothing for variety of temperatures layers 4. Water-bottle/flask 5. Tea bags/snacks 6. Towel 7. Sleeping bag/sheet sleeping bag/sheet & pillowcase (if staying at Refuge de la Cantonnière) 8. Concert dress Men: black trousers, black shirt, black shoes, NB no jackets Women: long black with sleeves, black shoes 9. Black folders 10. Music (some of which will be travelling separately) & a pencil 7
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