Louison shines in “Pekin Express”
The Saintais Louison Guitteny will have marked his smile and his good humor this 18e season of “Beijing Express: in the footsteps of the Golden Tiger”. The 25-year-old fun-loving became the darling of the show from its first broadcast. Thanks to his naturalness, his sense of humor and his self-sacrifice. He and Ryad le Marseillais formed the duo of unknowns: neither knew each other before the first day of filming. Their unlikely pairing kept the spectators in suspense. In almost every episode, Louison had to “take on” the duel, this eliminatory event at the end of each stage to save his duo. “I made six!” This is the record! I actually asked for a cut,” he told us on April 16 after his elimination. The pair made such an impression that M6 has just announced a special program from January 16 for the show's 20th anniversary: “Beijing express: who can beat Ryad and Louison? “.
This couple who confused Saintes and Les Saintes
Their blunder, initially recounted by “Le Télégramme de Brest”, had a national impact. A couple from Carantec, in Finistère, had planned a trip to Guadeloupe, on the island of Marie-Galante, with a one-night detour to the Saintes archipelago. A dream setting in the heart of the Caribbean… But once there, the 1is March, the Bretons discovered that their reservation was for a hotel in… Saintes, in Charente-Maritime. At around 6,517 kilometers, it was good. The price of the room, at 89 euros, in the historic center of the city, really made Madame tick. They were left to pay for another one, at 180 euros. Let this not dissuade them from coming one day to visit our “little French Tuscany”!
James Brown is doing well and he lives in Saint-Porchaire
He shoots music videos with his sister, a jazz singer. English who arrived in Charente-Maritime as children, James and Georgie Brown thrive on their dual culture. And assume their prestigious namesake
James Brown, the camera groove
His mother loved the name James too much. So much for the homonymy! James Brown, 25, has the same name as the inventor of funk (1933-2006). Born in England, he has lived since the age of 10 in Saint-Porchaire, between Saintes and Rochefort. Passionate about photography and video, he made a career out of it. It is not easy to find his productions on the Internet, buried in the mass of videos on the “Godfather of soul”, but he makes do with it. “People think it’s my stage name. This poses some problems for mentions on the networks, but at least my name is remembered! It’s fun, it helps start a conversation…”, he confided to “Sud Ouest” in June. Occasionally, he shoots music videos for his sister, Georgie Brown, a jazz singer. The family has an artistic streak.
Philippe Ménard / SO
James Brown divides his life between Charente-Maritime, Paris and his native England.
Tony Parker, an NBA star among arpets
Thursday, November 28, the arpètes of Air Base 722 took a mental lesson. In the role of the teacher, a certain Tony Parker! What were the most prestigious French basketball winners doing in Saintes? The flooring superstar is also a high-flying businessman. He told the high school students how he began preparing for his post-career while he was at his peak with the San Antonio Spurs. Among his multiple commitments, he became an ambassador for Newrest. This company specializing in catering having won the contract for several military bases, including that of Saintes-Thénac, it offered this great gift to high school students, a conference and a game of 3×3 in the base gymnasium. A memory as improbable as it is unforgettable.
Xavier Léoty / SO
Tony Parker wet the jersey with the young arpetes.
A ghost and media poet
We still don't know who the Ghost Poet is, but he will have succeeded in putting poetry into everyday life! At the beginning of December, “Sud Ouest” launched an appeal to this author who sows plasticized texts throughout the city. In an email preserving his anonymity, he explained his approach. “Knowing who I am is not important, it remains the fact of offering words which, put in a certain order, will tickle the minds of readers and lead them – I hope – for the duration of a reading , at a moment of rapture,” he justified. His approach was popular well beyond Saintes, notably with a subject in the morning show on TF1. Since then, he has multiplied the deposits, generating many delighted comments on social networks. There are also some who have questioned the use of artificial intelligence. Our Poet is also connected. He now indicates on the reverse that he is indeed the author. Since he probably reads us, let's make a suggestion: don't ask too much to preserve the charm and rarity of the discovery.
Philippe Ménard / SO
In recent weeks, the Poet has multiplied the deposits, here near the Christmas market in Saint-Louis.
And you, what are you going to do to make us smile in 2025?
