19 octobre 2021

France and Vietnam: From Indochina to Independence


Vikki Nelson returned to our talks programme on Wednesday 13 October for her presentation on France and Vietnam. She had used a sub-heading for her talk entitled from Indochina to Independence and that's where she first focussed our attention highlighting the geographical and historical contexts of the region. Indochina, she explained, comprised three areas of Vietnam, (Tonkin in the North, Annam in the Centre and Cochinchina in the South) along with Cambodia and Laos with the leased Chinese territory of Guangchuwan added in 1898.

She explained the reasons for France's involvement in the region which had to do with religious persecution, rivalry with an expanding British Empire and access to the Chinese market. She went to chart France's colonial efforts and spoke of the economic and social impacts of those imperial interventions making Indochina France's second most invested in colony. Saigon, she told us, was the sixth busiest port in the French Empire and settlers from France built Beaux-Arts buildings and other landmarks such as the Hanoi Opera House and Saigon's Notre Dame basilica.

She guided us through France's turbulent relationship with its colony through the Second World War period and beyond discussing in particular the First Indochina War and the Geneva Conference of April-July 1954 which led to French forces finally leaving the region in October of that year.  The hopes of the convention were not fulfilled and matters led to the Second Indochina War, more commonly known as the Vietnam war.

In a shorter segment of her talk she referred to the American involvement which would culminate in January 1973, nearly twenty years later, with the signing of the Paris Peace Accords.

Vikki packed much information into her exposé and members expressed their appreciation twice as perhaps because we were so attentive to the content that most had forgotten to unmute their Zoom microphones that we had to repeat the applause!

So once again thanks to Vikki for coming back to speak to us and we look forward to your next visit.

Un très grand merci !


29 septembre 2021

Présentation du vin Touraine : Noble Joué

Touraine Rosé shared on screen

It was la rentrée and the first talk in the new season's cercle en virtuel et sur place.  Our new présidente, Patricia HARDIMAN was pleased to launch the latest programme and officially welcomed Bridgene and Philippe ARNAUD for their presentation of the Touraine wine, Noble Joué.

Cushendall-born Bridgene explained that she and her husband, Philippe, now divide their time between his native Touraine and Ballycastle spending several months of the year in each location.  They provide French tutorials and it was through friendship connections with a member of the local U3A, University of the Third Age, that the idea for this talk originated.

The couple then engaged in a two-hander exposé - Philippe commenting his slides in French and Bridgene paralleling his inputs in English. In this way they took us on a virtual visit to the Domaine des Frères ROUSSEAU and their Touraine wine Noble Joué. The domaine is in the townland of Eavres in the Loire Valley, close to the French home of les ARNAUD.

The ROUSSEAU vineyard has been in the family for four generations and its current custodians are brothers Bernard and Michel, Catherine, Michel's wife and their daughter Lucille who will eventually take over the business -  A further generation.

Through a mix of slides and video clips members were escorted through the various stages of wine production including pruning les sarments and the interesting practice of lighting candles in the vineyard to protect the dormant plants in periods of severe frost - a tried, tested and trusted process.

A further series of slides and commentary took us through other steps in the wine-making journey: harvesting, pressing, fermenting, labelling, bottling, packing and shipping.

Several of our participants had responded enthusiastically to our request to join in a pot de l'amitié for our first evening by having to hand a bottle of Touraine wine. In a fun moment they showed a variety of bottles obtained locally (the rosé shown in the picture above was chosen by Jonathan) so that when Philippe produced a bottle of vin vieux to demonstrate the opening technique we were all ready to raise our own glasses in accompaniment, with moderation of course!

Santé !  Et un très grand merci à Bridgene et Philippe pour une très belle soirée.