The kermesse des Cinq Clochers: parish memories

The sun accompanied the five bell towers fair in Vierville on a Sunday. Residents and tourists met at noon around the outdoor rotisserie to share mutton, sausages, chops, pastries and patties.

In the afternoon, lottery, chaboule-tout, exhibitions and refreshments animated the party for young and old. Mutton, fries and pastries were again served in the evening to end the day.

The annual fair organized by Abbé Tourquetil took place on a Sunday according to a formula that has become traditional. The day began with a mass, followed by a wine of honor. Many participants then gathered for lunch.

In the afternoon, the various stands welcomed visitors. The profits of this festival were to contribute to the realization of a parish hall.

The five bell towers fair again attracted a large audience. At noon, seven to eight sheep finished roasting for the visitors; the children of the colony of Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer had come to have lunch on the grass. The afternoon offered flea market, games of skill and chance, lottery and refreshment bar.

Abbé Tourquetil emphasized the quality of the collective work, the atmosphere and the understanding of the preparations. He recalled the importance of an annual success: the revenues were used to repay the loan taken out for the installation of catechism rooms. Thanks to the turnout, the parishioners of the five bell towers could continue their financial commitments.

On a sunny Sunday, nearly two hundred people attended an outdoor mass in the shady park of Vierville Castle. The parish of Saint-Exupère organized this village gathering for the first time. Around noon, the participants shared a picnic in a friendly atmosphere.

Organized for several years by Vierville and the neighboring municipalities, under the patronage of the parish priest of Vierville, the five bell towers fair offered different stands for young and old.

The main attraction of this edition was the draw for a sheep, in which many competitors had participated. Visitors could also have lunch on the grass and thus prolong this festive moment.

Under the sun of a festive Sunday, the fair of the five bell towers brought together parishioners and summer visitors around the tents and stands. About eighty people had worked with his initiator, Abbé Tourquetil, to organize this meeting between Vierville, Asnières, Englesqueville, Louvières and Saint-Laurent.

The parking lot was full and the games of skill or chance maintained the animation. The proceeds of the day were intended for the maintenance of churches, so that each parish could continue to see its bell tower illuminated.

The traditional July fair of the Five Bell Towers attracted a large crowd to Vierville on a sunny Sunday. Games, lottery, books and flea market offered distractions; the large tent of the meal was full.

The profits of this annual event were used to repay the loan contracted to build the halls of the presbytery. The winning numbers of the raffle were 2422, 2859, 3829, 3528, 2256, 3297, 2496, 2181, 3970, 3013, 2777, 2429, 3982, 2174, 3990, 3557, 2746, 3160, 2622 and 3475. The lots were then to be collected at Philippe Ygouf's, in Les Isles, route de Formigny.

The traditional five bell tower fair was held on a Sunday on the field of Vierville. The volunteers of the parishes had prepared many stands to welcome young and old.

The sun led many visitors to the beach; some stopped to let the children play and eat. The pancakes were a great success. The work of the volunteers and the proceeds of the day benefited the parishes.

The five bell towers fair gathered a large audience on a Sunday afternoon in Vierville-sur-Mer. The newspaper highlights the success for the seventh consecutive year and salutes its organizer, Abbé Tourquetil, dean of the Aure and parish priest of the parishes of Saint-Laurent, Louvières, Asnelles, Englesqueville and Vierville, according to the printed list.

Bottle fishing, bag race, chamboul'tout and other stands were to finance the refurbishment of churches and supply the coffers for the 1985 fair.

The thirteenth edition of the five bell towers fair was a great success. Originally, it included the parishes of Vierville, Saint-Laurent, Englesqueville-la-Percée, Asnières and Louvières. For a few years, it has also hosted those of Formigny, Colleville, Surrain and Aignerville. The article highlighted the essential role of volunteers.

Usually devoted to the maintenance of churches, the proceeds of this edition were to be used to pay for the catechism rooms built by the construction sites of the diocese. Half of the cost of the work was then reimbursed.

Eighty young Germans from Altena, Westphalia, and housed at the Vierville camp participated in the afternoon games with the summer and parishioners of Father Toutquit. The photograph illustrates in particular a sac race.

The evening raffle assigned a sheep to the number 2448, a mirror to 2712 and an icon to 1627. The numbers 2552, 1435, 2816, 1843, 2329, 2551, 2905, 1053, 1404, 1088, 2738, 2719, 1194, 2315, 2865, 1471, 1551, 1327, 2394, 1337, 1436 and 2164 also won a small prize.

Mr. Desailly won the lobster, which weighed 2,090 kg. The denomination specified that the lots were to be collected at the presbytery of Vierville-sur-Mer.

The Five Bell Towers fair, bringing together the nine parishes served by Father Tourquetil, won a new popular success on a Sunday. Created twelve years earlier, it financed the maintenance of churches.

Since 1980, the parishes had benefited from 98,000 francs, plus 44,000 francs of common expenses for maintenance, painting and equipment. A catechism room had also just been built near the Vierville presbytery.

The draw of subscription vouchers for these rooms had designated numbers 3207, 3249, 2050, 3258, 3380, 2171, 3101, 2304, 2619, 2093, 3463, 2653, 3196, 3155, 2858, 1683 and 1329. The 1.786 kilogram lobster was won by Mr. Legrand d'Englesqueville and the lobster by Mr. Bernard-Marie d'Asnières-en-Bessin.

About eighty organizers from Vierville, Asnières, Englesqueville, Formigny and Aignerville had prepared the five bell tower fair. One Sunday, on a field close to the beach, the parishioners offered many activities: bouncy castle, lapinodrome, chamboule-tout, angling and mini-brocante.

The sun and the summer people were there. A roast mutton meal was offered at noon. Between the beach and the games, the event brought together many participants; the photograph underlines the success of the lapinodrome.

The winning numbers of the raffle were: 2091, 1330, 2855, 3376, 2187, 1981, 2040, 1184, 3355, 1928, 3433, 2035, 1841, 1494, 1760, 2900, 3059, 2621, 1769, 3430, 2316, 1390, 2363, 1449 and 2619. The lots were to be collected from Mr. Philippe Ygouf, in Vierville-sur-Mer.

The catechism premises of Vierville were inaugurated on a Sunday in the presence of the mayor, Mr. Oxéant, municipal councilors, mayors of the served municipalities and parishioners. Also present were Mr. Girault, responsible for diocesan work, Abbé Aubry, treasurer of the bishopric, Abbé Edy, dean of the Aure, and members of the economic council.

Father Tourquetil, parish priest, sent his thanks. The mayor congratulated him for his dynamism; Mr. Girault praised his action and that of the council. Dean Edy blessed the places as well as the crucifixes for the four catechism rooms.

The realization cost 390,000 francs. The profits of the annual fair had already made it possible to self-finance 160,000. The visit of the premises ended around the glass of friendship.