The Standard
We had an invitation to attended a ceremony of the ‘Caveau de Sabrage of the Confrérie du Sabre d’Or’, at the Château Savennes in the Auvergne. Japp and Rob run the Château as a hotel. It had some restoration work carried out on it last year and Peter was involved in the work.
We had no idea what the ceremony entailed. We arrived at 5 pm and were shown to our room, which was delightfully decorated and had a huge rolled top bath in the large ensuite. There was a separate shower wet room and a separate toilet.
I changed into clothes that I have not worn for sometime, as they are not the sort you wear in the garden, but are more appropriate for wining and dining.
We went down to the bar, which is interestingly decorated in Monopoly games from all over the world along with special editions. There are boards, with money, cards and pieces glued on and then mounted around the perimeter of the ceiling. Along the bar is a glass counter with a shelf under neither, with further examples of the game displayed.
The drink served was of course champagne, from the château of Philippe Brugnon, an official of the Confrérie du Sabre d’Or organisation, along with Oysters. We then went outside for the ceremony to begin.
The music began and a procession of four people, two women and two men, came outside one behind the other, dressed in their ceremonial cloaks, hats gloves and medals.
They walked around and formed a line in front of the standard.
All Lined Up
Japp was called forward and given a bottle of champagne and a sabre. He held the bottle in one hand, pointing away from his body, and with one smooth movement, knocked the cork out the bottle. Japp then stood in front of the master, Philippe Brugnon, who placed his sabre on Japp’s shoulder and recited the initiation. Japp then received his chain with a cork enclosed in a gold cage, along with a certificate and sash.
Japp With Champagne and Sabre
Two further men were initiated and then came Rob’s turn. He is already a Chevaliers-Sabreur and was moving up a level. Whereas the other three had de-corked a bottle Rob had to de-cork a larger one.
Rob with his Champagne and Sabre
One of the gentlemen was also a member of the Société Mycologique de France and as you can see was wearing the uniform of his organisation. He had come in a 1935 Fiat and very kindly gave several of us a little ride.
The Ceremony Complete
The Diploma
Sash and Corks
The Corked Bottles
After the ceremony we had an apero, champagne of course then we all went into the dining room for a delicious five course meal. Champagne accompanied the first course and then each course was matched with a complimentary wine.
The gentleman I was sat next to will be eighty next January. He jogs 15 km everyday, and swims everyday from April to October plus he goes skiing several times a year on black runs. He also has a wicked sense of humour. A person to aspire to. We both finished the evening off with a cognac before retiring.
After a restful nights sleep we all met for a superb breakfast before we went our separate ways.
The whole event was very prestigious and we feel very honoured to have been invited to witness the ceremony.