The Rotary Club of
Cuckfield & Lindfield

linked with

Laval Ambroise Paré

The first international exchange visit with another club took place in September 1985 when a group of Cuckfield & Lindfield members and wives visited the Rotary Club of Laval Ambroise Paré in Mayenne, France. Since then there has been an exchange visit one way or the other with the French club every year until 2004. Currently the official exchanges are on hold, although it is hoped that individual members or small groups will continue to exchange visits on an informal basis.

THE ROTARY CLUB of Laval Ambroise Paré (in District 1650) was founded in 1977 as the second Rotary club in Laval and received its Charter on 24 June 1978. Pierre Taton was the Founder-President. Members meet every Wednesday evening at 7.15 in the Brasserie du Theatre in the rue de la Paix, Laval.

Laval is a fine old town straddling the River Mayenne. It has a population of 50,000, and stands 50 miles from Le Mans and 90 miles from Caen.

1993: President Norman England gets his hands on the gift of wine from Laval

1994: In some French square, waiting for something to happen

Ambroise Paré?

Ambroise Paré was a French surgeon, often known as the father of modern surgery. He was born at Bourg-Hersent, a small village near Laval, in 1510. He joined the army as a surgeon in 1537. He was surgeon successively to Henry II, Charles IX and Henry III.

Paré improved the treatment of gunshot wounds and substituted ligature of the arteries for cauterisation with a red-hot iron after amputation. Surgery was greatly influenced by his writings, especially Cinq Livres de chirurgie (1562). Ambroise Paré died in Paris in 1590.

1994: Rival petanque players at Olivet Manor, Laval (Jacky Quere, Christian Finocchiaro, Dominique Seillan, Malcolm Wykes, Bob Law, Jim O'Dwyer)

1999: Rendezvous chez Carole et Cameron Sharp

1994: Buffet lunch at Olivet Manor, near Laval

1999: The French group picture at Cameron Sharp's barbecue