Dearest friends!
On April 29th, with news shoes on his feet and some new clothes, Jean continues his walk in France, from Privas. He is also somewhat lighter of all the stuff he gave me to bring back to Montreal when I left Marseilles.
He crosses regions that are well known to him because their names are on the labels of famous French wines, like Côtes du Rhône, but some villages simply possess charming names, like Chantemerle-les-Blés.
He arrives in Lyon on May 6th and leaves on May 9th after a couple of days of resting and writing his diary. He also allowed himself a short visit of the old part of the city that was built by the Romans... From Lyon up north, it not Southern France anymore and he notices a slight change in the ways and behaviour of the people he meets.
It is Springtime! The cold weather is gone but the rains are sometimes so strong that they keep him from walking, even if sheltered under the poncho he obtained in Aix en Provence.
Starting from Roanne, he walks on the trail that follow the channel of the Loire and he is delighted to see all these people who live on barges all year around... he even meet a Canadian woman who chose to live this way!
On May 16th, Jean becomes a grandfather for the second time! Once more, it is his daughter Elisa-Jane who gives him this honour! Will he see baby Amira and her big sister Laury before his return to Canada, in 6 years?
On May 21st, early in the evening, Jean arrives in the small village of Herry where he notices posters announcing a Quebecois Party. After having asked a lady for information, he enters the village hall with his chariot and seeing an important group of people having an excellent meal, says:
"Is it really here that a Quebecois Party takes place? I am Jean Béliveau! I am from Quebec and greetings to the French!"
As soon as he gives a few pieces of information about his walk, he is invited to share their delicious meal, sitting next to the two Quebecois artists "Chakidor" who simply cannot believe this coincidence! The organizing committee is delighted with this welcomed continuation of the show and I receive several emails and newspaper clippings on the event!
A little farther on the road, in Corquilleroy, Mireille, a granny internet surfer of 81 years writes me an email, admitting to have become a faithful fan of Jean's walk!
The French people continue to welcome him with warmth, having him taste their wonderful cuisine, their wines and alcohols, until he arrives in Paris on June 1st, eagerly awaited by Jamila Yahia Messaoud, of the same family who hosted him in Algiers and in Perpignan.
His stay in the French capital is punctuated by extraordinary events! On the following day of his arrival, to the invitation of the president of the French coordination for the Decade (UNESCO), he attends the opening of the 2nd International Fair for the Initiatives for Peace, as an independent guest, where, with great pleasure, he debates for a few moments with Mr. Adolfo Perez Esquivel, Nobel Prize for Peace 1980. He had had the privilege to meet this great man in Buenos Aires, a few years back.
On Tuesday June 6th, he is honoured with an interview of nearly one hour with Mr. Claude Laverdure, Ambassador of Canada in France and the following day, again at the Canadian Embassy, a small impromptu committee hands him a gift, a superb and welcomed new shirt, as well as a generous kitty (voluntary donation from the office people). With that money, he bought himself a good pair of pants.
On June 9th, Mr. Yvon Charbonneau, Ambassador of Canada to the UNESCO, welcomes the walker to a ceremony in his honour at the site of the Permanent Delegation of Canada to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Deeply touched, Jean meets around thirty Ambassadors of countries where he has walked and some more of countries he still has to see. In addition to the very precious certificate he is handed during the ceremony, his project of a "Walk around the World" appears on the official Web site of the UNESCO.
Sincerely moved by all these honours, Jean leaves Paris on June 11th to walk towards Normandy. He has not much time to lose now as a caring Franco-Irish family who hosted him in Recloses, bought him his passage on the ferry to cross the English Channel on June 27.
In Louviers, Éric Patard buys him three new tires for his chariot while in Bayeux, Jean-Alexis Bayart and his wife Babeth, are actively preparing an intensive program of visits and celebrations, spread on four days, that will conclude his stay in France: Welcoming to the City Hall of Caen - The End of his walk in France, from City Hall to the Peace Memorial - Visit to the Juno Beach Centre - Visits to the Canadian and American Cemeteries - Visit of the Normandy Landing Museum in Arromanches. Jean is honoured by the presence of the representatives of Town Halls of Caen, of Bény sur Mer, of Courseulles, of Arromanches and the Press is also well represented.
The wwwalk in France ends definitely in Caen and Jean-Alexis drives him to Cherbourg where he embarks on the ferry for Ireland.
I was a bit surprised but very touched to see that the Landing of June 1944 still has nowadays a fundamental importance for the French of Normandy who feel an enormous gratitude to the allied soldiers! A thousand thanks to all the families who welcomed Jean in their homes, but also to the score of others who offered him the hospitality so readily.
On the ship that carries him to Rosslare, Jean meets Andi Engelhard, a Swiss who drives him to Cork and provides a lot of help for his first steps on the emerald Ireland. Irishmen are most curious about his endeavour and welcome him with enthusiasm! In Dublin, Tony Mangan, himself an athlete, marathon runner and possessor of two World Records had been waiting for Jean's arrival for a long time and takes good care of him for nearly one week, multiplying his efforts to the medias, inviting him at the oldest Pub in Ireland, "The Brazen Head", built in 1198, for a good Irish beer and paying for telephone calls to his sweetheart (myself), in Montreal.
He reaches Belfast on July 21st having followed a route where he encountered many gallant supporters and embarks on the ferryboat that brings him to Glasgow, in Scotland, on July 22nd. From there, he rides the bus to Prestwick where he will meet his son, Thomas-Eric, at the airport. They will walk together for two weeks. After a good night rest at the home of Andrew and Patricia Martin who offered them meals and welcomed showers, father and son depart towards Glasgow and then Edinburgh to follow afterwards the southern route towards England.
Since the beginning of his walk in South Africa, in July 2003, it is the very first time that Jean heads southwards!!!
On August 18th, Jean will celebrate his 51st birthday and the 6th anniversary of his walk! A real important anniversary as it represents the mid-point of his endeavour! I will be most happy on this day as from then on, he is coming back home instead of going away from it! Home where I wait for him, having a hard time to control my impatience!
Till later...
Luce