Visit from Les Musicales Variations from Saint Gilles Croix de Vie, France – 27^th – 30^th March 2025

Coleford Community Choir and Coleford Twinning Association welcomed Les Musicales Variations from Saint Gilles Croix de Vie, the neighbouring town to St Hilaire de Riez, to Coleford for the first time.

Their musical director, Gilbert Chateaubon, brought a group of 25 singers to perform at two venues in Coleford and Berry Hill.

Although only a short visit, it was a packed itinerary and joint choirs and members of the Twinning association joined together for a welcome meal at Bells Hotel, following their arrival.

The following day, members of Coleford Community Choir prepared a very enjoyable meal for the joint choirs after the rehearsal for the concert that evening. The evening concert at Coleford Baptist Church was amazing. The gospel choir and community choir sang separate sections and joined together for a special tribute to Michelle Kay, without whom the concert would not have happened. Our final joint song, saw people dancing in the aisles and was a wonderful end to the concert.

The following day, the choir sang at Christchurch, Berry Hill and several members of the choir joined the audience and joined in the songs we all knew.

The farewell reception, at The Main Place, was a mixture of all those who had made the fun packed visit a great success. The choirs took it in turn to sing songs and we all joined in ones that were know by both choirs.

Coleford Community Choir is looking forward to a return visit to St Hilaire in June this year, when we will sing at the Fete de la Musique in St Hilaire and with Les Musicales Variations again.