The association « Friends of La Roche Courbon » (AMICOUR) is an association according to the law of 1901, created in 1999. It aims at helping to conserve the château, the gardens and the forest as well as making this listed estate known to the public.

Activities of AMICOUR

2000 :
Its first action was an appeal for donations to restock the forest after the storm damage of December 1999 :
“ In fact, on the night of Monday 27th -Tuesday 28th December 1999 it took just five hours of nightmare to raise to the ground nature’s harmony which had taken hundreds, maybe thousands of years to be developed.
Today, after the raging storm passage, there is only an inextricable entanglement of tree trunks and branches out of which can be seen, now and there, an oak with its arms spread wide or broken half way up.
It is a pilgrimage of desolation which one makes amidst these skeletons reminiscent of a forest destroyed by war shells.
In this erstwhile Eden, Paul Chénereau had resuscitated the château and its gardens; they were fortunately more or less spared by the fury of the elements.
Now, around “La Belle aux Bois Blessés” (Injured Beauty), we have to clear, re-plant and let time take its time. It will take a long time, that’s why we have to start now.”
Thus was Jacques Badois’ appeal.

2001 :
Thanks to numerous donors, La Roche Courbon was able to buy and replace 40 lime trees along the main drive now called “Allée Amicour” which was inaugurated in February.
April :
• Appointment of Florence Cabanne as an educational agent.
• Installation of an old-world games area in collaboration with the château and its promotional publicity.

2002 :
At the end of that year Amicour had 278 members and numerous donations for the forest re-establishment.
June :
• Participation to the “Heritage day” the theme of which was “woods”.
5th May – 3rd November :
• Exhibition called “Pierre Loti, a photographer”.
September :
• Visited by “The friends of Pierre Loti international association”.
Novembre :
• Writer’s workshop on the subject of Pierre Loti’s photographs.

2003 :
250 members and still numerous donors for the forest. Many thanks to them all.

The comic strip “Les Amours de La Roche Courbon” appeared in April and was offered for sale in the château boutique for 10 euros. 12th April : • AGM in the “grange”. This provided the opportunity for members to see the comic strip and have their copies signed by the authors.

"Les amours de La Roche Courbon" (publish. Geste Editions 2003) design: Sophie Balland script: Didier Quella-Guyot

15th June :
• Local Heritage day : “Raw earth, baked earth”. Art workshop organised by Mme REPPEL-BOVET who provides the château boutique with pottery all year round (Pottery at Pont l’Abbé d’Arnoult).
22nd-26th June :
• “Semaine de l’Audace” (Week of Daring) followed by an exhibition until 21st September to commemorate 40 years of painting by the artist Michel GENTY.

2004 :
13th March :
At the AGM, the number of committee members was increased from 15 to 17. Eight candidates came forward and were all unanimously elected. The committee now has an assistant secretary and an assistant treasurer. The new members should provide the association with a new dynamism.
26th May :
• A theatre performance of “La Belle au Bois Dormant” (Sleeping Beauty) for children.
20th June :
• Local Heritage day : “uncut stone, cut stone” Mr. Jacques DUMAS demonstrated prehistoric stonework by cutting flint.
July - August :
• Exhibition about water mills in collaboration with ADAM 17 (Association of friends of water mills in Charente-Maritime).
4th and 5th December :
• Christmas market