A GROUP of Wye Valley dancers are to feature in the French equivalent of travel programme Wish You Were Here.

The Chepstow Folk Dance Club was filmed by a crew from TV channel France 5 for the programme Belle Echappeés (Beautiful Escapes).

Presenter Sophie Jouillard even had the opportunity to try out some of the dances with the help of club member Richard Tout.

The crew went along to one of the club's regular meetings, which takes place between 7pm and 9pm on Wednesdays, at the Beaufort Hotel in Chepstow – which also coincided with the 90th birthday celebrations of member Bernard Holland.

The retired farmer told presenter Sophie the secret to a long life was "hard work and clean living".

Club organiser Claire Oldfield said she was delighted to be contacted by the show after a researcher found the club website.

She said: "They are making a programme about holidaying in Wales which is due to screen in January 2015. 

"They wanted to film the folk dance club as a demonstration of one of the activities that ordinary people do here. 

"That was exciting enough – but then they decided that they wanted me to show their presenter round a local site that a visitor might want to see, so I chose Tintern Abbey, because it's a place we go to as a family. 

"They were absolutely amazed by the place – very impressed. It was a delight to show them round."

The crew also filmed her daughter, Eleanor, practising with the Celtic band at Chepstow School with tutor Scott McKeon of local group, Rusty Shackle.

The evening finished with a display of the Welsh New Year's Eve tradition the Mari Lwyd (Grey Mare).

Sophie said: "I have not been to Wales before and it is very beautiful.

"I enjoyed learning some of the dances with the folk dance club."

The crew got their footage despite the evening being plagued by short power cuts which affected the area around the hotel.