Friends of the Beach: parties and leisure in the archives

Two articles illustrate the beach activities organized in Vierville. In the first, the Friends of the Beach committee offered a costume contest on a Sunday, followed by games and demonstrations of the Vaumicel equestrian club, led by Hubert de Bellaigue de Bughas. The public appreciated the horses, the address of the riders and amazons and the acrobatics figures performed by young students. Mr. Goubot de Couray was presenting.

The second tells of a treasure hunt launched on a Sunday by Mr. Doiteau, president of the beach committee. Children and adults found the requested objects. Among children, the published ranking begins with Miss Clémence, Philippe Racine, Christian Serret, Marie-Hélène Delbard and Marie-Christine Savoyein. In adults, Ms. Liliane Clémence is ahead of Mrs. Hélène Gamin.

The swimmers then participated in a duck race. One of the birds, pursued by many competitors, found refuge in a pontoon vestige of the Landing. Daniel Troffeut won the event ahead of Gérard Coffignal.

The cut presents Vierville as a busy destination among the beaches of Omaha Beach. The Friends of the Beach association was working on its reputation and had two signs installed visible from the national road.

These panels announced the reception and leisure opportunities: hotels, restaurants, camping, tennis, sailing school and horseback riding. The photograph showed one of these promotional media of the village.

Created in 1962, the association Les Amis de la Plage had experienced an active period, then several years of silence. A recovery attempt in 1972 had failed. A general meeting held on a Monday evening finally brought together many residents and vacationers.

Mr. Legallois recalled the purpose of the association: organizing parties, games, recreational and artistic activities during the summer, and making the beach known. The mayor, Mr. de Bughas, remained honorary president; Mr. Hardelay was unanimously elected president. Messrs. Pinard and Boisnel became vice-presidents, and Mr. Legallois became secretary general.

The tasks were divided among the members: tennis for Messrs. Richard and Marchal; horseback riding for Mr. Pinard; football and petanque for Mr. Picton; ping-pong for Mr. Boisnel; volleyball for Messrs. Nédelec and Labarrière; fireworks for Mr. Rouquerolle; rally for Mr. Hardelay, Françoise and Mrs. Racine. The active membership card was set at 5 F to finance the expansion of activities.

For the current season, a volleyball tournament in August, a car rally on Saturday, August 9 and a hike after mid-August were selected. The tennis club also announced a tournament open to all from August 2 to 10.

A preparatory meeting in Vierville and an assembly in Paris were to establish the 1976 calendar. A ball-trap and a dance party on July 14 were already planned, in addition to previous activities. The association also decided to buy two volleyball nets and a ping-pong table.

Meeting on a Saturday under the chairmanship of Mr. Delobel, the Friends of the beach of Vierville-sur-Mer amended their statutes and renewed their board of directors. The bureau has increased from nine to twelve members. Three unexcused absences had to result in the resignation of the member concerned.

The objectives were specified: organize parties, beach games and recreational, artistic and nautical activities; encourage emulation between residents and tourists; make the beach known and contribute to its development. The regulation distinguished between the befactor members and the active members, the latter paying ten francs of entrance fee and twenty francs of annual membership fee.

Of the seventy-seven members, seventy-four voted to complete the committee. Christiane Freulon, Maryvonne Lelaidier and Brigitte Tréfeu were elected. The new office included Mr. Oxéant, Mayor, Honorary President; Mr. Delobel, President; Mr. Françoise, Vice-President; Mrs. Delaidier, Secretary; Mrs. Freulon, Assistant Secretary; Ms. Racine, Treasurer; Mrs. Hardelay, Deputy Treasurer; as well as Miss Tréfeu and Messrs. Le Nourichel, Jatteau, Laronche, Olard and Coulibœuf.

The program included a scrabble evening on Friday, April 5 at 8:45 p.m. at the town hall, a treasure hunt, a fireworks display and a torchlight retreat for the national holiday, then a Norman festival on August 11 with a folk group from Valognes. Table tennis and women's gymnastics worked all year round.

The Friends of the beach of Vierville-sur-Mer held their general meeting on a Saturday evening under the chairmanship of Mr. Delobel. They amended their statutes and renewed their board of directors.

The number of members of the board increased from nine to twelve. Three unexcused absences had to result in the resignation of a member. The purpose of the association was to specify: organize parties, beach games and recreational, artistic and nautical activities; encourage emulation between tourists and residents; make the beach known to promote its development.

The regulation distinguished benefactor members and active members. The latter had to pay ten francs of entrance fee and twenty francs of annual membership fee. Seventy-four of the seventy-seven registered voted to elect three additional members: Christiane Freulon, Maryvonne Lelaidier and Brigitte Tréfeu.

The designated bureau had Mr. Oxéant, Mayor, as Honorary President, Mr. Delobel as President, Mr. Françoise as Vice-President, Ms. Delaidier as Secretary, Ms. Freulon as Deputy Secretary, Ms. Racine as Treasurer and Ms. Hardelay as Assistant Treasurer. The other members were Miss Tréfeu and Messrs. Le Nourichel, Jatteau, Laronche, Olard and Coulibœuf.

The projects included a scrabble evening on a Friday in April at 8:45 p.m. at the town hall, a treasure hunt, a fireworks display and a torchlight retreat for the National Day, then a Norman festival on August 11 with the Valognes folk group. Table tennis and women's gymnastics continued all year round.

Gathered on a Saturday evening under the presidency of Mr. Delobel, the Friends of the Beach prepared their season after the balance of three events: cassoulet evening, country buffet and May cycling race.

On July 14 at 3 p.m. was to take place the baptism of the new zodiac of the rescue company. Other boat owners were invited to participate or accompany the sea trip, with a sheat throw. In the evening, a torchlight retreat, fireworks and a ball were planned. Beach games were announced on July 16, then a ping-pong tournament for youth and adults on the 22nd and 23rd.

The Norman festival of Sunday, August 10 was the highlight of the summer: fair for everything, stands and parades of floats morning and afternoon on the theme of the sea, with the brotherhood of the Charretiers de l'Odon and the Amazons of Vaumicel. A show by the folk group of Villedieu-les-Poêles and a fireworks display were to close the day.

The association was looking for volunteers to build the floats, make paper flowers and participate in the decorated house contest. Mr. Delobel collected the proposals for assistance.

The program also included a tourist rally and a rotisserie evening on August 16, beach games on the 20th, a ping-pong tournament on the 26th and 27th, and two petanque competitions between July and August.

Under the chairmanship of Mr. Delobel, the Friends of the Beach presented their program of the season on a Saturday. On July 14, the festivities were to begin at 3 p.m. with the baptism of the rescue company's new Zodiac. Owners of other boats were invited to participate in a baptism or to accompany the sea trip, with deposit of a wreath. Torchlight retreat, fireworks and ball were announced for the evening.

Beach games were planned for July 16 and a table tennis tournament open to young people and adults on July 22 and 23. The great Norman festival on Sunday, August 10 was to offer a fair for everything and stands in the morning, then a parade of floats on the theme of the sea. The brotherhood of the charioteers of the Odon and the Amazons of the Vaumicel were to participate. A folk group from Villedieu-les-Poêles would animate the evening before the fireworks.

The association requested the inhabitants to build the floats and participate in the decorated houses contest. Several people were already making paper flowers, alone or in groups; volunteers could report to Mr. Delobel.

The calendar also included a tourist rally and a rotisserie evening on August 16, beach games on August 20, a table tennis tournament on August 26 and 27, as well as two petanque competitions, one in July and the other in August.

The Friends of the Beach and the initiative union of seven municipalities — Saint-Laurent, Colleville, Louvières, Asnières, Formigny, Vierville and Trévières — sought to strengthen the tourist reception. The restart of the sailing club, the creation of a minigolf and the management of a tennis course built by the municipality gave, according to the article, encouraging results.

Jean-Pierre Delobel, head of the committee and the initiative union, believed that the simple passage of tourists was not enough: they had to be offered activities to encourage them to stay, including playful and cultural proposals in bad weather.

The Omaha Beach Yachting Club had ceased its activity three years earlier. Thanks to the tenacity of the president, named Viejot in the cut, the treasurer Mr. Soudon and the municipality, he had just restarted. The Optimists had made their first outing a week earlier. Two qualified instructors, Ronan and Pierre, welcomed about twenty students a day.

Since Easter, a fifteen-hole mini-golf course, hosted by Alain Racine, a young resident of Vierville, was open near the pier from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Bicycles could be rented next door, by the hour, half a day, a day or a week to explore the countryside.

The Friends of the Beach also managed the tennis club. The cards were available at Mr. Delobel's campsite or bazaar. For a person outside the municipality, the printed rates were two hundred francs per year, one hundred and sixty francs per month, eighty francs per week or forty-five francs per hour. The initiative union then informed visitors every day from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

A table tennis tournament was announced on Tuesday 26 and Wednesday 27, in the evening, at the beach hall.

The Norman festival on Sunday, August 7 was to begin at 9 a.m. with the fair of everything. A first parade of floats was scheduled at 11 a.m., then a large costume parade at 3 p.m. with the Brix folk group, the Amazons of the Vaumicel equestrian club and a flowery corso. The evening was to continue with a folk show at 8:30 p.m. and a fireworks display at 11:00 p.m.

A tennis tournament was scheduled for Tuesday 23 and Wednesday 24 August. The brief also evoked, without confirming it, a regatta on August 15 in front of Omaha Beach.

The new Friends of the Beach office met on a Friday at the town hall to present its 1992 program. Residents were invited to propose their wishes and ideas.

President Jean Olard first wanted to ensure the success of a few events rather than multiply the projects: a fireworks display on July 12, followed by a popular ball, then the great all-out fair on August 9, open to individuals and professionals. The high tide required fire near the church instead of the beach. The volunteers had to prepare teurgoule for the fair.

Tennis had reopened, with tickets available from merchants. Beach games could be organized according to the expectations of vacationers, then indoor games and meals during the winter.

Asked about the commemorations of June 6, Mayor Mr. Oxéant indicated that the municipality had already contacted American veterans' associations and was organizing the fiftieth anniversary.

After the collective resignation of the office in October 1991 and two unsuccessful attempts to revive, the Friends of the Beach were asleep. The newspaper specified that no activity had been organized the previous year. Created a little more than thirty years ago, the association had already gone through difficulties, each time overcome thanks to new volunteers.

At the invitation of Mayor Jean-Marie Oxéant, about twenty people gathered on a Saturday evening at the town hall. Seven volunteers made it possible to set up a steering committee: Jean Olard, president; Mr. Marie, secretary; Mrs. Gicquiau, treasurer; Mrs. Demoor and Mrs. Chitel, as well as Messrs. Gicquiau and Dubosq, members. Ms. Racine, a long-time commitment to the association, had to support them.

An office meeting was scheduled for Wednesday, April 29 at 8:30 p.m. to first establish the summer program, then after-season evenings. The team announced that it would seek help from residents. To encourage him, the mayor mentioned the municipal project to renovate and expand the communal hall the following year.

At the general meeting of the Friends of the Beach, on a Saturday at the town hall, Jean Olard drew up a satisfactory assessment of 1995: Saint-Jean fire, ball and fireworks of July 14, beach games, fair of all and rally. It had brought together 29 bicycles divided into eight teams and fourteen cars, the newspaper mentioning 48 participants, before a country buffet.

Tennis had attracted fewer subscribers, perhaps because of the strong heat. Half of its profits were donated to the municipality for short and loan repayments. In 1996, the badges had to be picked up at Spar or the Gicquiau garage, at an unchanged price.

Jean Olard remained president, with Pierre Gouget as vice-president, Danièle Olard as secretariat and Patrick Marie as deputy. Monique Curé was treasurer, Coralie Skrzyniarsz assistant treasurer; Michaël Ducastelle joined the office.

The 1996 calendar was to begin with a rally on April 27, with a cycling circuit to be added to the course already prepared. The Saint-Jean fire was set for June 22, accompanied by fries, sausages, merguez and drinks. Wood donations and volunteers were welcome. On July 13, fireworks by the sea and a ball in the square were announced. The all-round fair was to take place on August 11, then a postcard exhibition from Grandcamp in Port-en-Bessin on the 17th and 18th at the party hall. Free beach games with prizes were planned once in July and once in August.

The association was also considering a costumed evening, a fishing competition on the edge and a gathering of kites, with a possible collaboration of the ADTLB mentioned by Mayor Jean-Marie Oxéant. He thanked the volunteers for their role as a link between residents and summer visitors. The annual card remained at 40 F.

At the general meeting of the Friends of the Beach, in front of about thirty people, Monique Curé was presented as the new president to replace Jean Olard. Roger Curé was treasurer, Jean-Jacques Françoise deputy treasurer, Georgette Racine secretary, Claudine Boisnel deputy secretary and Jean Desmottes member of the council.

On May 17, a rally was to offer about sixty kilometers to motorists and twenty to cyclists. The registration cost fifteen francs to the driver and five to the passenger, ten francs to the cyclist. The award ceremony was set around 7:30 p.m., before a cold buffet open to all in the communal hall, at seventy francs per adult and thirty-five per child.

The calendar announced the fire of Saint-Jean on the beach on June 28, a fireworks display and a ball on July 12, the fair at all on August 10 and a postcard exhibition on August 15. Beach games had to be set according to the tides; a scrabble meeting per month was also envisaged. The annual fee was forty francs.

At a general meeting held on a Friday in front of about thirty people, the Friends of the Beach presented their new president, Mrs. Curé, who succeeded Jean Olard, and their program for 1997.

A car and cycling rally was planned for May 17, about sixty kilometers for cars and twenty for bicycles. The registrations announced were fifteen francs per driver, five francs per passenger and ten francs per cyclist. An awards ceremony around 7:30 p.m. was to precede a cold buffet open to all in the communal hall, at seventy francs per adult and five francs per child. Reservations were then offered at 02 31 22 43 42 and 02 31 22 40 83.

The calendar also included the St. John's Day fire on June 28 on the beach, a fireworks display and a ball on July 12, an all-all fair on August 10 and a postcard exhibition on August 15. Children's beach games had to be set according to the tides, and scrabble meetings organized once a month. The contribution was forty francs.

Two distinct briefs completed the cut. The first announced the commemoration of May 8, 1945 at the monument to the dead, on Thursday, May 8 at 11:30 a.m., followed by a wine of honor at the town hall. The second featured an excursion of veterans on May 28 in the English Channel, with lunch at La Pernelle and a visit to Tatihou. This outing was open to all, with reservation before May 14 at 02 31 22 42 67 or 02 31 21 31 08.

The Friends of the Beach, chaired by Jean-Pierre Delobel, announced three novelties for July and August: a tennis court, a relaunched sailing club and a minigolf course.

The municipality had entrusted the court to the Friends of the Beach by convention. The cards from the Omaha tennis club were picked up at the campsite or at the beach bazaar, at Mr. Delobel's house, with a reservation board at the grocery store located in front of the court. For people outside the municipality, the rates announced were 200 F per year, 160 F per month, 80 F per week and 45 F for an hour of course.

The nautical club, previously active and then in difficulty, had been reconstituted on the initiative of several people and the municipality. Mr. Viejot was president and Mr. Soudon treasurer. Graduate instructors Ronan Prigent, 23, and Pierre Soubirou, 24, led the activities. A first Optimist internship brought together seven students; it had to be renewed every week for the ten-fourteen years.

Daily windsurfing lessons, in initiation or improvement, cost 400 F for five hours, equipment included. A rate of 50 F per hour was announced to equipped practitioners. The offer included an introduction to funboard. The club had a Caravelle, a 420, a four-meter and a security zodiac. A regatta was scheduled for August 15.

Alain Racine, a young resident of the municipality, had created a fifteen-hole minigolf near the pier, open from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. at a rate of 15 F per player. The initiative union informed vacationers every day from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Finally, the sea rescue association, chaired by Régis Legallois, worked with two lifeguards during the summer and had a new zodiac. Three interventions had already taken place since the beginning of the month for plankers or a boat with a broken engine.

At their general meeting on a Friday evening, the Friends of the Beach drew up a very positive assessment of the past year. President Dominique Guernier stressed the good understanding of the team and wished to renew the successful events in 2006.

The pre-program announced a first petanque competition on May 20, a torchlight retreat and fireworks on July 13, the fair on August 6 and Halloween on October 28. Loto, belote, hiking, beach games and drawing competitions remained under study.

The family atmosphere found during the torchlight retreat of the previous July 13 had particularly impressed the participants. She inspired a project for 2007: to revive the old float parades, which remained in the memory of the Viervillais.

The Friends of the beach were delighted with the success of their activities from the previous year, followed by both external visitors and residents of Vierville. The ten members of the bureau and the one hundred and four members have become aware of the program planned for 2008.

Dominique Guernier announced a fire of Saint-Jean on June 21, probably accompanied by music. A torchlight retreat and fireworks were planned for July 13, Boulevard de Covigny. Petanque competitions were to be held in May, then on June 29, July 20 and August 24. The program also included a Halloween parade on October 25 and a meal on December 31.

At the end of the meeting, the association confirmed the amount of membership at seven euros.

The general meeting of the Friends of the Beach took place in a serene atmosphere after the 2009 review. The association retained a hundred members and renewed the events that had proven themselves.

The 2010 program included the Saint-Jean fire on June 26, a fireworks display on July 13, the all fair on August 8 and a second fireworks display on August 14. President Philippe Guernier explained that the latter represented an additional expense but had to boost the beach; municipal aid had therefore been increased. The denomination bears the date of Friday, March 12, 2010.

After the general meeting mentioned in The Renaissance of March 12, the Friends of the Beach had formed a new committee. Danièle Guillotte succeeded Dominique Guernier, president since the early 2000s. Forced to withdraw for professional reasons, he took on the role of treasurer.

The committee also included Jean-Jacques Françoise, vice-president; Josette Robles, secretary; Claudine Boisnel, deputy secretary; and Jean Giot, deputy treasurer.

The program included the Saint John’s bonfire on June 19, a fireworks display on July 13, the flea market on August 8, another fireworks display on August 14, a Halloween parade on October 30 and New Year's Eve on December 31. The membership card cost seven euros. The association also managed the tennis courts, open all year round, with unchanged rates.

The Renaissance of Bessin on Tuesday, March 15, 2011 reported the general assembly of the Friends of the Beach, held the previous Friday at the town hall in the presence of Jean-Marie Oxéant. The president, Danièle Guillotte, began by thanking the volunteers participating in the demonstrations.

The moral balance showed a very good year, rich in entertainment: Saint-Jean fire, fair for everything, fireworks from July 13 and August 14, sale of brioches, beach games, tennis management and end-of-year meals. The moral and financial balance sheets were adopted unanimously.

Danièle Guillotte then announced that her entire team and herself, in office for several years, would not run again. Professional reasons, distance and health, but also a certain weariness, motivated this decision.

The mayor took note of this withdrawal. He recalled that the members remained present and that the association, born after the war and about fifty years of existence, was based on volunteering. He recognized the exhaustion of the teams when the proper functioning of the activities involuntarily discouraged the arrival of a succession, and expressed his regret to see them leave. He felt it necessary to accept these difficult times and try to bounce back.

Asked about an immediate resumption, the assembly did not present any volunteers. The mayor proposed to inform the residents in the following days and to convene a new assembly a few weeks later. The association, which had ninety-one members, was to temporarily go to sleep while waiting for a new team.

At the general meeting on Friday, March 11, the entire office of the Friends of the Beach resigned to pass the hand. The people likely to succeed him still wanted to think. Mayor Jean-Marie Oxéant then wrote to permanent and secondary residents to call volunteers before a new meeting.

About twenty people met on a Friday evening at the town hall. The mayor recalled the creation of the association in the 1960s to bring together residents and summer visitors through rallies, beach games, evenings and fireworks. The all-or-all fair, organized for about thirty years, had become a highlight of the summer.

Eight volunteers volunteered to relaunch the activities. The new office included Odile Campserveux as president, Jean Giot as treasury, Céline Azrou as deputy treasurer and Jean-Pierre Rigambert as secretariat.

One Sunday, the Friends of the Beach, chaired by Pierre Descolonges, organized their traditional all-out fair at the crossroads of the coastal road. In the morning, about sixty exhibitors offered articles to the bargainers.

The tourists stopped in turn in the afternoon, the weather favoring the walk more than the beach. The success of this event encouraged the new office, recently installed, which was to meet to reflect on the following activities.

After two difficult years, the Friends of the Vierville Beach had been put to sleep, for lack of leaders and sufficient associative dynamism. Mayor Antoine de Bellaigue and the city council, attached to this association that had animated the municipality for almost fifty years, had distributed leaflets in mailboxes to invite residents to reflect on its maintenance.

About thirty residents and secondary residents responded to this call and met at the town hall. A new team has been formed: Audrey Zevaco, president; Jean-Paul Rigambert, vice-president; Jean Rocher, secretary; and Pierre Dromard, treasurer.

The office wanted to relaunch the Saint-Jean fires, the fireworks of July 13, the all-out fair on the first Sunday in August and the management of the tennis courts. A lottery was also planned for the winter. Other ideas had been proposed, and the healthy situation of the association made it possible to approach the following season with optimism.

The Friends of the Beach organized a rally prepared by Mr. Doiteau and Mrs. Legallois on a Saturday afternoon. Fifteen cars left Vierville for a journey of about sixty kilometers in the canton of Trévières.

Each crew had envelopes containing charades and riddles to find their way. An enigma evoking Alphonse Daudet led to the Mollet mill; another led to Deux-Jumeaux. Several teams struggled to reconstruct the itinerary.

The ranking rewarded, in order, Mr. and Mrs. Hardelay, then the crews D'Hérouville, Guilbert, Françoise, Picton, Michel, Godard, Alix, Landais and Lequier.

The Friends of the Beach organized their rally-walk on a Saturday, offered since 1950 with the exception of a three-year interruption. About twenty cars and four motorcycles, divided into two series, started a seventy-five-kilometer route.

The competitors had to pass several controls and discover three renowned washhouses as well as the Tortonne basin, a tributary of the Aure. Mr. Lemarquand won with 2,305 points, ahead of Mr. Broeckaert, 899 points; Mr. Bruyère, 795; G. Racine, 385; and Mr. Marchal, 373.

This montage brings together two articles on the summer activities of Vierville. The first announces the reopening of the Omaha Beach club led by Mr. and Mrs. Labarrière. About twenty children were welcomed every day from 9 a.m. to noon and from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., with swimming, games, sports and beach competitions. Once a week, a competition was open to all summer visitors; the next one was scheduled for Thursday, July 18. A humorous hike for adults in the region was to start on Saturday, July 20 at 2 p.m., with information at Mr. Legallois.

The second article notes a disappointing tourist attendance during the first half of July, then a filling after the 14th. The Friends of the Beach announced a rally-walk on Saturday 19, with departure and registration until 2:30 p.m. at Mr. Legallois: ten francs per car, five francs per passenger, surprise picnic included.

The Vaumicel equestrian club was preparing a day of dressage and a competition for Sunday 20. Directed by Hubert de Bellaigue de Bughas, he made about fifteen horses available. Beginners worked at the carousel before going for a walk after twenty hours of practice; the confirmed riders had cross and obstacles. The announced rates were twenty francs per hour, including insurance, one hundred and sixty francs for ten hours and three hundred francs for twenty hours; the annual subscription for schoolchildren and students cost one hundred and twenty francs.

A sailing school on Optimist operated daily at the Omaha Beach nautical club, with sessions from July 17 to 30 and then in August. The children's club, led by Messrs. Nedelec and Labarrière with two instructors, received the three-eleven year olds every day except Sunday, from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Games and contests were organized every day and swimming lessons were offered in an indoor pool.

One Saturday afternoon, the club of young friends of the beach of Vierville-sur-Mer organized a car rally. Twelve crews followed a route of about eighty kilometers. It was not a speed race: the journey took almost five hours. Leaving the beach around 1:30 p.m., the competitors won Formigny, Trévières, Crouay and the place named Argancay in the break before returning to Vierville.

At the end of the evening, Mr. Hardelay, president of Friends of the Beach, distributed the prizes. The Lemarquant crew won ahead of Racine, Chanceaulme, Badon and Boutier.

The cut also published the results of a volleyball tournament with ten teams. Among young people, "Work without a net" was ahead of TRC. Among adults, Colleville won ahead of "Les Croûtes". The consolation returned to Saint-Laurent in front of "La Vigne".

For the quadriped race of beach games, N. Chazalette won the three- to seven-year-old category ahead of P. Brault and T. Dove. Among eight to thirteen year olds, F. Loiseleur preceded E. Auvray and F. Truet

Ten crews participated on a Saturday afternoon in the annual Amis de la Plage car rally, designed to introduce summer visitors to the hinterland. Their only guide was a roadmap prepared by Ms. Racine and Mr. Hardelay.

The route crossed Trévières, Crouay, Littry and Le Tronquay, with controls at different stages. Everyone met in the evening in Vierville.

The classification gave Gosselin first, ahead of Delobel, Bruno Broeckaert, Furet, Philippe, Nicolle, Naniche, Bolpaire, Dominique Broeckaert and Gomez.

Ten crews started, on a Saturday afternoon, from the Amis de la plage de Vierville car rally. The walk allowed summer visitors to discover their holiday region, with the only guide being a roadmap prepared by Mrs. Racine and Mr. Hardelay.

The journey passed in particular through Trévières, Crouay, Littry and Le Tronquay. Controls were distributed on the course, but some participants did not find all the rallying points.

In the evening, in Vierville, the Gosselin crew was ranked first, ahead of Delobel, Bruno Broeckaert, Puret, Philippe Polcaire, Nicolle, Nan'che, Dominique Broeckaert and Gomez, the latter indicated tenth in the cut.

During the two summer months, the Friends of the Vierville-sur-Mer Beach offered activities to residents and vacationers: table tennis, oval ball game, beach games, scrabble meetings and Norman party. The committee was made up of Mr. Hardelay, Honorary President, J.-P. Delobel, President, Mr. Boisnel and Mrs. de Bellaigue, Vice-Presidents, Ms. Racine, Treasurer, and Mrs. Demoor, Secretary.

One Saturday afternoon, thirteen crews participated in a tourist rally prepared by Mr. Hardelay. The route led them to Saint-Jean-de-Savigny, at the edge of the Manche department. In a small chapel, they found the organizer disguised as a monk. The return passed through the Marais of Trévières. The enigma of the arrival invited you to "wash your dirty laundry with your family": you had to join the Vierville washhouse.

A méchoui gathered nearly a hundred people in the evening. The Gosselin crew won the rally with 1,060 points out of 1,100, ahead of Jean-François Oxéant, 990 points. Followed the crews of Jean-Marie Oxéant, Mrs. Marie and Mrs. Racine.

The tourist rally organized on a Saturday afternoon by the Friends of the Beach brought together twenty-one crews. Mrs. Racine and Mrs. Hardelay had prepared nearly sixty kilometers of route to Asnières, Isigny and La Cambe, to the Abbey of Deux-Jumeaux.

Skill games accompanied the controls. The stage of La Cambe proved difficult for many teams: it was necessary to find the cross of Montreuil, a 12th century stone cross located behind the school group.

Ms. Racine announced the results in the evening at the Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer festival hall, during a dancing aperitif bringing together more than eighty people. The Gosselin crew won with 1,816 points, ahead of Mantel, 885 points, Hardelay, 680, Lacroix, 640, and Fache, 605.

A separate brief announced a ping-pong tournament on Tuesday 20 and Wednesday 21 at the Vierville game room. Young people up to the age of fourteen had to play on Tuesday from 3 p.m.; adult playoffs began the same day, with a final on Wednesday at 8:30 p.m.

Fifteen crews participated one Saturday in the car rally organized by the Friends of the Beach, chaired by J.-P. Delobel. Starting from the Trévières market place, they traveled about fifty kilometers to Sainte-Marguerite-d'Elle by Saint-Martin-de-Blagny and Baynes, then joined the Lison station by the Pomme d'Or, the place of the first control. The second part went through the school of Lison, Cartigny-l'Épinay and La Folie before arriving at the Trévières Calvary.

Out of a maximum of 1,700 points, the François crew obtained 1,630, ahead of Delobel, 1,490. Lacroix, Marie and Mauduit completed the first five. The Sobea water company had offered a cup and several lots.

The country buffet at the VVF de Colleville brought together one hundred and twenty people in an excellent atmosphere. A final test invited the competitors to disguise themselves. The association then announced the cycling race of the UFOLEP club in Trévières on May 1st. She also continued her table tennis and scrabble evenings, her beach games and her gymnastics classes on Wednesday night, while soliciting ideas and volunteer help for the season.

One Saturday afternoon, the Friends of the beach of Vierville-sur-Mer organized a tourist rally-walk of about seventy kilometers. Nineteen crews took off. The course had been prepared by Ms. Gosselin, who had won this event four times in previous years.

Equipped with a roadmap and a questionnaire, participants left Vierville in four different directions. Nevertheless, they had to pass the same tests and finish in the hall of the initiative union. The questions were about the region and nature. Despite some abandonments, the most insightful participants were happy to discover places in the Bessin that they did not know, including the panorama of Mount Cavalier, on the Escures mound near the Fosses Soucy, or the Odo mill in Grandcamp.

In the evening, an aperitif preceded the announcement of the results by Mrs. Gosselin. The published ranking was: 1st, Debain; 2nd, Maintel; 3rd, Claudette Naniche; 4th, Racine; 5th, Sylvie Philippe; 6th, Pierre Naniche; 7th, Marie Mauduit; 8th, Bordeaux; 9th, Lacroix; 10th, Dhorne.

Twelve crews participated one Saturday afternoon in the twenty-fifth edition of the Amis de la Plage tourist rally. Georgette Racine was organizing it, with departures two minutes apart.

The riddles guided the cars for about eighty kilometers, through Étreham, Vaucelles, Cairon, Trévières, Deux-Jumeaux and Asnières.

The Gosselin crew, number 3, won the cup ahead of Mantel, number 7, and D'Horme, number 6. All participants were rewarded.

About fifteen cyclists participated in the Vierville-sur-Mer beach friends rally on Thursday. The circuit of about fifteen kilometers passed through Louvières, Asnières, Englesqueville, Cricqueville and the Pointe du Hoc.

The itinerary was discovered with the help of charades and questions, the first of which concerned the old assignment of Vierville. Pascal Roudsard won the event ahead of William Ternynck; Stéphane Hardelay and Thierry Ternynck finished third ex æquo.

On May 1, the Friends of the beach of Vierville-sur-Mer and the Amicale des cyclotouristes de Trévières organized a cycling event counting for the UFOLEP championships. Fourteen clubs from the department participated in this race, played on a difficult circuit.

Mr. Delobel gave the start to the sixty-seven juniors and seniors, then, three minutes later, to the thirty-seven veterans. The former had to travel seventy kilometers, the second fifty.

Among seniors, Meslier, from Troarn, won the seventy kilometers in 1 h 52, ahead of Vandewelle and Ganivet, also from Troarn. Mayet, from Ifs-Hérouville, won the junior category ahead of Barriet, from Blonville, and Herbert, from Rots. Among the veterans, Lescellier, from Ifs-Hérouville, won in 1 h23, ahead of Alix, from Ouistreham, and Vachez, from Argences. Cups and sheaves rewarded the winners.

The article recalled the winter activities of the Friends of the Beach: friendly table tennis meetings, weekly gymnastics session and scrabble evenings. Those responsible were already preparing for the summer season, including July 14 and the Norman festival.

On Monday, May 1, the Friends of the Beach organized a cycling day with the Amicale cyclotouriste de Trévières. A time trial opened the morning, followed by cadet, female and minimal events; the afternoon was reserved for seniors. Each rider had to compete in the time trial and a line race of his category.

The participation of young and women was low, with three girls, including Isabelle Cruchon and Céline Nezan, minimal of the Trevier club. Jérôme Durand, from Sainte-Honorine, won the cadets' event.

The fourth category printed results ranked F. Jaouen, from Chemin Vert, in front of Mr. Cruchon, from Trévières, D. Poussard, from USSA, C. Villey, from Bayeux, and Gardineau, from Crédit Lyonnais de Bayeux.

In the third category were B. Dupont, from the USSA Saint-André-sur-Orne, F. Maresq, from AC Trévières, Willem, from UC Ifs-Hérouville, Malbault, from Citroën, and Hanzach, from BAC. In the second category, the newspaper gave Marie J., of Citroën, Sophie M., of Sainte-Honorine, Ronan D., of Rots, J.-L. Alice, of Ouistreham, then J. Dandernaf, from the UCIAH.

The first category was classified as follows: Genouin C., of Citroën, Rigault P., of Ouistreham, P. Hébert, of Rots, F. Lecaine, from Troarn, and D. Meslier, from Varaville.

The comment also highlighted the results of the Tréviérois: a victory for Michel Cruchon in the fourth category, second place for F. Maresq in third and sixth of P. Rouet in second. The next organization of the ACT announced was the four hours of Castilly, on May 20.

The Friends of the Beach organized a car rally and a cycling rally for a weekend. The participation satisfied the organizers, but the buffet had to be canceled for lack of sufficient reservations.

Seven car crews, or twenty-two people, followed a sixty-five-kilometer circuit. Fifteen cycling teams, bringing together eighteen people, traveled twenty kilometers. The sun accompanied their search for clues.

The prizes offered by the merchants and the association were handed over at the end of the day. By bike, the Van Der Oken team overtook Curé-Terzian, Lefrançois-Couder, Vincent and Roux. By car, Rémy-Hardelay won before Oxéant, Racine, Malbros and d'Hérouville.

The Amicale cyclotouriste de Trévières and the Friends of the beach of Vierville-sur-Mer organized a cyclosport day together on Tuesday, May 1. A hundred runners from a dozen clubs, including one from Eure and one from Vienne, had registered. The program included a time trial in the morning and a sixty-four-kilometer event in the afternoon. The points made it possible to establish an overall ranking by category.

As traffic was heavy by the sea on this holiday, the club had set up an important order service, which allowed the smooth running of the races. The winners received cups and flowers.

In the time trial, the winners published were Besnard, from Caumont-l'Éventé, in the fourth category; Gilles Lahaye, from Argences, in third; Hubert Devaux, from Rots, in second; and Pierre Rigaux, from Ouistreham, in first.

In the general classification, Olivier Gilette, from GCL Bayeux, was first cadet, and Céline Nézan, from Trévières, first female. The winners of the other four categories were the same as those of the time trial: Besnard, Lahaye, Devaux and the Ouistreham rider, named this time Rigault in the text.

The Friends of the Beach criteria brought together on May 1 in Vierville a hundred participants from ten clubs, under the sun and in front of many spectators. The day combined a 7.5 km time trial in the morning and an in-line race in the afternoon.

Meslet, licensed in Loudun in the Vienne and former professional who competed in the Tour de France, won the afternoon race at an average of 37.457 km/h. However, the general ranking of the day went to Pierre Rigault, of Ouistreham, winner in the morning and second behind Meslet in the afternoon. The latter had not participated in the time trial.

The winners of the time trial categories were Pierre Rigault in first, Hubert Devaux, from Rots, in second, Gilles Lahaye, from Argences, in third, and Besnard, from Caumont, in fourth. The winners of the day also mentioned the victories of Besnard in the fourth category, Gilles Lahaye in third, Olivier Gilette, from Crédit Lyonnais, among the cadets, Céline Nezan, from Trévières, in the women's, Devaux in second and Rigault in first.

Cups, flowers and many prizes, especially offered by Vierville merchants, rewarded the runners. The Amicale cyclotouriste de Trévières then announced the four hours of Castilly for Saturday, May 19.

The Amicale cyclotouriste de Trévières, with the Friends of the beach of Vierville, brought together one hundred and ten cyclists from twelve clubs in Calvados for a cycle ride on a Wednesday morning. Despite the wind and rain, they traveled at a free pace one of the circuits of fifty or eighty kilometers, passing through Grandcamp, Isigny, Lison, Trévières and then Vierville.

Mr. Nézan, president of the Trévières club, gave cups and wreaths to the best ranked clubs, as well as flowers to the participants. The oldest rider, Roger Lecaplain, aged seventy-eight, had completed the eighty kilometers.

The ranking gave: 1. AC Bayeux, twenty-nine participants and 2,200 cumulative kilometers; 2. RVI Blainville, fifteen participants and 1,110 kilometers; 3. Sainte-Honorine-du-Fay, thirteen and 1,040 kilometers; 4. La Cambe, sixteen and 1,010 kilometers; 5. GS of CL Bayeux, fourteen and 850 kilometers; 6. PTT Bayeux, twelve and 690 kilometers; then the Municipaux d’Hérouville club, La Graverie, Caumont, Moulinex and Lisieux. Trévières remained out of the ranking as an organizer.

The cycling association announced the Four Hours of Castillon on May 25 and the Heart Course on May 26 in Trévières.

For a weekend, occasional vendors and street vendors occupied the streets of Vierville. Tourists and residents left the sand for a moment to browse the stalls of the sale, between Top 50 music and the smells of sausages. Old attic things, clothes, dishes or pre-war newspapers attracted bargainers. Even just coming to watch, many left with their arms loaded.

The sellers appreciated the opportunity to store and dispose of unused items. Alban and Adèle's mother explained that finding the same objects every year during storage ended up showing that it was no longer necessary to keep them.

Adèle, ten years old, sorted her toys herself to sell those she no longer needed. His brother Alban, who came to accompany him, preferred to keep everything; their mother joked about his often incomplete games when he stopped playing them.

The sale also provided a little money: reselling five books to buy another could be worth it. François and Laure had thus emptied their aunt's attic to make pocket money. A photograph showed an old pram, humorously presented as dating from the time of Napoleon.

The flea market fair attracted a large crowd one Sunday at the crossroads of Vierville Town Hall, especially in the afternoon. Sixty-five exhibitors presented various objects to the curious and buyers.

The event was organized by the Friends of the Beach, chaired by Jean Olard, after two years of suspension of activities. This success encouraged the new team, which was already considering a car rally for the following spring that ended with a friendly meal.

The Loisirs-Éducatifs association also offered the books made by its members during the year. Mayor Mr. Oxéant and General Councillor Mr. Jouet were present.

Sixty-five exhibitors, including a dozen Viervillais, local individuals and professionals, participated one Sunday in the Amis de la plage flea market fair. The good weather attracted many walkers.

After a period of sleep, the association had resumed its activities with a new office chaired by Mr. Olard. She had already offered fireworks and a ball in mid-July. A car rally followed by a dance party was planned for the following spring. The Vierville association of the elderly also participated in the flea market by selling placemats and other manual work.

A Sunday that is not very favorable for swimming, the Friends of the Beach fair attracted many visitors to Vierville-sur-Mer. Jean Olard, president of the association, had registered sixty exhibitors, the vast majority of whom were amateurs. The organizers were pleased with this renewed success.

This event ended the association's program for the year, after a rally, a friendly meal, the Saint-Jean fires and the festivities of July 14, with fireworks and popular ball.

The association Loisirs éducatifs viervillais also had a stand where it sold the books made by its members. Its forty members met every Tuesday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Pyrogravure, painting on fabric or glass, knitting and crocheting were among the activities, each remaining free to choose. An introduction to English followed the manual work.

The municipality made a room from the old school available to them and voted for an annual grant. The association also welcomed people living outside Vierville.

The Amis de la Plage flea market set up its stalls on a Sunday along the main road, towards the church and on the central square. The exhibitors were numerous, but the sun only made a brief appearance.

The weather discouraged some of the walkers, without stopping the regulars of the fairs in the attics. The sellers kept their good mood, some joking about the interest that should have been in the umbrella trade. The meeting remained an opportunity to search for and negotiate second-hand objects.

The last annual event of the Friends of the Beach, the flea market on Sunday, August 7 brought together sixty-three exhibitors, including about twenty professionals. Usual objects, furniture and various items were offered to the many walkers, favored by the good weather. The merchants had opened their doors during these two days, some setting up a stall in front of their window.

President Olard said he was satisfied. The association also presented products made by the elderly. Willy Weibel and Béatrice Marienne, from the Normandy Nordic dog club, showed their five dogs. The second-hand dealers also considered the day successful. The photograph is signed Boudonnet.

The all-out fair organized in Vierville-sur-Mer by the Friends of the beach was once again successful. Jean Olard, president of the association, had registered sixty-three exhibitors: flea market professionals, but also many amateurs, including residents of the municipality. The photograph shows the sale of a very old rocker, tried by its new owner.

Local associations also held stands. The Friends of the beach offered a tasting of teurgoule and fallue. The Loisirs-éducatifs association presented the manual work of its members and announced the resumption of its activities in September, every Tuesday afternoon.

This fair closed the season of activities of the Friends of the Beach, after a rally, a country meal, the Saint-Jean fires and the festivities of July 14 accompanied by fireworks.

The attic fair organized on a Sunday by the Friends of the Beach attracted many visitors in the morning. Books and various objects occupied the stalls, held by residents of Vierville and the surrounding area as well as by professionals.

Some emptied their attic, while collectors searched for the pieces they were interested in. Barter and bargaining animated the day. Located at the crossroads of the coastal road, the flea market also encouraged passing tourists to stop, out of curiosity or to make a find.

The annual Friends of the Beach fair once again attracted a large audience on a Sunday in Vierville. Individuals and professionals had set up their stalls behind the schools and rue de la Mer.

In the morning, visitors were looking for the rare object among postcards, furniture, trinkets, fishing supplies and coins. The children held their own stands of toys, stuffed animals and video games.

The all-commerce fair organized every summer by the Friends of the beach asserted itself as an appointment for collectors and bargain hunters. On a sunny Sunday, exhibitors were numerous in the village of Vierville, where some of the visitors to the beach stopped.

Individuals offered books, clothing, fishing equipment and various objects. The second-hand dealers presented in particular brass, furniture, coins and postcards. Early in the morning, collectors carefully examined the stands to find a good deal or a long-sought-after object, at an affordable and often negotiable price.

The afternoon attracted more curious people, ready to buy especially on a crush. For the organizers, the main thing was to succeed in the animation and to give the exhibitors the desire to come back. The association announced an exhibition of old postcards for the following weekend.

The Friends of the Beach fair brought together more than seventy-five exhibitors on a Sunday. The number of visitors was also increasing, to the point of making traffic and parking difficult.

The volunteers had organized the installation of individuals and second-hand dealers on the beach road. The variety and quality of the objects offered attracted fans early in the morning, then passers-by throughout the day. Exhibitors drew up a satisfactory balance sheet at the close.

One Sunday, the Friends of the Beach fair confirmed its success in the village of Vierville. Exhibitors, private and professional, were more and more numerous.

From the morning until the end of the day, visitors went through the stalls of postcards, furniture, trinkets, fishing equipment, coins and various objects. The children also had their stands of toys, stuffed animals and video games, for the pleasure of bargain hunters and sellers.

On Sunday, August 11, the Friends of the Beach fair confirmed its success of previous years. More than eighty exhibitors, private and professional, had set up their stalls behind the schools and in the Rue de la Mer. The village knew the influx of the big days.

In the morning, visitors came to look for the object they liked among postcards, furniture, trinkets, fishing items, coins and many other objects. The children also had their toy stands, stuffed animals and video games.

The Vierville educational club offered an exhibition-sale of the work carried out by its members during the year.

After an edition bringing together more than a hundred exhibitors the previous year, the Friends of the Beach approached the 2002 flea market with concern: new security constraints required a change of location.

The ninety exhibitors discovered on Sunday morning pitches close to their former locations, around the old school. The regulars were therefore not out of place. The weather, announced bad, remained favorable, with no rain and no strong sunshine to draw everyone away to the beach.

Visitors followed one another during the day. Organizers and sellers considered this new provision of the sale satisfactory.

On Sunday, August 10, the annual Amis de la plage fair attracted many exhibitors and visitors to the village of Vierville. Individuals and professionals occupied the spaces behind the schools and the rue de la Mer.

The bargain hunters arrived in the morning in search of postcards, furniture, trinkets, fishing equipment, coins or other objects. Children also sold toys, stuffed animals and video games.

On Sunday, August 6, the all-out fair organized every year by the Friends of the beach attracted many visitors to the village of Vierville-sur-Mer. More than a hundred exhibitors, private and professional, had settled behind the schools and on Rue de la Mer. From the morning, the public was there.

The committee also welcomed the help provided by about twenty volunteers. Their presence had been appreciated in particular at lunchtime, to ensure the catering of exhibitors and visitors. The photograph of the demonstration is credited to Mézerette.

The annual Amis de la Plage fair has installed more than ninety exhibitors, individuals and professionals, behind schools and on Rue de la Mer. There were many visitors in the morning.

Commercial results were more contrasting: some sellers had worked well, others less. The president noted the multiplication of this type of fairs and the presence of often similar objects. He wanted to look for ideas to renew and improve the event the following year.

The organizers also saluted the help of the many volunteers. However, the afternoon weather had limited the success of the day.

On Sunday, August 3, the Friends of the Beach welcomed more than ninety exhibitors, individuals and professionals, behind the schools and rue de la Mer. The audience was numerous in the morning, but the weather in the afternoon limited the success of the day.

Some sellers had made good deals, others less. The president noted the multiplication of fairs to everything and the repetition of the proposed objects; he wanted to look for new ideas to improve the next edition. The organizers also saluted the many volunteers who came to help.

For the seventh consecutive year, the Friends of the Vierville Beach organized a Norman party on a Sunday. Two parades of floats traveled through the town. Some evoked the French Revolution and the Declaration of Human Rights; others honored Lower Normandy folklore.

Local farmers had lent their tractors for the parades, which also attended the Majorettes Les Pervenches, from Villers-Bocage. In the afternoon, the public could enjoy fishing stands and chamboule-tout, as well as Norman specialties: teurgoule prepared on site, farmer cider, mussels, oysters and Isigny caramels. About forty professional second-hand dealers were present.

In the evening, the folk group Cach'les Via, from Villers-Bocage, gave a show by the sea, followed by a fireworks display. This was the second fire proposed that year by the association, financed by dance parties organized during the year and by donations from the village merchants.

The day organized by the Friends of the Beach began with a parade of flowered floats, appreciated for the imagination and care given to the decorations.

The all-over fair has attracted lovers of rare or unusual objects. The Alfred-Rossel group from Cherbourg then hosted a folk show. A fireworks display and a ball closed this Normandy day.

The Friends of the beach announced their second Norman party for a Sunday. The 1984 edition was to begin at 9 a.m. with a fair open to individuals and professionals on the school grounds, with the presence of the Bayeux lace school.

At 10:15 a.m., Abbé Tourquetil was to celebrate mass with the folk group Alfred Rossel de Cherbourg. A procession of floats, flowery boats, carts, group members and Vaumicel amazons then had to go down to the beach, turn around the Signal monument and join the school.

Sausages, teurgoule, fallue, cider and apple juice were planned for restoration, with Norman games. At 3:30 p.m., the folk group was to give a show of about an hour and a half in the parking lot of the National Guard monument. A ball and a fireworks display were to close the day.

Organized by the Friends of the Beach, the Norman day of Vierville took place on a Sunday in 1985 despite the rain. The morning began with a fair open to professionals and amateurs. At 10 a.m., Father Tourquetil, parish priest of Vierville, had celebrated a religious service.

The bad weather prevented the parade of floats and flower boats planned for the next one. However, visitors stayed to eat, enjoying the teurgoule and cider stands. An improvement in the afternoon allowed the procession of the Norman wedding, the Valognes folk group, the floats and the flowery boats to parade. Walkers appreciated these evocations of yesteryear.

From 9 p.m., the Valognais group presented their show, followed by fireworks. The day, upset by the showers, took place in an excellent atmosphere. The members of the association, whose president is named J.-Pierre Debbel in this cut, had worked hard on its preparation. Norman hats, hats and blouses were out.

The Friends of the Beach, presided over by Mr. Delobel, had long prepared the Norman day: paper flowers, floats, boats and entertainment program. The party began on Sunday at 9 a.m. with the fair for everything, open to individuals and professionals, but the rain disrupted the morning parade.

The sun returned at 3 p.m. at the time of the great procession. The still uncertain weather for the beach favored the arrival of summer visitors, who joined the inhabitants of Vierville and the surrounding area along the way.

The Vaumicel Amazons opened the march, followed by a Norman nupt in traditional costumes. Five tanks evoked agriculture, plowing, harvesting, cider and milk. A wheelbarrow and a donkey loaded with provisions completed the painting.

In the evening, the Valognes folk group gave a dance show on the town hall square. A fireworks display on the beach ended the party.

The Norman day of the Friends of the Beach, chaired by J.-P. Delobel, experienced a record turnout. The most important event of the summer, it required a long preparation of volunteers and residents.

On Sunday morning, Abbé Tourquetil celebrated a mass in French, English and German. A parade on the theme of the sea followed, with six floats made by the inhabitants, including one by the gymnastics club, and the brotherhood of the Odon charioteers. The all-out fair also attracted many visitors, including Mayor Mr. Oxéant and General Councillor Mr. Jouet.

The Vaumicel Amazons joined the procession in the afternoon. Mr. Pelletier was the sound system and animation. The stands were held by the members of the association in Norman costume. The folk group of Villedieu-les-Poêles performed in the evening, before a fireworks display fired in the castle park.

The Friends of the beach, chaired by Jean-Pierre Delobel, organized a Normandy day on a Sunday. This second edition began at 9 a.m. with a fair for everything open to professionals and individuals. The students of the École de dentelle de Bayeux presented their know-how to the visitors.

Abbé Tourquetil celebrated the mass with the participation of the folk group Alfred Rossel, from Cherbourg. At the exit of the office, carts, Vaumicel amazons, floats and flowery boats formed a procession towards the beach. Arriving at the signal monument, the participants turned around to reach the fairground, under applause.

After the meal taken on site, the Alfred Rossel group presented dances and songs in the parking lot of the National Guard monument. The day ended with a ball and fireworks offered by the merchants of Vierville. The newspaper attributed this success to the good weather and the energy of the association.

A car tourist rally was announced for the following Saturday, with a departure at 2 p.m. from the game room. Registration cost ten francs per car and five francs per passenger. A méchoui had to follow the rally.

The Norman festival organized on a Sunday by the Friends of the Beach attracted many visitors who came to shop among the postcards, furniture and trinkets offered at the flea market.

The floats and amazons of the Vaumicel gave the parade its local color, recalling in particular the place of the horse in the Bessin. The vacationers went up from the beach to the heart of the village to follow the activities.

The folkloric dance show of the Pont-d'Ouilly group was one of the highlights of the day.

For the eighth Norman festival, the Friends of the beach chose to revive Vierville in the 1900s-1930s. For a Sunday, floats and costumes allowed the elders to find images of their village and visitors to discover the past.

The floats represented in particular the hotels La Pie qui tette and Piprel, as well as the bazaar Le Gallois, establishments still present but transformed over time. Jean-Pierre Delobel, president of the association, also highlighted the reconstruction of the small train that once crossed Vierville on the line from Commes to Grandcamp.

A fish merchant offered mussels and mackerel from a team of dogs from Molay-Littry. The merchants had worn period costumes. Appreciated by locals and tourists, the party ended with the folk group La Galletière de Lion-sur-Mer.

For the second year, guitar, singing and dancing accompanied the fire of Saint-Jean organized on a Saturday evening by the Friends of the beach of Vierville. The Curé family had made the "Saint-Jean man" model, which burned under the eyes of children and adults.

The good weather had first encouraged walkers to stay along the beach. When the nightly coolness set in, they got closer to the fire, prolonging this early summer evening.

The association then announced a popular ball on the square of Vierville and a fireworks display from the beach on Friday, July 15, then its fair for all things in the streets of the municipality on August 15.

The Friends of the Beach organized a Saint-Jean fire on the beach of Vierville on Saturday, June 18. The stake was lit around 11 p.m. in front of many participants.

Dances and farandoles continued late at night, accompanied by the guitar by Mr. Hélène. The photograph of the report is signed Boudonnet.

The Friends of the Beach organized their Saint John’s bonfire on a Saturday evening. The unexpected influx quickly exhausted fries, sausages and teurgoule. In the glow of the fire, guitarists and singers have drawn the audience into folk songs.

Satisfied with the success, President Jean Olard announced the rest of the program: fireworks and popular ball in Place de la Mairie on July 15, beach games on July 26 and August 9, and the flea market on August 6.

One Saturday evening, the Friends of the beach of Vierville-sur-Mer invited residents and tourists to celebrate the arrival of summer around the traditional Saint-Jean fire.

At the foot of the cliff, west of the beach, the association had set up a tent where visitors could buy fries and sandwiches. Nearby, a huge stake surmounted by a mannequin stood out in front of the landscape, still illuminated by the setting sun.

A few minutes before the night, Jean Olard, president of the association, lit the building with wood and straw. The west wind quickly fanned the flames; the model caught fire in turn, in a sound of firecrackers.

On a Saturday evening in late spring, the Friends of the Beach organized their traditional fire at the foot of the cliff, west of Omaha Beach.

A particularly mild weather, the animation provided in part by the Club Ados de Trévières and the reception of volunteers have favored the meeting between tourists and residents. Music and exchanges preceded the burning of the stake, which illuminated the beach and the cliff.

One Saturday evening, the participants in the Saint-Jean des Amis de la plage shared sausages, merguez and fries facing the sea. Some had preferred this meeting to the televised football match. At nightfall, the guests enjoyed the warmth of the traditional bonfe.

Les Amis de la Plage invited the inhabitants of Vierville and neighboring municipalities on a Saturday evening to meet by the sea for Saint-Jean. Barbecues and music accompanied this family celebration.

The fire was lit at nightfall, gathering young and old around the fire. The newspaper recalled that this tradition was associated with early summer and evoked the ancient custom of jumping over fire.

The first summer appointment of the Friends of the Beach brought together sixty-eight petanque players on the beach on a Wednesday afternoon. Mr. Jatteau organized the meeting with the help of the Trévières club. The series led to three tables and each finalist received a cup.

In the main one, Louis Lechevallier and Patrick Perrier beat André Desailly and Albert Élie. In the complementary, Jean-Claude Porée and Denis Pineau won ahead of Jacques Fleutot and Michel Périer. The consolation went to Pierre Richard and Daniel Dufour, winners of Christian Compagne and Pierre Milot.

The next program announced, on July 14 at 3 p.m., the baptism of the new zodiac, then a torchlight retreat with the Trévières fanfare, a fireworks display and a popular ball. Another petanque competition was scheduled for July 23.

The Friends of the Beach organized their first petanque competition on a Sunday afternoon. The parking lot at the foot of the cliff offered a setting appreciated by the players. The volunteers had set up a tent for the refreshment bar and the referees. Twenty doubles participated under the sun, to the satisfaction of the organizers.

The Friends of the Beach association organized a petanque competition on a Monday afternoon in the parking lot near the beach of Vierville. Twenty doubles, as in the July event, participated, a result deemed satisfactory by President Danielle Guillotte. The players were mostly tourists. Started under a clear sky, the competition was then disrupted by thunderstorms.

Among adults, Pascal and Clément won a cup and 25 euros; Chris and Gaëlle, second, received 15 euros and a prize. In the under-twelfth category, Laurette and Jennifer won a cup and a prize. Each player was rewarded.

The Friends of the Vierville Beach organized two table tennis tournaments on a Wednesday. The afternoon event, reserved for under-16s, brought together few competitors. Adults were more numerous in the evening: their finals ended at an early hour of the night. The newspaper highlights the quality of the matches and the excellent atmosphere.

Among young people, Philippe Cautru is ahead of Erik Boury and Lionnel Seuger. Among adults, Michel Naniche takes first place, ahead of Mr. Legallois and Mr. Baron.

The Friends of the Beach, chaired by Mr. Delobel, started their summer season with two afternoons of table tennis. Monday was reserved for children under thirteen years old; the other tournament was aimed at the older ones. The good weather favored swimming, only fourteen young people participated.

The finals reported saw Jean-Marc Bourhy beat Philippe Guédon and Frédéric Demoor prevail over Anthony Métalia. Arnaud Lechevalier, seven years old, was the youngest competitor and was playing his first tournament. The results of the thirteen-eighteen years were announced for a subsequent edition.

The association also recalled a sand drawing competition, adult table tennis tournaments on July 19 and 20 in the evening and a sand castle competition on July 22.

The Friends of the Beach ended their July entertainment with their traditional table tennis tournament, completed on a Friday evening. About forty people had registered, a number considered exceptional. The playoffs took place on Thursday night, before the quarter-finals, semi-finals and Friday finals. The newspaper saluted the good level of the game and the quality of the meetings.

Patrick Durot won the tournament ahead of Joël de Geyer, François Aulombard and Henri Guédon. A youth tournament, organized on Thursday afternoon, brought together ten participants. Frédéric Demoor won it in front of Georges Corlet and Mickaël Choinard.

The cut also announced a recital of John William at the church on August 4 at 9 p.m., beach games on August 6, a Norman day on August 11 and a rally on August 17.

Chaired by Mr. Delobel, the Friends of the Beach organized their second two-day summer ping-pong tournament. Ms. Lelaidier was in charge of the youth event, which brought together twelve participants. Emeric Delarue, from Trévières, won it ahead of Mathias Paul, Christophe Lamiau and Arnaud Catherine.

Twenty-four players competed in the qualifiers of the adult tournament, organized by Mrs. Racine. The semi-finals and the final were held on Wednesday evening in the Vierville arcade. Marc Boisnel won in three parts against Jacky Suzanne. Ms. Racine presented the cup to the winner and the prizes to the first six. The ranking is as follows: Marc Boisnel, Jacky Suzanne, Joël de Geyer, Bunel, Guimar and Bacry.

For two days, a Monday and a Tuesday, boys and girls from fourteen to seventeen years old competed in the table tennis tournament of the Friends of the Beach, under the gaze of Henri Guédon, at the origin of this animation.

The mastery of the ball was reminiscent of an official competition, but the good mood and relaxation remained summer. Cups and awards offered by the association welcomed the meetings. In the evening, the adults took over. The article envisaged for the following year an evolution towards tennis, with larger rackets and without a table.

During a weekend, the Friends of the Beach presented an exhibition of old postcards devoted to the coast at the municipal hall of Vierville-sur-Mer. The room offered a panorama of Omaha Beach, but visitors mainly came to discover the views of the past.

The exhibition was the result of a long work of research and presentation. The maps were grouped by municipality, on panels organized around fragments of IGN maps. They made it possible to follow a century of evolution of places and lifestyles.

These images retraced in particular the history of the beaches upset by the events of 1944. Some places had completely disappeared in the war; silhouettes and faces also awakened memories, sometimes painful. The journalist stressed, however, that the pleasure of discovery took precedent over nostalgia.

Grexpo and the Friends of the Beach presented together, on a Saturday and a Sunday in the entertainment room, about 750 old postcards from private collections. The exhibition traced the life of the communes between Trévières, Grandcamp-Maisy and Vierville, most of which were represented.

The maps showed both landscapes and scenes from daily life until the 1950s and events that became, at the time, postcard subjects. The article cites in particular a torpedo stranded in Vierville in 1915, an English ship in 1917 and an aircraft in 1935.

Jean-Michel Cattelain, president of Grexpo, presented this meeting around the postcard as a way to discover the evolution of the sector and to find a past disrupted by war. The newspaper announced a new presentation of the exhibition the following weekend, in the Vierville festival hall.

One Wednesday, the Friends of the Beach presented an exhibition of 888 postcards, photographs and old documents dedicated to Omaha Beach and the Landing.

Four collectors members of the association had gathered their research, supplemented by loans from residents. Documents from before 1900 to contemporary views showed the evolution of the commune. Many photographs also evoked the Landing throughout the area of Omaha. Visitors appreciated this highlighting of local history.

One Friday afternoon, the Friends of the Beach of Vierville organized a sand castle contest sponsored by Banania. Forty-eight children aged four to fourteen participated, including young people from a colony of Carrouges, in the Orne, which was then staying in Vierville.

The buildings quickly took shape. The jury, composed of Mrs. Gosselin, Racine and Mrs. Hardelay, members of the association, established the rankings; all competitors received a prize.

In the first group, Jeremy Regnard finished first ahead of Anne-Gaëlle Hédon and Arnaud Lechevallier. In the second, Éric Masaud won ahead of Julien Regnard, Isabelle Vescoir and Nathalie Lediez, second ex æquo. In the third, Philippe Guédon got ahead of Magali Berad. For the colony, Fabien, Vincent and Françoise were ranked first.

Sand games organized by the Friends of the Beach with the support of local traders were announced for the following Monday, in order to complete the July activities.

At the invitation of the Friends of the Beach, chaired by Mr. Delobel, twenty-five children participated in a sand castle competition. For two hours, shovels, rakes and sugs were used to build the castle of their dreams. Romain, the youngest participant, was only eighteen months old and was already riding towers. A jury of three people classified the constructions into three age categories.

Among the under 7s, Isabelle David finished first, ahead of Adeline Deheurinek and Jennifer Dhorne. Between 7 and 10 years old, Florence Streveler was ahead of Delphine Villemont and Jérémie Reniaud. Between the ages of 11 and 14, Sébastien Françoise ranked ahead of Richard Zolvic and Stéphane Hedont. All participants received a reward.

The Friends of the Beach organized their second sand castle contest of the summer on a Wednesday. The start was given at 3:15 p.m., at low tide; the rise of the water set the limit of the construction time.

Fifty participants each had a square of one meter on the side. Buckets, spades, trowels and plastering floats were used to build towers and ramparts. A jury of volunteers distinguished the best achievements by age group, from six-year-old children to adults.

This free animation closed the summer program after the rally, the fireworks, the Saint-Jean, the fair of all things and the first sand competition of July.

During a very sunny weekend, thousands of vacationers enjoyed the beach of Omaha. The newspaper described more than four kilometers of sand and water at 20 or 21 °C, where bathers stayed until late in the evening. Despite a small northerly wind, the swimming flag was green.

On the sand, the children built castles, but also pyramids, sometimes accompanied by a sphinx. Older people preferred to stay dressed and meet to talk in the sun.

The wind favored the kite, practiced by young and old. A good dozen vacationers were paragliding: the cliff of Vierville served them as a meeting place and departure, under the admiring gaze of the walkers.

Other visitors sailed in dinghy or windsurfing, fishing, cycling or playing minigolf. The SNSM rescuers were watching over this high use of the coast.

One Wednesday, the Friends of the Beach gathered forty participants for a sand castle contest. There were many children and five adults also joined the realization of these ephemeral works. After an hour of work, followed by many walkers, the jury evaluated the constructions. All participants received a prize.

The article also announced a large fair throughout August 6, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., open to amateurs and professionals. An exhibition of old postcards from Vierville was to be held on the same day on the premises of the town hall.

One Tuesday, the Friends of the Beach gathered about forty participants in a sand construction competition. Divided into four categories, they had one hour to work on the themes of castles, marine animals or the highest castle.

All received a lot from the association. The Vierville campsite also offered a kite to the best of seven years old and the best of eleven fourteen years old.

The Friends of the Beach gathered about forty participants on Tuesday for a sand construction competition. Divided into four categories, the competitors had one hour to build a castle, a marine animal or try to build the tallest castle.

All registrants received prizes offered by the association. The Vierville campsite also rewarded the best of the second and third categories, those of 7–10 years old and 11–14 years old, with kites.

The first aid station and the Friends of the Beach organized a second sand castle contest together, in which a dozen young people participated. The theme was free. The finishes, considered better than in the first competition, made the jury's choice more difficult.

An Indian village got the most votes. All participants received gifts for their efforts. This contest marked the end of the season.

On a sunny Thursday, at descending tide, sixty children participated in the Sand Castle Contest of the Friends of the Beach. Each had a limited space and time to carry out its construction.

A jury of members of the association and vacationers rated the works before presenting awards. The children of the intermunicipal leisure center also followed the animation.

On Thursday, August 8, the sand castle contest organized by the Friends of the beach brought together sixty participants on the beach of Vierville. Three categories made it possible to decide the constructions.

For a little less than two hours, the children competed in ingenuity. Castles and ephemeral animals have taken shape under the eyes of parents and passers-by. The recreation center participated with a group of twenty-eight children; some adults also competed in the third category.

A jury composed of members of the association established the ranking. Participants then received prizes during a snack offered at the party hall.

Bringing together residents and summer visitors loyal to Vierville, the Friends of the Beach had prepared a varied program for the two summer months. Their sea festival project could not be completed in the desired form, so they proposed a day dedicated to maritime activities. CREPAN, Bayeux Model Club, CNOB sailing club and Vaumicel equestrian club contributed, under the coordination of Jean-Marie Oxcant, deputy mayor.

From Saturday morning and throughout the day, the CNOB offered sea baptisms in caravel. At the end of the morning, the riders of the Vaumicel presented on the beach a demonstration of riding in the Amazon. Dressed in long skirts, they performed, under the direction of Hubert de Bellaigue, a work in a circle, alone and then in pairs, a galloping start and alignments by two, four and eight. This performance attracted a large audience.

The afternoon was devoted to beach games, bag races for children and adults, as well as a duck race: two young ducks released into the sea were caught by the best swimmers.

The Regional Study Committee for the Protection and Planning of Nature, CREPAN, presented the fauna and flora of the coast, with slides on shellfish and plants of the coast. In the same room, the Bayeux Modeling Club exhibited several models of ships.

One Friday afternoon, twenty-eight young people under the age of fourteen participated in the friends of the beach on the dike's chalk drawing contest. Sponsored by Bougard and organized by Mrs. Racine, treasurer of the association, the event distinguished the under-ten and the oldest. The theme was free for the little ones; the elders also had to be imaginative. The jury of volunteers had a hard time deciding them.

Among the youngest, Stéphane Hédon was ahead of Dominique Legrand, Cédric Hédon, Erick Quentin and Jérôme Coulibœuf. Among the over ten years old, Valérie Lebriez finished first, ahead of Michel Quentin, Nathalie Lebriez, Céline Regnard and Frédéric Demoor.

The article also gives the results of the previous Tuesday's table tennis tournament for thirteen-eighten-year-olds: Angélique Demoor ahead of Patrick Loyer and Dominique Loyer. It recalls the adult tournaments on July 19 and 20 in the evening, the sand castle competition on July 22 and the Three Bell Towers fair on Sunday 24.

The Friends of the Vierville beach multiplied the animations for summer visitors, children and adults. Chaired by Jean-Marie Oxéant, the association had planned for July a ball, beach competitions, exhibitions, table tennis tournaments and an evening of scrabble.

One Friday afternoon, Mrs. Racine and Mrs. Hardelay proposed a drawing competition. Each participant had one square meter of parking and multicolored chalks to illustrate the imposed theme: the sea. A jury had to decide the thirty competitors.

Among the under-eights, Nathalie Grandhomme won ahead of Gwénaelle Bailleul and Francky Pédria. In the category of eight to eleven years old, Ph. Guesdon got ahead of C. Jones and Élodie Girault. Among the twelve to fourteen years old, Hélène Hauzerman took first place ahead of Séverine Girault, then Mathilda Jones and Fabienne Girault, third. Among adults, Nicole Racine preceded Alain Racine and Pascal Guilbert.

In its edition of August 30, 1983, the newspaper reports the last sand games of the season, organized the previous Thursday by the Friends of the Beach of Vierville. Children under the age of eight ran on all fours; the older ones participated in wheelbarrow and horseback races, while the adults competed in a treasure race. The atmosphere was excellent. Ms. Racine, treasurer of the association, mainly took care of the organization, with the support of Vierville traders.

In the four-legged race, the ranking was as follows: Cédric Hedont, Cédric Skrzyniarz, Daniel Catherine, Odile David and Vincent Legallois. Among the over eight years old, Marie Aude and Marie Christine finished first, ahead of Laure and Xavier, then Magali and Karine. The treasure race was won by Brigitte and Christine, in front of Doudou and Mrs. Muzzolon, then Pascal and Stéphane.

One Sunday afternoon, many spectators went to the beach of Vierville for a demonstration of the Bayeux aeromodeling club, the weather lending itself little to sunbathing.

Thirty-five aircraft have evolved, including biplanes of more than two meters equipped with engines of thirty-five cubic centimeters. Some performed acrobatics. President Christian Bansard commented on the presentations.

Games associated the public: droppings of candy or eggs to be recovered in a frying pan, banner hunting, baguette to break. The flight of the saucer was particularly pleased. The Friends of the beach organized the demonstration with the Bayeusain club, which had invited members of the Caen CAM. Another major presentation was announced in Saint-Martin-des-Entrées on Sunday, August 31.

One Thursday afternoon, the lifeguards organized a swimming license of a thousand meters at sea in Vierville-sur-Mer. Only three candidates showed up.

The newspaper attributed this low participation to bad weather and the coolness of the water, measured at 19 degrees. The three swimmers nevertheless traveled the distance at their own pace and received congratulations from the organizers.

Five days ahead of Halloween, about twenty children from Vierville met on a Saturday afternoon at the town hall, disguised as demons and witches. They walked the streets of the village in search of a treasure and, above all, sweets.

The harvest was then shared fairly around a snack served by the volunteers of the Friends of the Beach, organizers of this animation.