What a fabulous event. It was memorable for many reasons. We were so lucky to find out about it. A short while ago through a mutual contact, we met Sally and David Pearson, who told us all about the festival. They are both very involved and are part of the team who help organise and run it. Being book lovers and literature festival enthusiasts, the idea of going to such an event in France was for us, irresistible.
We stayed at a chambre d'hôte - a family run farm - just outside St. Clémentin, arriving on the Thursday evening and leaving Monday morning. The village is only about 1hr 30 by car, but with some of the events we were wanting to go to, startingat 9.30am, it was easier to stay over. Two other couples who were helping with the festival, were staying as well.
The overall coordinaters are Gordon and Jocelyn Simms who plan the whole festival with a committee and team of helpers. Lovely people, dedicated and enthusiastic. Both are published writers and teachers, who have fostered creative writing for over twenty years.
The festival launch was on the Thursday evening at the salle de fête, which we went to, listened to the speeches in French and English, had a glass of something, and then wandered into a super photographic exhibition by Howard Needs. He doesn't have a website. Not sure if architecture is his speciality, but what he was showing was a series of religious frescoes, from various churches and chapels, including Chinon. Excellent work and quite fascinating.
We had dinner Thursday night and every night at Chez Didier, a bar and restaurant in the centre of town. Simple food, but very well done and the family were so welcoming. Chez Didier supplied all the lunches and dinners during the festival. Lunches and our first meal there were a choice of various salades composite. Effectively a starter, main and cheese course on the same plate. A great idea, and for the numbers they were feeding, made the catering totally manageable. Friday and Saturday evening, there were themed evenings, with a special dinner to go with. Chez Didier excelled themselves.Terrific.
The three days were very individual, in content as well as presentation. Quite remarkable. We've both been involved with festivals over many years, of varying shapes and sizes, and know full well what's involved. The St. Clémentin LitFest 2014 was the second to take place, the first being in 2012. Because of the contacts and reputation of the organisers, they manage to attract highly regarded writers, who along with the spectators, really enter into the spirit of the event.
Friday - everything was in English, Saturday - events were half in French and half in English and Sunday, everything was in French. Friday morning at 9.30am, we'd booked to hear Beatrice Colin, reading from her latest novel set in Paris, and from The Luminous Life of Lilly Aphrodite. 10.30am we listened to Ian Mathie drawing on his notebooks spanning thirty years of living and working in the African bush. 11.15 we were with John Eliot, whose idea for a LitFest kick-started the festival in 2012. Individually they were quite superb. Friday afternoon at 3pm, we were treated to readings by Michèle Roberts from a selection of her novels and short-stories, followed at 4.15 by Leigh Russell who introduced her best-selling psychological crime series. At 6.30pm we went to the launch of a new anthology compiled by the festival's organiser, Gordon and Jocelyn, with readings generously given by other writers at the festival. It was a wonderful day.
Saturday kicked off for us with the incredibly dynamic John Hudson. Just a joy, followed by Blake Morrison, former literary editor of The Observer and the Independent on Sunday, who gave an interview with readings. Superb. A change of programme next, after someone was taken ill. So at very short notice, the Mayor of the next village who like the original speaker, is an historian, amazed all of us with a riveting hour long presentation - note free - on births, deaths and marriages in the area. Fascinating stuff. Totally compelling. Next came a double interview with authors Bertrand Gilet and François-Xavier Cerniac. Straight after we listened to Katherine Gallagher present an anthology of poetry reflecting childhood experiences in the Second Word War. Nine poems in English and French, read by a range of voices. At 5.30pm there was a wine tasting, sampling Chenin Blanc. Great way to ease into the soirée dinner at Chez Didier, which included a presentation of poems and stories from the Segora Writing competitions of 2014.
Sunday. Our morning began with the wonderfully amusing Terry and Monica Darlington - Narrow Dog to Carcasson - along with their whippets Jim and Jessie. Then went to an intimate one woman show, a presentation of songs and stories in English, French and Spanish, performed by the superb Chloé Martinez. Mesmerising. That afternoon there was a superb interview with writer, poet and prix Goncourt 2013 recipient, Charles Juliet. A real highlight. The last event we went to, was a workshop about Shakespeare with readings. Very well done.
After that there was a glass or two with nibbles and speeches to bring the festival to a close, during which an announcement was made that a grant application had been successful. A superb weekend. We loved every minute of it. Huge congratulations to all concerned. Here's to 2016.
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