Land Rover Weekend - 3rd and 4th July 2010

[Le Marocosé]

Jacques Vezinier, founder of the Burgundy Land Rover Club, and the 'Solidarity Land' club based in Dijon, is organising the 3rd Annual Land Rover Meeting during the first weekend of July here, at the 'petite ferme' belonging to Village Land. The location is about six hours drive (575 kms) from Calais - (approx 275 kms due south of Paris). GPS coordinates are: 46deg51'28.42"N - 3deg17'25.56"E
On a 'Tom Tom' (French map) - tap 'luthenay uxeloup' and then 'la vesvre'

This year Jacques wants to invite 'Landistes' from the UK to participate in a great weekend event in Central France and to meet French 'Landistes' and their Land Rovers.

The meeting is exclusively for Land Rovers however, one exception is continuing a warm welcome to the Eriba Caravan Club and their Land Rovers. These historic German built caravans are extremely rare in France due to the French registration restrictions. On their forum is a host of photos taken over the past two events that they've attended here.

The venue is situated at La Grande Vesvre, Luthenay Uxeloup on 5 acres of land which borders the Loire Canal - the meeting activities include an autojumble and the opportunity to 'greenlane' for about 7 kms in woods alongside the River Loire. A more intensive trek - using a routebook - is also available. This goes past an organic cheese farm which, from past experience, encourages a lot of stopping and tasting!!! Camping is 'a la ferme' with several spots at the farm, next to a nearby lake or on the banks of the Loire. Lunchtime and evening meals are available where, in typical French style, everyone sits at long tables and socialises. There's good local sightseeing including the National Park of the Morvan with it's impressive forests and lakes. Nevers (20 minutes away) is a great place to visit and shop. For the religiously informed, St. Bernadette, - the saint who saw the vision of Mary at Lourdes - is at rest in Nevers. To the south - 15 minutes away - is the lovely old walled town of Decize. During the weekend here, there will be a representative from the tourist office on hand with some local information.

All the facilities here are free, although, near the loos, there will be a 'trust tin' to throw a few centimes into - as the loos have to be rented (and emptied!!).

The camping facility will be open for UK visitors to 'dig in' from Thursday evening (1st of July) and people may leave, at their leisure, after the weekend is over. There will be organisers on hand throughout the event to assist wth emplacements etc. (they will be wearing dedicated T shirts - in sort of pale lime green - which the French call 'pistache'!!).

The meals (at 8 euros for lunch and 12 euros for dinner) have to be ordered in advance but you can do your own thing and just join the throng for a beer if you want to. It's all very relaxed.

So, if you fancy a memorable long weekend and you'd like some more information - just send an email in English to Alan Langridge or in French to Jacques Vezinier

We look forward to seeing you here in La Belle France on the 3rd and 4th of July.

Here is a link to the local area including some photos of the 2008 and 2009 meetings