A large group comprising choir, orchestra, and jazz band from RGS Worcester enjoyed an exciting tour in early February, with a real focus on collaborating with local French young musicians from our region. The tour began with an evening of rehearsals and pizza uniting all the students involved in the project, over one hundred and ten combining to create a huge multi-level orchestra!

The next day, after a morning visiting the Basilica Saint Therese de Lisieux, was spent at Chateau Canon with the Lisieux Conservatoire’s ‘orchestre cadet’. The beautiful concert hall was absolutely packed for the evening concert, which featured the various English and French ensembles and culminated in the combined pieces.

The following day the morning was spent enjoying Laser Games at the huge arena near Caen. The rest of the day was based in Honfleur, where young children and adult learners from the Ecole de Musique ‘Erik Satie’ d’Honfleur joined forces with the English musicians and the Lisieux orchestra to form an ‘Orchestre Geant’. The huge Greniers a Sel concert hall was packed to the brim for the evening’s concert, and after the event there was a lovely meal in one of the restaurants near the pretty harbour.

The final day began with a schools performance given to the students of the College ‘Gustav Flaubert’ de Pont L’Eveque, in which the various ensembles performed followed by a Q&A session about life in a French school vs life in an English school! A trip to Cerza zoo led on to the final event of the tour, a Jazz Night at the accommodation centre. The Henri Lemarchand Trio, accordion/keys/bass, accompanied a special ‘Diner Normande’ in which the students tried frogs legs and snails, followed by a huge ‘jam session’ in which all the instrumentalists went to grab their instruments and join in with the trio. Huge fun!!!

The choir of Ardingly College enjoyed a tour to us over a long October weekend. They stayed at the HI Rouen accommodation centre in the heart of the city, and the first day was spent rehearsing at the magnificent Eglise Saint Jeanne d’Arc, followed by a performance for the mass service in the evening. The church was absolutely packed with barely a single seat to spare!

The following day they firstly visited Honfleur, using the music school for further rehearsals and then free time to visit the old harbour and explore the pretty lanes.

This led on to a lovely afternoon in Beuzeville to celebrate the Town Twinning of Ardingly and Beuzeville. Using the impressive La Cidrerie venue, a former cider factory that underwent a £3m conversion in 2019 to become a state-of-the-art performance venue and exhibition space, the choir were joined by lots and lots of local young musicians! Following a lovely concert, everyone had the chance to meet properly in the hall where we had a performance area set-up for impromptu music all afternoon!

The venue was packed with French families and members of the Twinning Committee, a most memorable afternoon and hopefully the start of more contact and events between the two towns.

“We had an incredible time in Normandy. Thank you so much for everything that you did to make it such a wonderful experience. I know that Susan – her even more so because she dealt with you in more detail and took on the main role of responsibility – will agree, that you were an absolute pleasure to work with, a brilliant communicator and we felt very at-ease for the whole process. The students had a good time, some good music was sung, connections made, many memories and positive culture formed. We are very grateful to you Chris.” 

Tim Carpenter
Director of Music
Ardingly College
2nd November 2023

Denstone College enjoyed a collaborative tour to us in early July, based around an instrumental and choral partnership with the Lisieux Conservatoire.

Their tour began with the accompaniment of the prestigious Sunday Mass service at the Basilica of Saint Therese de Lisieux, a well-attended service in which the choir rose to the challenge of filling the huge acoustic of the basilica.

A visit to Cerza Zoo followed before the group returned to their accommodation at Chateau Kinnor. The following morning rehearsals took place with the Lisieux Conservatoire choir, with the Denstone musicians providing the instrumental accompaniment to Pinocchio by Touchard.

That evening the concert took place at the pretty village church of Fervaques, just next door to their accommodation. This concert involved the visiting students from Manchester High School for Girls as well as a number of young instrumentalists from the Lisieux Conservatoire. The Denstone big band brought the concert to a rousing finale!

The next day began with a visit to St Pierre Sur Dives, famous in the region for its beautiful abbey, before culminating in a packed evening concert at Chateau Canon where the collaborative works were all performed. The final item presented the opportunity for the younger French choir singers to try out their English supported by the Denstone singers, a lovely end to a great evening!

Ashville College toured to us in mid-July and enjoyed a varied programme of music and sightseeing, staying in the accommodation centre CAPA Aventure in the heart of the Suisse Normande.

The first day was spent exploring Norman history, with a morning visit to the Bayeux Tapestry Museum followed by the afternoon at the Chateau de Falaise, William the Conqueror’s castle. A fun and informal performance took place with the magnificent back-drop of the castle!

The following day they experienced the D-Day Landings, with a visit to the American Normandy Cemetery and the dramatic circular cinema Arromanches 360. With free time in Honfleur to follow, they then spent the evening performing at the beautiful hall of Chateau Canon, as part of the chateau’s ‘Soiree Illuminee’ series whereby the gardens are lit up for late-night visits with marshmallow roasting after the concert, which was brought to a rousing finale!

The next day of the tour began with a morning at Cerza Zoo and a visit to the Basilica of Saint Therese de Lisieux. A late afternoon performance took place in the lovely ‘Jardins de l’Eveche’ in central Lisieux, using the pretty bandstand.

The final day was a truly unique experience, the opportunity to perform for the Mass service in the Abbey of Mont Saint Michel! This was a wonderful event to complete the tour, ‘one to tick off the bucket list’ in the words of the group leader!

Royal Russell School enjoyed a fun and collaborative tour with us in early July, sharing concerts with the Lisieux Conservatoire, College Gambier, and Ecole de Musique ‘Erik Satie’ d’Honfleur.

The first day began with rehearsals at College Gambier in central Lisieux, where they met the 50-strong French youth choir they would be collaborating with for the first time. Focussing on the French-language work ‘La Cuisine de Leonie et Josquin’ by Joubert and the English-language medley from Rodgers and Hammerstein, the two groups mixed both vocally and instrumentally!

Free time followed at Cerza Zoo, where the group enjoyed a workshop based around Polar Bears, with the opportunity to get up close and feed the animals. That afternoon the group performed at the Basilica of Saint Therese in Lisieux to accompany the afternoon Mass service.

The next day of the tour began with Aerial Trekking at Ouilly Aventures in the Suisse Normande, before meeting at the beautiful Chateau Canon for more rehearsals with the French choir and culminating in a packed concert that evening.

The final day began with a visit to Cambremer and the lovely Jardins du Pays d’Auge for a picnic lunch, and then free time exploring the port town of Honfleur. The final concert of the tour took place that evening surrounded by artwork in the central hall of the Musee Eugene Boudin with young musicians from the Ecole de Musique ‘Erik Satie’ d’Honfleur, featuring piano solos intertwined with the choral repertoire.

Musique Anglo-Normande were fantastic. The itinerary put together worked perfectly. Chris is deeply involved in the local music scene, which meant that our concerts were well-attended and involved local musicians. Similarly the activities were all lots of fun and the accommodation worked perfectly. Having Chris around most of the time meant that everything ran incredibly smoothly. I could not name a single negative about Musique Anglo-Normande and would highly recommend them.

Jeremy Franklin, Director of Music, Royal Russell School

We enjoyed welcoming the group from Manchester High School for Girls through the excellent team at tour operator Club Europe.

Staying at the Maison Saint Georges in Orbec, their first day was spent firstly at the pretty village of Cambremer, followed by a wonderful afternoon at Chateau de Crevecoeur with children from the Lisieux Conservatoire. Around one hundred young musicians brought the beautiful medieval castle to life with musical performance in the chapel, the basse-cour, and finally in the castle’s keep where the choir and orchestra from Manchester performed. A fun combined item with the local students brought this lovely event to a close

The following day, the group visited the Chateau de Guillaume le Conquerant in Falaise, and also gave a recital in the stunning crypt of the Basilica Saint Therese de Lisieux.

The final day of the tour culminated in a wonderful concert at the pretty church of Fervaques shared with young musicians from Denstone College. The venue was packed to the rafters, and following the concert a social ‘Soiree Musicale’ took place in Chateau Kinnor, next door to the church, which featured young musicians from the Ecole de Musique d’Honfleur and Lisieux Conservatoire.

A lovely relaxed and social tour was enjoyed by the large group from Trafford Music Service in May. During their stay in the Pays d’Auge they visited Cerza Zoo and the Basilica Saint-Therese de Lisieux, as well as spending an afternoon Aerial Trekking in the Suisse Normande and a whole day in Disneyland Paris!

At the heart of their tour was time to enjoy the lovely facilities at the Orangerie Bourg Saint Leonard, with rehearsals every morning culminating in a relaxed performance evening outside the chateau, with the sun setting whilst the group performed, a wonderfuly memorable evening!

A wonderful weekend of choral music took place from 12th-14th May 2023, with the visiting combined choirs of Barisons Singers (Chessington) and the Brighton College Choir collaborating with the choir Ars Viva (Evreux, France). The blending of these three choirs created a large chorus of 90 people to perform Mozart’s Requiem.

The group arrived on the Friday evening at their accommodation centre Chateau Kinnor, and it was straight into rehearsals in the pretty church of Fervaques next door to the chateau. Led by conductor Bruno Boterf (Evreux/Lisieux), this first rehearsal was followed by a social evening of food and drink provided generously by the Evreux singers. A lovely social start to the tour to give everyone the chance to meet.

The following day, and the opportunity to visit Beuvron-en-Auge, a beautiful little village frequently voted as one of the ‘Plus Beaux Villages de France’. After lunch, rehearsals continued but this time joined by the four soloists from Paris who were invited to participate by the Evreux choir – Kaoli Isshiki (soprano), Clotilde Cantau (mezzo-soprano), Davy Cornillot (tenor), and Frédéric Albou (bass-baritone). Accompanied by Stuart Whotton and Chris George on the piano duet arrangement of the accompaniment by Czerny.

That evening, the church was full to the rafters! With barely a seat to spare, the audience enjoyed the Requiem alongside other works of Mozart, with a rapturous applause leading to an encore of Ave Verum.

The rest of the evening was dedicated to a ‘Soirée Musicale’ at Chateau Kinnor, where young musicians from the Lisieux Conservatoire and College Gambier (Lisieux) performed their pieces in a relaxed setting and the public were free to explore the chateau and enjoy drinks and nibbles.

The owner of Chateau Kinnor, Jean-Claude l’Hotel, led a tour of the venue and talked in great detail about the history of the property.

The following morning the choirs met again, this time at the breath-taking Basilica of Saint Therese in Lisieux, to accompany the Sunday Mass with movements of Mozart from the previous evening’s programme. This time, accompanied on organ by Stuart Whotton.

The tour concluded with a social Sunday Lunch at the Basilica’s refectory, and the Lisieux choir waved farewell to their guests as they headed to the coach for the return journey.

Our thanks go to the organising committees of the choirs, to Chateau Kinnor and the Parish of Livarot, to the lovely pastoral team at the Basilica of Saint Therese, and to the Lisieux Conservatoire and College Gambier for their support too.

“Barisons Singers have been touring for 20 years but this was our first post covid tour, and it is safe to say what a fantastic tour it was.  The people were lovely, and the organisation was 100% spot on.

From the coach company supplying the most helpful and friendly coach driver, to Chris from musiqueanglonormande.com being hands on every step of the way.

A sold out concert and a fantastic collaboration with a local choir to perform Mozart’s Requiem made our first post covid tour a huge success.

The chance to sing for a Mass at the Basilica was also a fantastic opportunity and one to add to any choir’s list.

The price was very reasonable and all was included which made the days easier for all involved.

I would highly recommend musiqueanglonormande.com for any Normandy tour.”

Brian Hill
Director for Barisons Music School 

Looking forward to welcoming across the young musicians from Dartford Grammar School in July. A large group comprising both orchestra and choir will be based in central Rouen for their tour, the ‘city of one hundred bell towers’.

As well as performing at the prestigious Cathédrale Notre Dame de Rouen, the baroque cathedral that inspired Claude Monet in a series of famous paintings, they will also visit Le Bec-Hellouin nearby, regularly voted as one of the ‘Plus Beaux Villages de France’.

Honfleur will be a second location for the group to explore, with a lunchtime concert shared with the young musicians from Yarm School who are also visiting at this time, plus local young musicians from the Ecole de Musique ‘Erik Satie’ d’Honfleur.

The students can let off steam with an afternoon of aerial trekking at Parc Viking Aventure, plus a visit of the safari-style zoo Cerza.

We hope that everyone has a great time!

Click HERE to download our March 2023 Newsletter, with info on upcoming tours, activities, and events in the pipeline!

Wow! What a wonderful start to music tours to the Pays d’Auge! The 80-strong group from Radley College delivered an absolutely packed schedule here, full of concerts and new friendships, which has had a marvellous impact on the cultural life of our region.

The first day began with a tour of the Chateau Bourg Saint Leonard, in the grounds of their accommodation centre, led by the Mayor of the village of Gouffern en Auge.

The rest of the day was spent at Chateau Canon, with rehearsals alongside the Lisieux Conservatoire Youth Orchestra, some free time for socialising, leading to a packed full house audience for the evening concert.

The concert hall at the chateau features a raised mezzanine, which was just perfect for the combined orchestral and choral items:

The following day began with a prestigious performance at the Sunday Mass service at the Basilica of Saint Therese, Lisieux. This service was live-broadcast and watched by people all over the world! The video footage of the live stream can be found at the Sanctuaire facebook page here.

After the service, the group spent the rest of the day in Honfleur, with free time to explore this pretty port town and rehearsals at the Greniers a Sel. Joined by scores of young musicians from the Ecole de Musique ‘Erik Satie’ d’Honfleur, the project centered around the creation of a giant multi-level orchestra with 110 musicians playing together.

The concert was packed that evening, with 600 people crammed into the venue (standing-room only at the back!), finishing with a rendition of Ed Sheeran’s Shape of You:

For the final day of the tour, they visited the market day at Pont L’Eveque (famous for beautiful half-timbered buildings and strong cheese!) and then rehearsals followed by a lunchtime chamber music recital at the auditorium of the Lisieux Conservatoire. There was then some free time in the afternoon to enjoy the ever-popular Cerza Zoo in glorious sunshine.

The final event of the tour took place that evening, and the accommodation centre was transformed into a jazz club! The evening began with a special dinner of local produce accompanied musically by the Henry Lemarchand Jazz Trio:

Following which, the students took to the stage and people from the nearby village came along to listen to a whole evening of jazz.

The evening ended with a performance of La Mer delivered by the Radley students accompanied by the jazz trio, wonderful memories of this fun event!

On behalf of the Lisieux Conservatoire and Ecole de Musique d’Honfleur, we would like to thank Radley College for their energy, enthusiasm, and musical panache. This was an unforgettable project which has greatly enhanced the life of the music schools and region in general. Merci beaucoup!

Click HERE to download our January 2023 Newsletter, with info on upcoming tours, activities, and events in the pipeline!

We are looking forward to welcoming across the young musicians from Manchester High School for Girls this summer, via the brilliant team at tour operator Club Europe.

Their tour will start with a real Pays d’Auge experience – the pretty village of Cambremer, and a visit of the beautiful Jardins du Pays d’Auge for lunch. The nearby Chateau de Crevecoeur is the venue for the afternoon visit, culminating in a musical performance in the beautiful Chapel in the heart of the grounds of this popular medieval castle.

The following day, the opportunity to visit the Basilica Saint-Therese, with a musical performance in the magnificent Crypt featuring the choir, orchestra, and shared with the young musicians of Denstone College. The afternoon will be spent at the impressive Chateau de Falaise, known as William the Conqueror’s Castle, and the evening will feature a Jazz Night at their accommodation centre Maison Saint Georges in the heart of the town of Orbec.

The following day will make the most of the market day in the quintessential Norman town of Pont L’Eveque, before heading up to Honfleur for a chance to explore this beautiful port town and complete the tour with a performance at Eglise Saint Catherine, in partnership with the Ecole de Musique d’Honfleur and Denstone College, with a social vin d’honneur reception at the end of the event to celebrate the end of the tour.

Click HERE to download our December 2022 Newsletter, with info on upcoming tours, activities, and events in the pipeline!

A large group from Ashville College, Harrogate, have confirmed their tour with us for July 2023.  An exciting programme is planned, with accommodation in the heart of the ‘Suisse Normande’ (the area of Normandy with rugged hills, cliffs and valleys reminiscent of the Swiss Alps) at the CAPA Venture centre.

Their tour begins with a day delving into the history of medieval Normandy, with a morning at the Bayeux Tapestry Museum and the afternoon at William The Conqueror’s Castle, the Chateau de Falaise, featuring a musical performance for the castle’s visitors.

The next day is based around Lisieux, with the morning at Cerza Zoo and the afternoon at the impressive Basilica Saint-Therese, with a performance integrated into the afternoon Mass.

Adventure activities in the Suisse Normande with CAPA Venture fill the following morning, and in the afternoon the group will visit Mont Saint Michel and perform in the Abbey right at the top of the monument.

The final day starts at the D-Day Landing Beaches with a guided tour of the bunkers and museum, and a musical performance, at the Juno Beach Centre.  Heading across to Honfleur for the afternoon, the final concert of the tour will take place at the stunning Eglise Saint Catherine in the heart of this pretty port town.

Click HERE to download our November 2022 Newsletter, with info on upcoming tours, activities, and events in the pipeline!

Yarm School will be bringing a choral group to the Pays d’Auge in July next year.  Staying at the Domaine de Soignolles, the group will firstly spend a day in the heart of the Suisse Normande, visiting the Chateau de Guillaume le Conquerant in Falaise and aerial trekking at the Pont d’Ouilly activity centre.

The next day they will be around Lisieux, with a concert in the Basilica Saint Therese and an afternoon at the Cerza zoo.  A trip to the coast the following day, with time at the Juno Beach Museum to learn more about the D-Day Landings and perform at the Memorial Site, with free time to enjoy the beach and visit the nearby Festyland viking theme park!

The following morning will be based in enchanting Honfleur, with a lunchtime performance at the enchanting Eglise Saint-Catherine, following which the group will then make their way over to Paris!  The final weekend will be spent enjoying the capital, with plenty of site-seeing and enjoying the Bateaux Mouches along the river Seine.  Que la vie est belle!

We are looking forward to welcoming a large choir and instrumental group from Royal Russell School in July 2023.

They will be joining forces with the 70-strong choir from the Lisieux Conservatoire to prepare some combined movements from Joubert’s ‘Cuisine de Josquin et Léonie’, a fun work based entirely on food and recipies! 

As well as visiting Cerza zoo, and performing in the breathtaking crypt in the Basilica Saint-Therese, they will explore the port town of Honfleur and spend a morning in the pretty village of Cambremer.  In Cambremer the market day morning will lead on to a visit of the beautiful Jardins du Pays d’Auge for a lazy picnic lunch!

The group will also be visiting the Chateau de Saint-Germain-de-Livet and performing in the amphitheatre tucked away in the grounds, and also performing in the Eglise Saint Catherine in Honfleur. 

A busy and exciting tour programme!

The young singers and instrumentalists from BEAT have an exciting tour planned with us for July 2023.

Accommodated at the Domaine de Soignolles, on the first full day the group will perform at the Basilica Saint-Therese in Lisieux, followed by an afternoon at the brilliant zoo Cerza.  The following morning they will experience a typical French market day in the pretty Pays d’Auge town of Orbec, followed by a visit of the spell-binding Chateau Saint-Germain-de-Livet where they will perform to the chateau’s visitors in the beautiful gardens and courtyard.

On the fourth day they will base themselves around Honfleur, firstly enjoying the aerial trekking adventure park ‘Parc Viking Aventure‘ and then having some free time to walk around the pretty cobbled streets of this beautiful port town.  Rehearsals and the final concert will take place in the Eglise Saint Catherine in the heart of Honfleur, where they will be joined by local young musicians and perform to an audience of families and friends.

We are looking forward to welcoming across the children from Avon House School in May 2023 for an educational tour with the excellent tour operator Club Europe. 

The group will be staying at the beautiful Domaine de Soignolles in the heart of the countryside, and during their tour they will visit the Bayeux Tapestry Museum, the Drakar Chocolate Museum, the Village Fromagier Graindorge (complete with cheese tastings!), and the magnificent Chateau de Guillaume le Conquerant.

We hope everyone has a wonderful time!

A fun and varied summer tour is planned for the young musicians of Denstone College.  Accommodated at the impressive Chateau Kinnor in the pretty village of Fervaques, right in the heart of the Pays d’Auge, the group will enjoy various excursions during the week and performances alongside French young musicians.

After settling in on the first day, the activities start with rehearsals at the Lisieux Conservatoire and the opportunity to meet their French counterparts.  The afternoon is spent at the Chateau Saint-Germain-de-Livet, where as well as visiting the site they will perform in various indoor and outdoor locations (including a unique amphitheatre in the grounds).

The next day the group will enjoy the wonderful zoo at Cerza, and the ever-impressive Basilica Saint-Therese in Lisieux.  That evening will feature a ‘Jazz Night’ at the accommodation, making the most of the chateau’s function rooms.

On the Tuesday the group will have fun on the exciting aerial trekking course at Parc Viking Aventure, which has different levels of difficulty for different ages.  The afternoon and evening is spent at the beautiful Château Canon , with a concert to bring together the UK and French young musicians and celebrate the end of the tour.

Looking forward to welcoming everyone in the summer!

Towards the end of May 2023 a large group from the Trafford Music Service will enjoy a fun-filled residency at the Orangerie Bourg-Saint-Leonard.

Bright and early on the Saturday a double-decker coach will collect all the students and teachers from Trafford, and travel down the country to cross the channel from Portsmouth to Caen with Brittany Ferries.  The group will then get settled at their home for the tour, spread amongst the twenty en-suite bedrooms at the Orangerie.

On the Sunday, morning rehearsals will take place in the various rehearsal rooms, followed by an afternoon visit to Cerza Zoo.  The students can enjoy exploring this vast zoo with its unique Safari Train!  The nearby Basilica of Saint-Therese will provide a cultural visit after the zoo, this truly breathtaking monument is the second-most visited pilgrimage site in all of France (after Lourdes).

On the Monday it’s an early alarm call for an early departure to Disneyland Paris.  The group will have the whole day to enjoy the park and simply have lots and lots of fun!

On the Tuesday, morning rehearsals will lead to a lunchtime visit of William The Conqueror’s Castle, the Chateau de Falaise, where hand-held tablets with augmented reality technology bring the castle to life.  The nearby Ouilly Loisirs activity centre in the heart of Suisse Normande (the area of Normandy reminiscent of the Swiss Alps) will provide an afternoon of adventure with seven different aerial trekking circuits to involve children of all ages. 

That evening, an informal Performance Evening at the accommodation centre will bring the tour to a close, the opportunity for the students to perform the pieces they have worked on during the tour.

Looking forward to a great tour!

We are greatly looking forward to welcoming across Radley College in February 2023.  A double-decker coach will be bringing their choir, symphony orchestra, chamber ensembles, and jazz ensembles to the Pays d’Auge for a tour filled with excursions, concerts, fun activities and new friendships. 

Working in partnership with the Lisieux Conservatoire on the Saturday, their orchestra will join forces with the Lisieux youth orchestra to rehearse a combined programme during the daytime, leading to a concert that evening featuring all the ensembles and the collaborative items.  This concert will take place in the magnificent Chateau Canon, one of the architectural gems of the Pays d’Auge region.

The following day, the choir will perform as part of the morning Mass at the impressive Basilica Saint-Therese in Lisieux, followed by a trip to Honfleur to visit this beautiful port town.  Rehearsals will take place in partnership with the Ecole de Musique d’Honfleur, and we will bring together a multi-level orchestra involving young children playing open strings alongside the more experienced players.  The concert takes place at the stunning Greniers a Sel that evening. 

On the Monday, the group will experience ‘Market Day’ in the quintessential Norman town of Pont L’Eveque, then spend the afternoon at the giant zoo Cerza.  The evening will incorporate a special Dîner Normande – A three-course table-service dinner based on local produce, with a tasting-starter of Cuisses de grenouille au beurre persillé, Escargots de Bourgogne, and Pâté Normand à l’ancienne, followed by a main course of Rôti de porc sauce cidre avec Gratin dauphinois, then a dessert of Tarte Normande aux Pommes caramélisées, all served with Jus de pomme and Jus de poire. Very ‘Pays d’Auge’! 

That evening, the tour concludes with a Jazz Night at their accommodation centre Orangerie Bourg-Saint-Leonard, an opportunity for all students with jazz pieces up their sleeves to perform and a fun way to complete the tour!