Invitation to the Tenth Belgian Pipers’ Tionol, Borzée 15-17 May 2009
Dear Fellow Piper,
The Tenth Belgian Tionol will take place during the weekend starting 15th May 2009 at the Borzée Nature Centre near La Roche en Ardenne. We are very lucky this year, as Tiarnan O Duinnchinn has kindly accepted to be the guest piper from Ireland. Tiarnan will give tuition Saturday morning and afternoon and Sunday morning, and a recital on Saturday night.
We would be delighted if you could participate in this event, which we hope will be as successful as the preceding ones.
Pipers at all levels of proficiency, from absolute beginners to advanced players, are very welcome. We want to encourage the development of piping, and so we are particularly willing to give beginners assistance to meet their needs. So, if you are a beginner, don´t be shy, come along and you won´t regret it.
We also extend the invitation to pipers’ spouses/ companions, which may hopefully lead to some variety in the instruments played during the sessions.
Here are the practical details:
- Accommodation
Standard rooms have 2, 3, or 4 comfortable beds, shower and heating. You are expected to share a room with other guests, if you come on your own. However, if you prefer a single room, you may have one, for a small extra fee. If you come with a companion, a double bedroom will obviously be booked for you. If you are a lady, a single room will be booked for you, unless you specify that you wish to share it, e.g. with another lady piper.
It is no longer necessary to bring your own bedding (sleeping bag or sheets), but please bring your soap, flannels and towels. We suggest that you also bring a good pair of walking boots.
Full board accommodation will be provided from breakfast on Saturday morning to lunch on Sunday inclusive. Please note that an evening meal on the Friday is not included, and that you should bring a snack if necessary. Please let us know of any special dietary requirement in advance.
- Cost
The “piper” cost includes full board accommodation as described above, participation in the lessons, the recital and the sessions. The “companion” cost is reduced on the assumption that the companion does not attend the lessons.
The “piper” cost in a standard room is 170 Euro (186 Euro in a single room).
The “companion” cost (standard room) is 95 Euro.
There is no charge for children up to 2 years of age and there are reduced charges for children 3 to 13 years old. Please ask for details if you wish to come with children.
3. Registration
Book your place by e-mail to union_pipes@hotmail.com or by writing to R de Wouters, 23 avenue des Vanneaux, B-1420 Braine-l’Alleud, Belgium.
We are subject to the Borzée Centre’s normal rules of booking and have to pay up front. We therefore have to insist that a deposit amounting to 40% of the total charge is paid before 15 March to ensure that your place is booked. Late bookings can only be considered subject to availability of additional rooms.
For those coming from outside Belgium, we recommend paying by Simplified European Transfers to the IBAN account number BE372100875110-28 at Fortis Banque S.A., Warandeberg 3, B-1000 Brussel (BIC GEBABEBB) in the name of Roger de Wouters, mentioning “tionol”.
For those residing in Belgium, the account number is 210-0875110-28.
The deposit is in principle not refundable, except in the event of cancellation of the Tionol, or overbooking.
The rest of the charge can be paid in cash at the Tionol.
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Schedule
There is no fixed and rigid time schedule, and free periods may be extended as the countryside is perfect for walks in the woods. We want everyone to feel relaxed and free, so the following agenda is just a broad idea of what should happen.
Friday 15 May
Arrival of the participants during the evening, check in at the Reception. Informal session in one of the classrooms.
Saturday 16 May
After breakfast, tuition from 10 to 12
Lunch
Tuition from 3pm to 5pm
Free time until dinner time
8 pm recital, followed by a session.
Sunday 17 May
After breakfast, tuition from 10 to 12
Lunch
Departure after lunch -
To reach Borzée
Access to Borzée is easier by road than by rail, but anyone wishing to come by rail should contact us and we will provide information. By road, directions are as follows:
(a) From E25 North coming from Liège-Luik, take exit 50 “Baraque de Fraiture” toward La Roche. Near Samrée, leave the La Roche road and follow the direction Bérisménil (left). Once in Bérisménil, drive toward La Roche (right) and very soon you will see the sign for Borzée on your right. Follow that road through the hamlet and up the hill to the Centre de Vacances.
If you have missed the turning to Bérisménil, just carry on driving to La Roche and then see (c). It is a bit longer.
(b) From E25 South coming from Luxembourg, take exit 51. Drive into Houffalize and there look for direction La Roche. Follow that road and after the village Bérismenil look for the Borzée road on you right. Then see (a).
(c) From Brussels, take the E411 towards Luxembourg. Leave it at exit 18 at Courriere and follow N4 to Marche; after Marche, leave the N4 when you see the sign for La Roche (N888); once in La Roche , look for the direction Houffalize (the road begins just after the bridge and runs parallel to the river). After about 7 km you will see the sign Borzée on your left. Then see (a).
Looking forward to meeting you in Borzée,
Roger de Wouters & Roger O’Keeffe
