Les Garrigues in Croatia with Gimpl - July 2017

It was truly a wonderful trip!! That’s what you could hear when the singers and chaperones from the Les Garrigues choir arrived back from Croatia. It all began early in the morning on July 11. The Les Garrigues choir set off on its traditional end-of-season trip. The first stop was Pavia and its famous Carthusian monastery, built in the 14th century at the behest of the powerful Visconti dynasty. After a guided tour led by a monk, the group set off for Bergamo. There, the funicular allowed visitors to reach, without too much effort, the old town, enclosed within its medieval ramparts and home to many beautiful mansions.After a restful night’s sleep and a few hours’ travel, it was “eternal” Venice that revealed its treasures to the group members… The Rialto Bridge, the Doge’s Palace, the Grand Canal, and the Ghetto—all reasons to marvel, while enjoying a gelato, of course. Late in the evening, the group arrived in Ravna Gora, Croatia, where the choir took up residence.Wednesday was devoted to a visit to Plitvice Lakes National Park. A stunning succession of turquoise lakes flowing into one another through foaming waterfalls, all set against a lush green backdrop. The following day, the group set out to explore the island of Krk. The cultural tour included the monastery on Košljun Island, St. Lucy’s Church, the Baška Stele with its 11th-century Glagolitic script, and finally the town of Krk. The afternoon ended with a swim in the warm waters of the Adriatic Sea.On Saturday evening, after spending the day with our hosts from the Gimpl choir, a joint concert broadcast on a local radio station allowed a delighted audience to discover a varied repertoire combining traditional songs from Macedonia and Croatian folklore with the rustic tones of Occitan melodies, with both choirs coming together for a spirited joint performance. Finally, the choir members set off on their return journey with their ears and eyes full of fond memories, eager to reunite for the resumption of rehearsals on Friday, September 1, at the community center in Saint-Bauzille-de-Montmel.Feel free to join us, even if you’re a beginner… the desire to sing is the only requirement for joining us.