The Balloon Goes Up
 Every year during the first weekend in June, our friends in Annonay in period costume, re-enact in the town centre the historic first demonstration of a working hot air balloon by the Montgolfier brothers. Unusually, this year's re-enactment was held in the park at Chateau Deomas due to ongoing construction work in the town centre.

Normally, the balloon (which is unmanned) is tethered due to the potential danger to buildings and aircraft. However occasionally, when the conditions are right, the balloon is released with spectacular results. This was one such year as the attached photographs reveal, providing the delighted onlookers with a real treat. 

Click on a picture for larger view
The annual Balloon Festival in Annonay is special in itself but this year a  Patchwork Exhibition was added to the programme.  Contributions from  Annonay, Backnang and Chelmsford were on display in Deomas castle - a  veritable stitchfest to wonder and admire. Quilts (some so vast they had  to be hung in the stair-well), pictures, collages and smaller items amounted to an impressive show of talent from all three towns. Some of the quilts  had a story to tell, some showed pure artistry and imagination, all  encouraged us to go home and pick up the needle. Chelmsford's display came  from the ladies of Keene Quilters, based in Stock, and we are very grateful  for their help and support. We have been inspired and we hope to have a similar joint twinning exhibition in Chelmsford in the future.                                                                                                         Janet Smith
Annonay Balloon Festival Articles  -  June 2011