Looking for friends from the Amporaha camp in Nosy Be

Hello,

I’m also looking for someone who might have known the French military summer camp in Amporaha between 1968 and 1969. During my military service (which I spent over 13 months at the Ivato Air Base), I was stationed in Nosy Be during those years to set up the large tent canvases and clean the bungalows for nearly 4 months, from March to around June 1969. I have wonderful memories of that time, and I’m planning to return to Madagascar next May (38 years later...) after spending 3 weeks traveling, with a few days in Nosy Be at the end of the trip.

Hi! 😄

Thanks for your post—I must’ve enjoyed it right after you left. I was 4 years old, and my dad was stationed at Ivato (ESCAMA). We probably spent some holidays at Amporaha in ’70. So many great memories—fine sand and coconut trees...

Thanks Miroku, for saying hi... I also kept an excellent memory of it, even though I wasn’t there for the same reason. I was assigned to setting up the tents and repainting the bungalows before your arrival... I still spent nearly 4 months there and made the most of it... When it was time to take a little vacation, I was 20 years old in 1968... I’m planning to go to Madagascar next year, and I’m already really excited, even if the scenery must have changed. Thanks again for your kind words, and don’t hesitate to share any tips if you’ve had the chance to go back since. Warmest regards, yves.jouet@free.fr

hello to you both, I’m Francis, one of Mr. and Mrs. Émile’s children. I’m happy to see that some haven’t been forgotten. I just got back from Martinique, where I visited Mr. Assouvie (now 80 years old), with whom I used to go fishing in 1970–71 at Amporaha. For info about Amporaha (Camp Beach) or Nosy Be, feel free to reach out: le.nosy-been@wanadoo.fr. PS: Regarding 1970–71, I have original recordings of the entertainment from that time, plus songs by Doumé and Yan about Nosy Be and Amporaha…. Best to you both, Francis

Hello, I’m Yannick BRETON. I discovered this Air Force vacation center in IVATO during the 60s. Since I return to Madagascar every year, I went back last year—only a few ruins remain, but the magic of the place still lingers.

FRANCIS I didn’t realize it was you when I replied to this message. Get in touch with me through this site, and we’ll exchange contact details afterward. Looking forward to hearing from you. Yannick

I’m looking for a friend of my father’s. They served together in the military from 1965 to 1966 at the 1st Escama Ivato. Can you help me find him? His name is Henri Georges R., and he was still living in Madagascar, specifically in Antananarivo, in 1977 (the last year my father and his friend were in touch). Thank you in advance for participating in a forum about Nosy Be and the famous military base. I’m 20 years old, and my father has always spoken of that year of his life as a special time. Those were moments in the sun (and around planes) that he’ll never forget. Rozmon2n, daughter of Alain M.

Hey Yannick, sorry, I just saw your reply. I don’t check the "looking for friends" section often. I just got back from Nosy Be (May-June-July). I called your parents last Sunday. You can reach me at francislenosybeen@tele2.fr. See you soon, Francis

Hello Francis,

While searching for info on Nosy Be, I came across this forum and your email. I spent July and August 1970 in Amporaha with my family, and I remember Mr. Emile very well. My name is Christian Mayor, and during those two months, my father handled the camp management with Mr. Norman. The name Mr. Assouvie also rings a bell. I also have some Super8 films transferred to VHS tapes, and my brother put songs on CD (including one sung by girls from the camp about Amporaha), which might be from the same source as yours from that time. I’d love to chat with you or anyone else who was in Madagascar at that time. We stayed from 1969 to 1971.

Best regards,

Christian

good evening,

I was there in '70 at the camp—where’s the good old days of the gray canvas-covered 404 break when we arrived at the camp??? Welcome, music night, bon appétit, bon appétit......little..... and so on..

Hi Christian, happy to reconnect with the old "yéyés" from Nosy Be. I remember that time so well: Norman, Dezetter, Troin, Lardenois, Boeuf, Angelier, Petit, Piquemal, Cardot, Lannelongue, Grévisse, Nefiolov, Tison, Lamoine, Dacquay (Yann), Ravard (Doumé)... To get in touch for more chit-chat... lenosybeen@orange.fr. Cheers to everyone, Francis

hi caudou06, you can join us to share your story at lenosybeen@orange.fr best, francis

Hello, Wow! What a time, what a wonderful country, and what memories... I’m Philippe Agrissais, and I was in Nosy Be back then. My father, nicknamed "Le Toubib," "Georges," or "Jojo," was a pilot on the 2501 (and helicopters), shuttling between Ivato and Hell-Ville to transport staff and equipment. I was part of the diving club, and we took part in the "langouste" evenings of that era... I often went diving with a guy named "Georges" (a great free-diver)—is he your brother? "Asouvie" rings a bell; I’ll ask my father about it. I’m planning to visit Tana at the end of the year, so any contact with old acquaintances from that time would be great! 😎 We also have photos from back then. Philippe Philippe.agrissais@free.fr

I’m looking for anyone who knew the old Amporaha holiday camp (north of Nosy-Be)

Here are some other names: MUIRON J. (70-72), GILBERT JEAN (70-71), PAUTROT + Christine and Françoise (70-71), Beluche + B (70-71) LANGLOIS + S. (70-71), FERNANDEZ FIRMIN (70-71), PAULE... (70-71) BOUILLON (70-71), NEFIOLOV (70-71) AGRISSAIS (71-72) ARCHAMBEAUD (71) CARDOT (70-71), SANTUCCI (? ) PERSEVAL (69-70) COCHET (68-70), PERON (70-71) PALLARDY (70-71), JANKOWSKI (70-72) LATASTE (70-71) PAYET (70) ANGELIER (67-69) LAGADEC (?) SHOUROUD (63) BUISSET (?) AZEMA (?) MISS RANGUIS (70-71) LAUZERAL (70?) DAUBA (72-73) TROIN + G. + M-L + C (69-70) (TISON 69-70-) GREVISSE and TAVEL (70-71) DEZETTER (70-71) JACQUET (65-66) BOEUF (70-71) BRETON (63?) LARDENOIS (70-71) RISZOWSKI (69-71) HUET (65-66) SAMSON (70-71) ESPOSITO LANGELLA (70?) SIODMAK (70) LAMOINE (70671) GALINIER J. (63-64) NASARRE L. (68-70) DACQUAY P. (Yann) (70) LASSALMONIE F. (67-69) FABRE Y. (62-63 and 72-73, the lucky guy!) MAYET A. (69-70) CHOLLEY (67-69) WEITTMANN R. (62-65) DE GOUVILLE D. (70-72) FOUCAUD G. (67-69) ROTH M. (68-70) GIGAULT C. (59-62) CRUCHOU A. (69-770) ARCANONE Y. (72-73) PONS M. (72-74) CHOLLEY C. (67-69) OLIVIER R. (70-72) DALMAS G. (59-62) PRE M. (70-72) DUMOUCEL (?) GABRIEL R. (67-69) DELHON D. (70-72) BUON J. (69-71) GEINDREAU M. (62-65) GHERARDI P. (62-65) SAOUT J. (60-63) BOULLE S. (66-68) LABBE R. (60-63) GALLOIS (72-73) THIEUX P. (67-68) HUOT R. (67-69) CARLIER M. (66-68) SIZUN J-P. (68-70) FAVAREU R. (64-67) BRUNIER P. (64-66) OUDIN R. (64-65) LARDENNOIS P. (70-71) LANNELONGUE + C (69-70) LAFUMA G. (68-69) DEMARNE R. (67-69) WATTIER C. (?) MOMBLED A. (61-65) GERMANOVITCH A. (69-71) MAUNEAU G. (54-57 and 61-64, another lucky guy!) NATALI R. (68-69) GUICHARD S. (64-66) VEIL W. (65-67) RAVARD (Doumé) (70) PORTE L. (68) EVRARD R. (67-69) VIAUD J-M (70?) ......... Some of you will recognize yourselves. See you soon... francis

Hi there, I stumbled upon your forum by chance, and I was both surprised and delighted to find that there’s still someone looking for people who were in Nosy-Be. I was very young at the time, so I don’t remember the exact date I was there, but I remember those two months at the camp very well. I think it was in 1970 since we arrived at the end of 1969 and left Madagascar in 1971. My father was in the military at the time, based in Ivato. His name was Lopez, but there were others like Saez, Balester, and Hernandez. I also remember that a song was written and sung there—*Nosy-Bé, île d’amour, île de beauté*, etc. I don’t have any photos from there; everything is on slides, and my parents have them! So if you have one or two, that would be great. Thanks in advance, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Welcome to the Babettelopez club! I’ll DM you, but we’re also looking for the slides! To the former campers— I’m heading back from 11/22 to 12/20, so if you’re up for it, join me… Best to everyone, Francis

Hi, I knew the Amporaha camp in April '70. At the time, I was a server under the tents for 2 months—it was paradise... I'm looking for photos from that period. I was at BA 181 in the general services office, base discipline, with AJT Sauvage under the command of Captain Lardenois, as well as Adjutant Grevisse and so many others... Colonel Larrivière was in charge of the base at that time. So many great memories...

Best regards, jlouis

hi there; I was on BA 181 in November '70, arrived the day of the general's funeral. Assigned to general services, I worked as a mail clerk until August '71. I barely got to know Nosy Be; just one night before being repatriated to Ivato after a leave for relaxation, hitching from Tana to Diego then Diego to Nosy by boat. Since then, I've dreamed of going back, but lack the courage, afraid of disappointment. There was a Captain Assouvie, he was my boss. A Black man. The colonist, Larrivière, used to take out his mistress lying in the R16. Cheers.