This piece- with relevance to Les Copains- originally was published in August 2007.

In August in Thezan we were joined by one of my oldest friends Michael, I use the phrase judiciously, for not only has Michael been a friend since we were at school together(some fifty years ago) he also served as my best-man in 1973 and he celebrated a certain significant birthday last week with us in Languedoc.

In the course of the day we fell upon this quite dotty pair of Hurdy-Gurdiests who were in the town of Capestang on the Canal de Midi.

They handed out song sheets so that other dotty idiots could sing along with them.
I was immediatly suckered, the song sheets were full of terrific French Chansons.and there I spotted my favourite George Brassens number which on request the played for me.
Of course Michael and I joined in the singing.
It seemed very suitable to have the two ancient friends together in France celebrating their dotage by singing Les Copains d’Abord