Ecurie Brayonne Automobile

The English like France - we like the wine, the food ... and the roads.

France is a big country with traffic density much lower than we are used to, and French motorsport has the advantage of closed roads for rallying and hill climbs. Every weekend each region has a tarmac rally and while these may be short, they are not expensive - and the atmosphere is always terrific. Most of the competitors are in Group F cars, a class which allows more modifications and older cars than the international Group N and Group A classes. There are enough competitors and fans to support three major motorsport magazines: Rallye, Compte Tours ("Rev Counter") and Echappement (a pun on "Exhaust" and "Escape").

We know that Southern Car Club members like to go to France - Honfleur was the most recent in a history of fine visits. We know that Southern supports club-level motorsport. We like the comfort of the known but we enjoy the challenge of the slightly strange. How can we combine them?

I felt that if Southern had a constant point of contact in France we could join in with club events and have the fun of playing host to fellow motorsport fans. We could learn a lot from our near neighbours and in turn show them how we do things here.

My thoughts turned to Echappement and I wrote to Antony Cauchy who covers the area around Dieppe. Could he recommend a club for Southern to twin with? His father, Jacky, is President of Ecurie Brayonne Automobile based near Dieppe. A happy coincidence.

Catherine and I went to EBA's prize giving before Christmas and were very generously welcomed. In my first attempt at public speaking in French I explained (at least, I think I explained ...) that SCC would like to twin the clubs, and I presented the President with his SCC membership card. In turn we were given a most handsome bowl to welcome us. Jackie and Antony Cauchy came to Southern's prize giving and took away a very beautiful pewter and glass plate to mark the twinning.