Day: April 3, 2018

Contributor: Christian Brochier, Cévennes

Easter Monday and for three days, in Saint Jean du Gard, one of the towns on the Chemin de Stevenson, it was Boulegan, a dance and traditional music festival (one of the biggest in France) that brought together several thousand dancers, some of whom came from Spain, Italy, the Netherlands or elsewhere in Europe (see photo). The music was very lively and the atmosphere warm and friendly, faithful to the values of RLS; openness and tolerance of others. For the dancing there was polka, bourrée, scottishe (traditional French dances), on tunes from Rap to more than 2000 people Saturday night.

Contributeur: Elizabeth Baird, RLS Club Edinburgh, Lothian

The RLS Club met at a hotel in Edinburgh which was formerly the home of the great lighthouse builder Robert Stevenson, RLS’ grandfather. Members enjoyed a talk on the 8 years which Stevenson spent as a student, eventually abandoning engineering for law.  By studiously avoiding lectures and pursuing his colourful interests elsewhere he laid the foundations for a wide a varied literary career.

Former home of Robert Stevenson

Commemorative plaque

RLS the student aged 21

The RLS Club under the watchful eye of Robert Stevenson (picture at the back of the room)