French tourists (from left) Thibaut Denos (22), of Niort,
Jeremy Nogues (25), of Pyrenees, and Simon Bastiere (21),
of Poitiers, prepare to leave Dunedin yesterday. Photo by
Craig Baxter.
There was no sign of les bleus as a trio of French rugby
fans packed up their tricolour in Dunedin yesterday.
"We came here for the Rugby World Cup and to travel around
your beautiful country for a while. Everything has been
really amazing fun. Apart from the rugby final, of course
..." business student Thibaut Denos (22), of Niort, said.
"Although, we didn't mind losing too much. Because we were
happy in 1999 and 2007," Jeremy Nogues (25), of Pyrenees,
added with a Gallic grin.
The three French amis have been travelling the South Island
together since they met while working on a Blenheim vineyard
two months ago. They began packing up for their journey north
yesterday, after spending Sunday night at the Dunedin Holiday
Park.
"We spent New Year in Queenstown. It was so much fun. There
were lots of girls and parties," business student Simon
Bastiere (21), of Poitiers, said.
"We met a lot of new friends. It was a very friendly and
beautiful atmosphere."
The Frenchmen said there were many similarities between New
Zealand and home.
"It reminds me of Corsica here, in the South Island," Mr
Denos said.
"But there's less animal life than we thought we'd see.
Although we thought we saw a hedgehog yesterday."
The trio plan to travel up the east coast of the South Island
back to Auckland, before returning home to France in April.
nigel.benson@odt.co.nz
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