The Victor Hugo in Guernsey Society and the Societe Guernesiaise’s Junior Botany Section joined forces in May to explore the amazing natural environment of Moulin Huet. The walk was expertly led by Raymond Evison OBE, Becky Ogier and Sarah Allez who helped the children identify and record some of the plants and flowers that Victor Hugo might have seen on his walks. On reaching the beach the children were delighted to be greeted by ‘Victor’ who showed them a cottage he used to visit on his promenades and picnics with his friends and family. He invited the children and their families to picnic in the garden in order to re-enact the scene shown in an old photo of himself and his family and friends taken outside the cottage.
During the walk and picnic, Margaret Jones, Victor Hugo in Guernsey Education Officer, explained how the island’s cliffs and coves had served as inspiration for many of Hugo’s literary works, as well as for Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s paintings. We finished the event with an opportunity for children to create their own work inspired by this beautiful landscape.
