2019 - France with P&Q Tours
French Visit with P & Q Tours Ltd., - by Eleanor
I recently visited France, once again, with P & Q Tours Ltd (Judi Mendelssohn). This time we sailed from Portsmouth to Cain in Normandy where we visited the town of Bayeux the home of the Bayeux Tapestry and what a delight it was. We all, I am sure, learned about 1066 and William the Conqueror and thought we knew all the story but when you see this tapestry you realise just how much there is to know and also it is so much more interesting looking at it through stitch and a very comprehensive video. Much more interesting than stuffy old history books at school. I certainly did not realise just how long it is which was very impressive but then of course at that time they did not have television such as Sewing Quarter, Hochanda and Create and Craft to distract them, they just stitched. I would certainly recommend going to have look if you are in that area of France also its getting old now (700 years) .
From there we went to the Nantes Quilt Show but I wont go into that because a review has already been submitted. Because I do not speak any French I was a little wary but need not have worried as everybody else speaks English. The Quilts were great, the display settings for the quilts were very good not just hung like we do at our shows, makes them much more interesting to look at and there was usually a chair in the room setting (to have a little sit). They also did this in Japan. The traders were numerous and I managed to spend without speaking any french! All in all a very interesting show and well worth a visit.
We then travelled on into Brittany down through Bordeaux to Brouage for the Quilts de Legende Exhibition. This show is every other year and the quilts are all completely hand quilted and you can certainly see why the show is NOT an annual event. They also show some very old quilts which still remain very bright today and design doesn't seem to have changed very much since whenever.
Last but not least on our way back up towards Brittany/Normandy border we were very lucky to be able to spend a day visiting "Quilting in Peace" a retreat run by an English couple who moved out there 14 years ago. It is basically run as a B & B and Lucy takes four students at a time to do quilting as the name suggests. She has a good sized workroom which is well stocked with sewing equipment and fabrics galore to purchase. Lucy is a friend of Judi Mendelssohn so we were able to spend the day there and a fantastic lunch was provided for 25 of us. Judi does seem to have many friends around the world who are prepared to cater for us all. If anybody is interested Lucy advertises in P & Q magazine and again I can thoroughly recommend a visit to her retreat. The surrounding countryside is beautiful and Lucy's husband will collect and return visitors to airport/docks and drive them around if necessary. I think the nearest port to them is St Malo quite a long sailing, Dinard Airport or I think Brest. Anyway its well worth a thought-sewing and a holiday