Category: Passed events

A busy July

After the blessing ceremony for the Tocqueville church on 5 July, attended by Mgr Cador, Bishop of Coutances, and the book fair on 12, 13 and 14 July, the 15th edition of the traditional discovery walk took place on Saturday 26 August. Nearly fifty hikers gathered in the castle alley for a 7km walk around Tocqueville, during which the life and work of Alexis de Tocqueville were discussed at various stages. A quiz was offered to participants to test their knowledge of this illustrious Tocquevillais.

After passing by ‘La Ferme,’ a former complex of buildings surrounding a square courtyard, the oldest of which date back to the 16th century and the most recent to 1830, the walkers were welcomed by the owner of the Moulin de Bas, one of six mills that once lined the Couplière river in the commune of Tocqueville.

The walk continued with a stop at the Ozeville manor house on the old Saint Pierre Eglise road, now a path, before returning to the village of Gofontaine, crossing the Couplière valley and passing in front of the ‘Vieux Presbytère’ on the heights of Tocqueville, with a beautiful view of the village and the Pointe de Barfleur.

We descended to the church where, after stopping in front of Alexis de Tocqueville’s tomb, everyone settled down in the church for a history lesson on this building, whose origins date back to the 13th century. This was an opportunity to mention all the restoration work undertaken since 2008 and to recall the important role of our Association in helping the municipality to finance all these projects.

After passing by the bust of Alexis de Tocqueville, unveiled in 1936 in the village square, we returned to the castle where a well-deserved snack, pastries baked by volunteers from the Association and artisanal cider, was offered to the hikers.

2025 Annual General Meeting

Our Association held its Annual General Meeting on Saturday April 26 in the church of Tocqueville, in the presence of Chantal Ducouret, Mayor of Tocqueville. Our President Denis Onfroy welcomed the participants and recalled the close and constructive relationship that has always existed between the municipality and the association, which was created in April 2009.

This was an opportunity to review all the restoration work carried out on the church over the last 16 years by the Commune de Tocqueville, with the active support of our Association, and in particular the major programme of damp-proofing the walls and floor, which was completed in October 2024; this last programme, like the previous ones, was the subject of an agreement between the Commune, the Association and the Fondation du Patrimoine, for the collection of donations, which is now closed.

However, there is still work to be done, and the schedule is currently under review. We’ll keep you informed of any decisions taken, including the establishment, with the Fondation du Patrimoine.

In any case, our Association will continue to operate, if only to enable our volunteers to carry out many tasks that do not require the intervention of contractors.

In 2024, our Association, with some sixty members and donors, organized several events, and the 2025 program includes the official inauguration of the work on July 5, the Book Fair on July 12, 13 & 14, the Discovery Walk on Saturday July 26, and participation in the Heritage Days in September.

In accordance with the company’s articles of association, one third of the 12-member Board of Directors was renewed. The incumbents, who stood for re-election, were re-elected. At a meeting on May 10, the Board of Directors re-elected the officers elected in 2024.

The annual subscription remains at €5. The 2025 membership form also allows you to make a donation to our Association. We appreciate your interest in preserving our heritage and thank you in advance for your participation and help.