IATNL News

Official Naming of French Shore Trail
12-11-2009

On October 13 IATNL Chairperson Paul Wylezol and Trail Director Arne Helgeland attended a meeting in Conche on the eastern side of the Great Northern Peninsula to discuss the development of the Conche to Croque section of trail, and to officially rename it the French Shore Trail.   Also in attendance were community leaders from the historic French Shore, as well as representatives from the French Shore Historical Society and the Nordic Economic Development Corporation.

It was a beautiful fall day with fantastic views of Conche Harbour and the coastline to the south

and Crouse Harbour, Village and Peninsula to the north.

Among the things discussed at the meeting were the extension of the trail north to Grandois and south to Englee, as well as the establishment of a local trail committee to help with the naming of various trail sections and sites, and to add to the trail's cultural and historical interpretion.  

After the meeting Paul and Arne toured the French Shore Historical Society workshop where local women were busy completing the Conche Tapestry, a 200ft+ long tapestry reminiscent of the Bayeux Tapestry on display at Bayeux, Normandy, France.  The Conche Tapestry depicts the history of the French Shore of Newfoundland, including the 1,000 year old Norse presence, an interesting historical connection to the Norman-era Bayeux Tapestry.

To view more photos from the Official Naming Of The French Shore Trail go to IATNL Flickr...

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