The phone rang. It was a French number. I answered cautiously. ‘Allo?’

Alain, the Trumpeter, on pilgrimage

It was Alain, the trumpeter from the Cornouaille Jazz Band! He’d arrived in St Peter Port from Port La Forêt in his 6m yacht and could we meet.

Parking on St Peter Port’s Victoria Pier there was no mistaking Alain’s bright red yacht. He told me that 40 years ago his father had sailed with him to Guernsey in this very yacht.

Not having been back in all that time, he felt it was right to make the pilgrimage and at the same to meet Lin and I again.

An audience

After some delicious Breton Cidre, Alain produced his piccolo trumpet. ‘Just for you,’ he said.

Alain played and played, ending with the British National Anthem. Cries of ‘Encore’ and ‘Bravo’ came from the impromptu audience that had gathered on the adjacent piers.

A visit to Play d’eau

The next day, Alain joined us on board Play d’eau. Jason, a Frenchman who lives in Guernsey and keeps his yacht, Bullet, next to us, joined the party to ensure we didn’t miss any conversation.

Lin had made some delicious canapés, and with bottles of Guernsey cider we toasted Port la Forêt and the Cornouaille Jazz Band. When the cider was exhausted, rosé appeared.

Before leaving, Alain produced his trumpet again declaring it was only right to play on Play d’eau, in Beaucette.

Alain played his heart out. His piccolo trumpet echoing around the Beaucette’s quarry walls. Again, an audience appeared. After many encores, it was, sadly, time to go.

A two-way promise

We promised to return to Port la Forêt and in return Alain promised to bring his band to play on Play d’eau en masse.

One condition. Breton Cidre.

Piers and Lin
from the bandstand of
Play d’eau
Fleming 55