The Nevers Amicale arrived in St. Albans for their biennial visit  on Thursday 5th May 2016.

Friday was spent with their hosts, some visiting museums and Art galleries in London.  Whilst others visited local sights or walked in the English countryside enjoying the warm weather.

On Friday evening we had a delighful evening meal at Redbourn Golf club, which was attended by nearly 60 people including the Mayor of St. Albans.

On Saturday we visited Mapledurham house and below is a description of the day by one of our members.

We had a curious start to the day: setting off east on the M25 reminded many of us of how tricky reading road signs in Europe can be!

Once the problem was rectified we had an easy drive to Caversham, parking at a promisingly delightful mooring where our boat, The Caversham Princess,  was waiting. 

The gentle cruise from there to Mapledurham didn’t disappoint. We glided past river banks that were looking sumptuous in their early summer greenery and our visitors were delighted to spot strings of ducklings and cygnets following their watchful parents.
Arriving at Mapledurham was to step back in time. The house, originally owned by the Blount family, felt into disrepair over the years and more recently has passed to the Davis family: husband and wife are determined to restore the estate to its original state which they do on an entirely self-funding basis.

On arrival we were offered soup and sandwiches before meeting our lively and engaging guide, Corry Starling, who began the tour at the front entrance of the house. He managed to juggle his fascinating and informative talk with Micheline, spokesperson for the Nevers Amicale, who took on a sentence by sentence translation for our French guests.

The interior of the house was fascinating; we learned that the main reception rooms were on the first floor and the status of visitors dictated whether you were received in the first, second or third room: only the most impressive visitors gaining access to the furthest from the stairs!
Mapledurham is unique in that it boasts the last working mill on the Thames and in recent times has been fitted, via incredibly difficult challenges, with an Archimedes Screw Thread Turbine. Not understood by everyone, but we learnt that it is the largest of its kind on the River Thames, 8000 litres of water passing through it every second.

Unfortunately there was a film was being made in the mill and so we were unable to visit it, but the view across the lake was one fitting of a Constable painting and Corry’s delightful repartee was entertainment enough.

There was just time to wander a little in the grounds and churchyard before re-assembling for a cream tea and an easy ride home. It had been a thoroughly enjoyable day.

The Amicale left on Sunday morning after an action packed few days, and we look forward to seeing them in Nevers next year.