Aighion
Location: Greece (Peloponnese Gulf of Corinth)
Village type: Cases
Opening date: 1959
Closing year: 1993
A little history: Few of you know this, but Aighion was a Magic Village before becoming a Club Méditerranée village. It was during the merger of Paul Morihien's VMs with Club Méditerranée that Aighion became part of the Tridents.
In the first year, the village offers little or no sporting activities. It is the starting point for excursions to the ancient sites of the Peloponnese, as well as those located in mainland Greece, such as Delphi and Athens. Tours to Israel are also offered from the village.
A sailing school was established in the village in 1960. The village has a small port that can accommodate caravels and scoundrels, while the caïque departs from the pontoon for spearfishing, bivouacs, and picnics.
The village is nestled in the greenery along a pebble beach. The seabed is covered with sea urchins. Watch your step, you only have to bend down to pick them up from the shore. These sea urchins are a real treat!
Village Chiefs:
Pierre LEVRARD opened the village in 1959.
René PERNEL closed the village at the end of the 1993 season.
The journey:
By successfully negotiating with the Greek military authorities, the club obtained permission to land its planes at the Araxos military base located south of Patras. This facility significantly shortened the transfer times from Athens.
Memories, memories:
These memories go back to June/July 1993. I still remember those 15 days spent in Aghion. The village was barely a quarter full. The crisis, the Gulf War, perhaps also, had dissuaded some from leaving. Paris / Araxos AR on Minerve. Not a very large village spread out in the middle of the vegetation, oleanders and bordered by the Gulf of Corinth.
I appreciated and loved this village. Case Tendresse, sea bass necklaces still at the time, discovery of kayaking, picnic outings, sea urchins and resinous wine!
I also remember this wind that blew for 12 consecutive days (it works in 3s there) and prevented the windsurfing activity from working.
Aighion, it was also the excursions to the ancient Greek sites.
Those who know me well know my strong taste for history. Delphi, Mycenae, Nafplio, Olympia with the excursion group from the Olympia Club village, but also Epidaurus where I was able to attend with some other GMs and the excursion leader a Greek tragicomedy given in the ancient theater, all remain today in my fondest memories.
The village excursion leader was a Belgian GO. I would meet her again at Les Boucaniers a few years later.
The village chief was René Pernel. He was ending his career as village chief there, which he had begun in 1971.
1993 was the last season of the Aighion Mediterranean Club. I later learned that the village had been taken over by the Greek TO Heliades for a season or two before it fell into oblivion, allowing nature to regain its freedom.
Videos
Club Méditerranée Aighion 1965
Archive Collierbar
Club Med Aighion
late 80s Commercial Archive Club Med
The DinosaursClub Gérard Pigeon Decosterd
I loved it. One of my favorite villages. Many friendships were made there, some of which are still very strong 45 years later.
Unforgettable bivouacs. The bar with its ouzo and souvlaki.
The sail and its small port with a very narrow entrance.
I was also there after my Orthodox wedding in Athens, invited by Maggy Dupont, whom I had the pleasure of seeing again in Aswan.
Thank you for this post.
I was GO sailing/windsurfing in 1993 for this last opening season of Aighion, with René Pernelle as village chief. Great season spent with the whole GO team (Canelle – René's wife at reception, Claude sailing with me, a colorful Italian entertainer with a nickname like only the Club could give, etc.).
In the photo in the pool where we see naiads being pushed, well, I'm the pusher!!
Great memories.
I would like to know what has become of René Pernel, because it was almost 30 years ago, and he was already over 60 years old, so!!
The Italian host Ivanno, what wonderful laughs in this club. It was my first trip, I was 19 years old.
What memories.
Hello, I'm looking for photos, videos, and contact information for this 1993 summer season. Do you have any? Thank you for your feedback and take care. Yan GO light.
Hello Yan, I spent 15 extra days there at the beginning of July 1993. (so we know each other 🙂 ) I have some photos in my archives, but not many.
At the time, I didn't know that one day I would do Collierbar!!
I am what you call a Club Med child… In Aighion, my best memory, I was 7 years old in 76. I learned to swim just before and I got my shrimp certificate there!!!
A club on a human scale with GMs who wanted to see the country…
For the anecdote, Michel Leeb was the GO animation and I was his mascot during my stay. Another anecdote: A certain still unknown café-theater troupe were there on location to write the script for a certain film on Club Med…
What remains of the club today after the fire that devastated the forest and houses: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pyrkagianews/permalink/1054497541747551/
Year 1960!
The club was saturated by GM,
Rejected from the villages of North Africa:
The Suez Crisis!!!!
The small group in which I was was returning from 8 days in the Peloponnese. An expedition was organized to install an annex further away near a fishing village in a forest owned by the Orthodox clergy.
A small village with everything you need plus a yoga teacher, a cook and….
Creative work, immense beach, sleeping under the stars. ,…the desert island.
Wonderful unexpected stay.
Then return to civilization…
I was 15 years old!