ATTENTION Francophiles.

As I write this, the King and Queen are leaving Paris after a state visit to France which, observers have commented, felt like a warm family reunion.

Although sometimes rivals, the French still feel enormous affection for their erstwhile liberators and friends, the British.

Many of us learned French at school and have enjoyed their food, wines, fashion, perfumes and culture. We have experienced holidays in the magnificent country of France.

This is an appeal to all Francophiles, please support the Winchester branch of the French circle, formerly the Alliance Francaise.

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Having been a strong group, since its foundation, during the war in 1941, it has promoted French culture through illustrated lectures on diverse topics, but it now needs a boost both in its Committee and its general membership.

Research at the Hampshire Record Office has uncovered a fascinating account of the public meeting in May 1941 in the Banqueting Hall of the Winchester Guildhall, where Yvonne Salmon, Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur, gave a talk on the Free French, led from the London Headquarters of the Alliance Francaise by General de Gaulle.

M’selle Salmon referred to the fall of France on the fateful day of June 17, 1940 and said that she feared for the end of the Entente Cordiale. On the contrary, she was heartened to find that her English friends buoyed her up by declaring that they were sure that in due course they would be sharing her joy in regaining the freedom of France, just as they were sharing her present grief in France’s loss of liberty.

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Six months later in November 1941, the first meeting of the Winchester branch of the Alliance Francaise, was held. Its subject was, ‘France may have lost the battle, but not the war’.

Our current lectures are varied and are thankfully of a lighter nature! This season’s subjects vary from Dior to Degas. They are held monthly given in French, by French speakers, on Thursdays at St. Peter’s Church Hall in Jewry St, Winchester.

We meet for a glass of wine and a chat at 7pm, followed by the lecture at 7.30pm for about one hour. The association also runs a French book club and a conversation class.

I personally feel very optimistic that this active group, with its interesting history, whose lectures I attended back in the 60s when I was an ‘A’ level French student, will, with your support, go from strength to strength.

The lecture series starts with ‘Christian et Catherine Dior’ on Thursday, October 12. For more information go to cfwinchester.org.uk.

Christine Finch,

Bilberry Lane,

Micheldever