LesBellansOfLondon

Dear Friends & Family, 

happy New Year 2024 - WE ARE HAPPY TO sharE our 2023 Bellan’s of London family highlights. WE HAD A 2023 year where we met many friends and family. WE HOSTED a family reunion IN JUNE for LAURENT’s BIG BIRTHDAY (WHICH WAS IN MAY, check here the hamilton inspired rap we sang for his party), and had many visits in LONDON and PARIS where we now have a temporary ‘pIED A TERRE’ thanks to my cuRrent job.

Our Parisian haven, nestled in the vibrant 9th AT THE BOTTOM OF MONTMATRE, became the backdrop for countless family & friends moments. THE FLAT IS in a small street at the top of rue des martyrs, alive with the aromas of fromageries and boulangeries; it made us to fall in love with PAris again. I found my rythm, 3 days a week in Paris and the rest ‘home’ in london, and became a eurostar warrior.

Laurent was super busy with the mergeR or eurostar and thalys and spent a lot of time in brussels. This process culminated in a huge party where laurent sang starman …wearing a ziggy wig…check our 2023 gallery :).

we travelled places and spent some time in france, in brittany with our friends valerie & bernard - in their wonderful house by the sea in ST JACK, in cassis to celebrate Laurent’s Birthday (check Alice’s poem on ‘les calanques’), in burgundy cycling, wine tasting, and eating in wonderful gastronomic restaurants in beaune and dijon. LAURENT AND I explored MILAN LAST SPRING and hiked in grand canaria in april, and together with my dear high school friends anne and agnes, I did our ritual trip this year in vienna testing the paris vienna night train. this summer we rented a house by the sea in greece - in sithonia peninsula. Our Greek odyssey, shared with dear friends and the joyful company of Alice and Thomas, was a mosaic of azure seas, wonderful sun rises, suspended in the warmth of the Mediterranean sun, a reminder of the simple pleasures that life offers.

ALice graduated in july as a junior doctor and has started her foundation year and first rotations in general surgery in the tunbridge wells hospital; she is lIving with her friend stella in tunbridge wells. THOmas is learning to drive and searching for an apprenticeship opportunity, and is continuing to perfect his vegetarian cooking skills, with his now famous sweet potato stir fry.

In 2023, we saw many wonderful plays in in London, most often with our friends Stephanie and Francois; we started exploring the parisian scene and visited many art exhibitions in both cities. WE spent time in paris with our US friends Julia and andy in the new year, and saw the beautiful rothko at louis vuitton fondation and nicolas de stael at the paris Modern art museum.

My mum Therese is getting more fragile and less mobile, and is spending winter in a care home in grenoble, missing our family house of the Chevallon, full of memories of my dad and of many generations before. SHE SPENT CHRISTMAS WITH MY SISTERS ANNE AND CATHERINE AND THEIR FAMILIES in the chevallon. LAURENT’s MUM Monika is doing well and active in her malaucene community in provence.

STEPHANIE AND I cOntinued to develop Ellpha aimed at accelerating diversity in organisations by increasing fairness in talent management. Check our new site ellpha.ai.

WE HOPE 2024 WILL BRING PEACE, grace and measure TO THE WORLD - and are following upcoming elections with apprehension.

we are ready for the adventures that await and hope to cross paths soon in London or Paris or elsewhere!

Brigitte, Laurent, Thomas and Alice (and PLATON)