Retired Conseil de la Manche president honoured
ONE of Alderney's strongest political proponents in Normandy was given a vin d'honneur on Wednesday – and a huge slab of local butter.
Jean-Francois Le Grand recently retired after 17 years in office as the president of the Conseil de la Manche in Cherbourg. He also represented the Manche department in the Senate of France for 29 years.
During the past decade he has been a keen advocate on the Continent for Alderney and the rest of the Channel Islands, believing that the islands' proximity, shared history and economic ambitions forged strong links between them.
States of Alderney President Stuart Trought hosted a vin d'fonneur in the Island Hall's Anne French Room as a thank you for Monsieur Le Grand's efforts for Alderney, with politicians, Alderney tapestry contributors and arts representatives all raising a glass to him too.
The politician was handed the key to the town of St Anne and a huge pat of Alderney butter – which Monsieur Le Grande proclaimed was the 'best in the world'.
'I am very happy and proud to be here and it is a great honour to be presented with the key to St Anne,' he said.
