WINTER

The months of December and January have been decidedly wet and cold.  In this privileged part of the world, a day of rain can always be followed by a full blue sky, but we have experienced an exceptionally humid period. This has adversely affected the state of the clay courts which have been mainly unplayable during this time. So we are lucky to have so many hard courts!

Here is a photo of a well-washed shirt one frosty morning, illustrating one effect of the recent weather conditions;  thank-you Fred.....

 The tennis-playing groups have bravely kept up their good humour  and good eating. The IWG tennis captain, Judy talks to 25 of her ladies in the club restaurant here:

The accent was on decorative hats, as you see - Caroline next:

While the Chef quietly prepared the excellent meal in the background:

A great event as usual. 

The ladies followed this a few days later with a cocktail evening to view (and sell!) a good number of works of art painted by several group members.  What a talented and active crowd!

On a serious note of security, a little explanation could be acceptable, of the notice on the wall near the offices, indicating that a 'défibrillateur cardiaque' is available. Anxious members will have been appreciative of this important purchase by our owners;  but exactly how and when would this apparatus be used?

Let us earnestly hope that the occasion will never occur..............  but nevertheless, if it does happen that a player collapses on court;  members should be ready to act, and to act correctly and rapidly.

The first thing to check should be to find if the victim is still breathing - if not; this could be the most serious case, & heart massage should be initiated immediately, with someone telephoning SAMU at 15.

This is where the defibrillator comes in. The victim's chest should be uncovered, & the electrodes in the pack placed on each side of the heart, as you will see in the video linked to this text. With the apparatus plugged in to the set, an oral diagnosis will be emitted. If fibrillation (chaotic vibrations not allowing normal heart pumping) is detected; the instruction to press the button giving a strong electric shock, will be announced. 

All this carried out correctly could save the life of one of us: watch the video carefully, & imagine in your mind what you, yourself, would remember to do in such a situation. 

(Pour une traduction en français, viens me demander au Club: en tout cas le video est en français

Bon tennis & bon appétit dans votre restaurant !

Remember also the Annual Vignal Tournament from February 23rd to March 10th; I sent out forms to fill in before February 20th, to possible participants this afternoon. Otherwise communicate directly with Olivier or Didier at the Club. Bonne chance!

CLUB CHARACTERS

Perhaps the first of our members that surprised me when chatting about his various occupations, was the well-loved Hank. The Dutch group have an annual lunch in his memory, organized by his wife, Dawn. In addition to his genial participation on our courts, he had been a Racing Driver! Not only that hazardous occupation, but what I found with a little persistence in our little chat,  the considerably safer  past-time of making stringed instruments! I hear that his double-basses were particularly successful.  

Here is a photo from November 2004: 

followed by one of Dawn from May of this year:

A much more recent discovery from casual conversations in the Club, concerns our English friend Edward Grimshaw. Not particularly vociferous during his doubles matches - even on the rare occasions when his dear wife, Lucia misses her volleys!  I can now reveal, by dint of my careful journalistic attempts on your behalf...........

You will recognize the intrepid explorer slightly younger than now; but not his exact situation.  He tells me he was here on the summit of Mount Scott in Antarctica, and that he made this ascent during his two year sojourn in that continent back in the 1960's.

Certainly, you must agree, a serious candidate for the distinctive title of 'Club Character'.

One more photo to emphasize the point: imagine surviving two days of continual snow in these surroundings!

So let's not complain too much if it rains all this week! But remember I'm always on the look-out for new material..........

I'm asked to remind you of various items which may interest some of you:

If you wish to re-contact the fitness expert, Christophe Dehays, he is not far away, and you will find details of what he does, at his website, www.selectgym.com .

There is a sale of home-made objects by a friendly neighbour on December 8th here in the Club - more details of this and of Christmas Choral happenings on notices in your favourite Restaurant.

My Best Wishes for a Happy Festive Season, signed by my namesake's local resident on a suitable perch, after the annual pruning of the willow tree.

a single click on a photo enlarges it

JOLLIFICATIONS

It was about ten days ago that our restaurant was particularly full at midday; latecomers had difficulty in finding a place for their vehicles in the parking lot. The main group leaving the courts after their usual two hours of doubles is now named 'Cosmo' I hear:  quite a joyful crowd!

A much smaller group, that we may call the 'Buter-Dikken' players, started off on the lower terrace with apéritifs & with the desire to celebrate the birthday of one of their number. This sporting gentleman came to us last year from Canada, & thoroughly enjoys our privileged climate; so he is encouraged to stay longer with us, not only through the good tennis, but by being offered a special headgear. Also, to aid the merriment, his friends attempted to surround him with floating soap bubbles. Anton is seen in the next photo starting his contribution.

Wolfgang followed this more successfully from the other side, as you see in my next photo.

I'm unable to explain the sudden sad expression on Adrian's face, for as you can see, his 'hat' is rather a lightweight affair.  Anyway he quickly returned to his usual happy demeanor, with the help of a glass of rosé. And then of course up the steps everyone to those beautifully set tables, & those tasteful 'plats du jour' and those delicious 'desserts'.  Here are photos of some of the participants at table.

One or two other items of news: 

The friendly masseur, Claudio who several of you met during the summer tells me he will be here again from 30th October to the 10th November inclusive. You may reserve a session as before through the details I gave in an earlier post. Here is a link to his website.

If you need tennis lessons, I have just posted photos of three of our teachers, with their mobile numbers on my other tennis website.

Good luck in your next matches;  and come to support our teams playing against other clubs - tomorrow the 14th, & the following Sundays.

à bientôt !

NEWS ITEMS

The Club continues to thrive under the new ownership; the restaurant has more & more enthusiastic adherents as the word passes from member to member & from friends to new friends: this is the way to success - the words that pass are congratulatory for both food & service, & the elegant set tables & welcoming staff are always inviting;  a credit to the Club. A superbly flowering hibiscus plant &  a championship player on the nearby refurbished court complete the happy picture.

The player is Jonathan Eysseric eldest son of Didier (Club Technical Manager) & Pascale, his wife. We shall see more & more of the rest of the family on court as time goes by: a formidable array!  Jonathan is of world class & is high on the list of French players.













Weekly visits of tennis groups of player are an ever-important part of the Vignal community; take the Tuesday morning Dutch group for instance.  They have excelled themselves recently by using 6 courts for their 2-hour session, that is 24 doubles players. Here they are, after an exhausting time, taking a well-earned drink before lunch.

We mustn't forget individual players who have contributed to the Club over very many years, I occasionally catch one or other of these friends in a suitable posture. Last week it was Andy Hill, now Headmaster of a School in Sophia, who provided me with an amusing photo. A good match player, both singles & doubles (often with his sporting wife, Bev), trencherman-supporter of the Tie-Break, he here seems to be helping to hold up the ancient fabric.

On this merry note, I leave you until next time, with two more items;

1. Don't forget that your restaurant is closed on Mondays.

2. Be careful to help preserve the newly renovated courts when watering them;

don't leave the spray in one area too long; move it around at about head-height

and don't neglect the outer surfaces.

Enjoy your tennis, & bring along more friends !

INAUGURATION

The renovated centre court has been admired by many members & tested by quite a few of us; comments have been appreciative.  The remarks of the first visitors were inaudible (a pair of local doves); the first two players were Claudia & Iefje.

A much awaited doubles match took place today from 10 am to midday: Claudia & Ken against Joyce & Olivier.  Initial briefing came mainly from Joyce, giving her new partner valuable tactical advice from her vast experience in this domain. 

It is not certain from this photo, what Olivier is answering; he is probably explaining why he can't possibly do what Joyce is asking him, & repeating how important it is for them to win this match. Ever since he & his sister Sandrine bought this Club, he often repeats, he has not yet won a single match!

The match started & continued spectacularly at great speed; service-volley tactics were common, rapid interventions, with all four players near the the net, then two running back to collect a high lob, terrifying smashes bouncing out of court!  In fact the sort of brilliant play we expect at this level & on this new, agreeable surface.  Three games all in the first set gradually gave way to a 6/4 win for Ken & Claudia; the struggle had been intense with numerous well-fought points. Here now are photos of the strong forehands of the two men: note how they hit off the right foot on an open-stance forehand, & then admire Claudia's ballerina-like service. What a performance!

The second set was a similar hard struggle with each player making errors & then brilliant recoveries. After a three games all, & a five games all, the Ken-Claudia team just won the match with 7/5 in the second set.

I don't know how Olivier managed to slip & fall down during this last set, but here is a photo showing how Joyce explained to him, what he did wrong.

Well done everyone!

CENTRE COURT

After today, the description 'centre court' of the Vignal assumes a new significance: a day's work of two men extremely well-versed in all aspects of 'terre-battue', construction, maintenance, & repair, have transformed our first-made(1) playing surface (2).

Let me elaborate; as external appearances do not do justice to the word 'transformed'.  I was able to watch carefully the first watering & scraping to remove the outer surface.  This was followed by the removal of a base-line, & the continued use of a remarkably well-conceived machine to churn-up a measured depth of the over-hardened surface material(3). This yielded a sizeable patch of reddish earth apparently ready for the sowing of some suitable crop!  Such a future was not to be of course;  the chosen area was that over-worn portion we all use too much, & which has contributed to the large puddles after rain.

The repairs consisted of a layer of terre-granitique covered with a layer of brique-pilée (3) assiduously rolled-in. The same procedure at the other end of the court; new base-lines hammered down,  the whole court spread with nearly a tonne of this agreeable red surfacing, has resulted in a centre court worthy of the best tennis clubs of France!  When your time comes, use it with respect!

A portion of the final result:

Notes:
 (1) This is the court made by the family, after the purchase of the land by Suzanne Gardet  in 1975. 
 (2)  The firm chosen for this work is well-known in other tennis clubs, Monaco & Roland Garros included.
 (3)  The american term 'claycourt' is justified in that roasting of clay is used to make bricks; these are crushed to give the material used for the surface layer. The colour comes incidentally from the presence of iron(III) oxide.

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!