Dundee is again at the forefront of the annual ‘French Presence in KZN’ week which starts in Pietermaritzburg on May 27 and ends in Dundee on June 4.
The actual “Route Prince Imperial, Louis Napoleon” is the route that a grieving mother, the Empress Eugénie, took to follow in the footsteps of her only child, killed in an ambush on 1 June 1879, in the closing stages of the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879. The Empress spent the anniversary of her son’s death in a lonely vigil where he shed his blood on African soil.
The route was launched by Ray Heron, the, then, chairperson of “The Battlefields’ Routes”, Jenny Bustin, President of the “French Teachers’ Association of KwaZulu-Natal” and Glenn Flanagan, a retired French lecturer.
Glenn is still the active project leader of the cultural tourism research development project for communities ‘ benefit, “The French Presence in KZN: Routes Prince Imperial Louis Napoléon (1996) and King Dinuzulu kaCetshwayo (2017).
The Consul General of France, M. Etienne Chapon, will again grace the province throughout the week.
Following the daily programme in the Pietermaritzburg, the delegation moves north to Pomeroy where they will take tea at the Augustinian Convent, Pomeroy, with the French -South African Augustinian Sisters.
There will also be a rendez-vous with Samkelesiwe Msane, French teacher & Rev. Sipho Zondi from the Pomeroy Christian School.
From the destination is Dundee for the Soirée Franco-Germanic/Swiss in honour of the Prince Imperial’s father, the Emperor Napoleon III to be held at Chez Nous B and B
All are welcome to attend this exotic experience. To book call Elisabeth Durham, Chez Nous B&B: 072 779 5949.
On the Sunday, the programme moves to the Prince Imperial monument in rural Qweqwe where tourist promoters from throughout the region along with the French Consul General, members of the local community, councillors and many others for a commemorative wreath-laying ceremony.
For more details contact Glenn at 082 677 9997.
