L'Abbaye de Hommes in Caen - just one of the stunning 11th century buildings in Caen, home of the 2014 WEG
The trouble with the Internet age is that you become reliant on Google maps and the like to guide your way. Having arrived in Paris via Eurostar and had a day of sightseeing we picked up our car from the Gare du Nord to head to Normandy, slightly concerned about negotiating our way out of Paris through the traffic. We had gone to the trouble of organising a French iPhone SIM card with internet connection, only to discover after a few hours that the service wasn’t working. Our question about whether the service would resume shortly was met with a Gallic shrug and a “peut-etre (maybe) ” ; several days later and we still can’t get service. Ah well.... (Gallic shrug)
This meant we were without assistance from the Internet gods but we navigated our way out of Paris very easily and were very pleased with ourselves at doing so well. An hour or so later we came unstuck in a small town where we could not for the life of us find the road we wanted out of the town. After several attempts which kept bringing us back to the same roundabout on a modern shopping complex we did what all lost travellers do when they need WiFi (pronounced whiffy here); you go to McDonalds. I can now report that a French BigMac tastes just as good as an Australian one and their salads are even better. We also bought an old fashioned map and were back on our way to the World Cup eventing at Haras Le Pin.
Big Mac and 'whiffy'
It was a great event and we were well looked after by Max Boudin and Pauline Chevalier who were running the Press Tent. If any Australian event organisers are reading this, please note that the press area was right in front of the arena, lunch was provided, printed results supplied immediately at the end of each class, constant and fast Internet connection until late in the evening, champagne served at the press conferences (even with nibbles for the World Cup one!) and an excellent and friendly translator provided (thank you to the lovely Karen Duffy; in the end the French journalists needed her more than we did as most of the placegetters spoke English rather than French). This is not a huge event but very well run and a very friendly atmosphere.
Deb and her Mumm
It was a real treat for me to meet Olympic champion Michael Jung; watching him ride his three young horses in the flesh, it is easy to see he is a very special rider with a real connection to his horses. It was also great to meet other top riders such as Karin Donckers who is very funny and relaxed and of course catch up with Aussies such as Clayton and Sam; for full reports and video interviews from the event click here.
Karin and Michael
At the end of each day we headed to our B&B – Le Chateau de Sarceaux. Owned by the Marquis and Marquise Gicquel des Touches (“Call us Hervé and Jacqueline”) we were probably not their usual guests. Each evening we would roll in about 10pm when most of the guests were just finishing a long dinner in the elegant dining room of the 18th century family home. We, on the other hand, had eaten at the Buffalo Grill down the road where we could eat dinner in 30 minutes before heading to the Chateau to finish working (it seems we were destined to eat American food all weekend despite being in the middle of one of France’s gourmet food regions, but their steaks were actually very good). As we tried to enter quietly through the huge wooden door we would be discovered and ushered into the dining room to say hello to the new guests of the day who usually were English and, surprisingly, Australian. It seemed that we were the entertainment for the evening!
Le Chateau de Sarceaux
Yesterday we left the countryside and headed to the city of Caen where the majority of events for the 2014 FEI Alltech World Equestrian Games will be held. It is a stunning city and there will be reports about it and what I learned from meeting some of the Organising Committee coming up in the near future.
A quick lunch in Caen before we walk all around the city and the WEG 2014 venues - more about that to come!
But today we head back to Paris and catch the Eurostar back to England for the last leg of this trip and an event I just love; Burghley Horse Trials. Stay tuned for all the action from the trot up on Wednesday and a big weekend of eventing!
