STRESS

In this gloriously warm weather, with your luxurious swimming pools close to hand; your tennis game facilities, relaxing conversation on the renewed restaurant terrace, prolonged lunch rendezvous;  few of  you may be feeling any of the stress that the New Owners may be experiencing during their multifarious new efforts and duties.

But a new factor in our environment has just appeared - on the ground-floor, south-west there is now a well-furnished bed with accomplished masseur in attendance !!

So it is here the few of you longing for a relieving anti-stress massage, will be treated: 

the first client emerged just this afternoon after a one & a half hour scéance:  a well-known character of the Club, she appeared radiant & with a completely new composure.

Many of you will surely want to follow this experience - this Claudio is from Paris, & will only be in this region for the summer holidays. Keep well & fit!

THE TIE-BREAK

Here is the adopted name of our new restaurant; not 'tea-break' you will note - but much more than a cup of tea. Since the opening last Monday, there has been a Plat du Jour, plus a Suggestion each day, with always a varied menu on the Carte. Here is a picture of the elegant setting, before the hordes of hungry tennis fans & friends arrived.

You can see the clear view of court number one, since the old cypress bushes have been removed on three sides of this restaurant terrace. (Make sure you reserve a more secluded court at lunchtime, if you are afraid of exposing your faulty techniques to the public gaze!)

Numbers enjoying the meals quickly increased during this first week of operation: by Thursday there were 36 at lunch; & by Friday there were 47!  You will appreciate the need to make early reservations in the morning with Olivier, especially in this period of beautiful weather we are all enjoying. I notice more & more visitors arriving from various wet or cold regions, coming in for a chat, perhaps a game of tennis, & surely a pleasant lunchtime meal in our good company. A few photos to record today's Sunday lunch:

Congratulations to all members of the new Club owners family, & to all of you who are helping to make this new venture a great success!

RAPID PROGRESS

Since the day the Club was bought, the premises have been gradually occupied by a host of workers of various trades & occupations. The place has been a hive of activity: first the cleaning by pressurised water of the concrete areas in front of the office & restaurant, then the washing & re-painting of the adjacent room, checking of showers & taps in the changing rooms, pruning & removal of bushes & borders. So there were teams of plumbers, cleaners, gardeners: in short, almost a regiment of workmen tidying-up the area.

Perhaps the greatest apparent change has been the removal of cypress bushes all round the restaurant terrace giving a new view of surrounding courts & players. Tennis lessons & games have continued as usual, with perhaps more interesting glances at the improvements in progress around them. This has not prevented acquaintance being made with members of the new owners' family;  they are tackling the learning of new names & faces of members & friends with an admirable  enthusiasm. How pleasant to see so many smiling faces enjoying this new beginning!

Happenings inside the restaurant were less visible but surely impressive. Drinks were continually served with speed & good humour; a sign of how we all will be served next week!

Yes, indeed, lunchtime meals will be available from Monday July 9th.

The teachers have been busy during this period, & I only hope that our Manu Heussner, has put in enough training to ensure his success in Paris to-morrow. Having beaten all-comers over 40 in the Côte d'Azur, he is now attempting to beat those in the rest of France in that category. He left for Roland Garros this afternoon.